Specialist psychiatrist Reverend Dr Joseph Kofi Aidoo has refuted the belief that mental health patients are violent.
Speaking on Joy Prime’s Prime Morning show, she said victims of the condition are rather recipients of violence compared to the perception that they are violent.
He explained that a smaller percentage of people affected mentally out of the total population are likely to be fierce.
“Compared to the normal population, it is 10 times unlikely for a person living with a mental health condition to be violent. They’re more at the other end of people being violent to them than they themselves being violent. We have a smaller percentage. If you compare it to the normal population, it will be like ten is to one (10:1). So, for every ten people who are violent, there’s only one person living with a mental health illness,” the psychiatrist elaborated.
Considering the number of violent cases reported daily in the country, Dr Aidoo mentioned that the majority of the people involved are not diagnosed with mental ailment.
However, the specialist noted that the reason why mentally challenged people are considered savage is due to their appearance, especially on the streets since human beings are naturally programmed to fear things that are not known.
“They look unkempt, and there’s this perception that the person can hurt you. So, it is an ingrained fear in human beings that, naturally, things we don’t understand we turn to be more afraid of them,” he added.
That notwithstanding, there are a few people living with mental health illnesses who may be violent, but relating to the total population, he clarified that they are less violent.
Nevertheless, he does not blame the ideology of people regarding the condition, saying that he also had the same perception until he ventured into the mental health field.
He further highlighted that violent-related activities, including domestic violence or abuse, physical abuse, and assault, are usually committed by sound-minded people and not the mentally challenged.
Dr Aidoo emphasised that some of the victims are violent due to the kinds of things they experience.
“Sometimes, they’re just coming to your car, then all of a sudden there’s a mob action. It’s also because of the kind of things they’re going through. Sometimes, they’re hearing voices and seeing images inaudible to others.”
Factually, he said hospitalised people living with mental ailment at the psychiatric and other mental health centres are usually friendly and happy to receive visitors.
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