by Sorana Mitchell
“The answer is yes and no but it’s more no. I’ll explain the no first: humans, in general, enjoy looking down on other people… well at least I’m not crazy… well, at least I’m not living in an institution… and when you challenge the status quo, when you ruffle feathers… they don’t know what to expect… Yes, for those who have families or who are living with this experience, they are so ready because they have seen how these people have been marginalized and treated, and they’re like, this is not fair; they need a voice; they need their own voice.”
– Tashima Barzey, Paramedic/Lived Experience, Tortola, British Virgin Islands“The Caribbean continues to struggle with stigma and taboo in regard to mental health, which is why the integration of mental health promotion and availability of mental health support needs to be incorporated in all facets of the community — cultural, social, economic, and political reasons for neglecting mental health need to be uprooted. The only way to break through is through radical change.”
– Jihan Rigaud–Elhage, Clinical Psychologist, Curaçao“I think so. I would track our increased interest in mental health, and particularly the notion of mental health and psycho-social support really snapped into focus starting probably from 2017. So, I would say with [hurricanes] Maria and Irma happening in such close proximity and devastating certain islands, and neighbouring islands had to spring into action, not only in the immediate response to these disasters, you know, persons displaced, homes destroyed but also talking about the emotional impact of that. And then 2019 August, [hurricane] Dorian… again completely decimating places and then realizing like oh, the mental health services and psychosocial wellbeing have to be knitted into our thinking… so I think it was already kind of coming into focus, and you were hearing more conversations, and then we had the pandemic… and basically, it took whatever services we did have, and it showed us where all the cracks were and, in some cases, not just the cracks, there were some people who fell into some of those cracks.”
– Dr Alisa Alvis, Psychologist, St Vincent and the Grenadines“I don’t know if Grenada or the rest of the region is ready because if they start with it, it might get put on the back burner because of other things.”
– Judy James, Public Servant, Grenada“I don’t think Montserrat is ready for it. [The] reason being, Montserrat is very small, and stigma is very much real around here. I would need a team to do some more sensitization with the public.”
– Lester Ryan, Social Worker, Montserrat“No. It needs radical change [but] it’s not ready for radical change… You might get a progressive prime minister, you might get a progressive minister, you know someone that has influence, who will come and say, hey, I think that this needs to change, but are the people in the Caribbean ready for that change? No. Because it’s not just about the people at the top, it’s about the ‘people’.”
– Vernee Sobers, Criminologist, Lived Experience/Mental Health Advocate, BarbadosNo, please. Because we get so comfortable, comfortable with the norm. So, to bring something different, is not going to go well with Bajans, maybe the younger generation but not the older ones.”
– Shamel Ramsay, Geriatric Nurse, Barbados“Jamaica and region, I think to some extent, are in a position to accept changes if it can be presented in [the] context of Covid-19, which generally has caused enhanced focus on mental health issues in public and private sectors. This has translated willingness to prevent possible increased incidence of mental health conditions and worsening or relapse of those who were living with mental illness. Hence, there will be greater receptiveness for measures to mitigate mental health conditions.”
– Kevin Goulbourne, Psychiatrist, Jamaica
Mental health practitioners in the Caribbean are being encouraged to ensure that the rights of patients they treat are respected, reducing stigma and discrimination and promoting human rights and recovery.
This progressive form of treatment for persons diagnosed with psychosocial, intellectual, and cognitive disabilities was introduced during a workshop held at the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO) office in Barbados from 7–10 May 2024.
Participants were exposed to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Quality Rights training, which is based on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), aimed at reducing and ultimately discontinuing forced admissions, seclusion, and restraint of mental health patients.
PAHO/WHO has been providing technical support to Grenada and the other Caribbean countries present at the training, which are revising and updating their mental health policy and legislation.
We need to understand that as human beings we usually and/or sometimes experience mild levels of depression without being diagnosed or even recognized which, if unchecked or untreated, can or may progress to the elevated stages of acute or chronic.