Pradeep’s Story
Hi, I'm Pradeep. I witnessed several events that affected mental health on a large scale during my childhood. I grew up in the middle of Sri Lanka's three-decade-long civil war. It was a period marked by profound grief and trauma that left no corner of our nation untouched.
Language, affiliation, none of it mattered. Soldiers on both sides were dealing with PTSD and depression, and to make matters worse, we were hit with a brutal drought that caused economic chaos and a tragic spike in suicides. In 1995, Sri Lanka recorded the highest suicide rate per population.
In 2004, two-thirds of my country’s coast was washed away by the South Asian Tsunami. Being an adolescent, I saw the sorrow and grief the family members of lost souls were experiencing. A few years later, I became an occupational therapist and started working at the National Institute of Mental Health, which had a long history as an asylum.
“Two-thirds of my country’s coast was washed away by the South Asian Tsunami... I saw the sorrow and grief the family members of lost souls were experiencing.”
There, I met some like-minded individuals who shared a profound belief in actively engaging persons with psychosocial disabilities within the community. This path eventually led me to join CAN MH Lanka, a consumer-led community organization, in 2012.
Just handing out medications wasn't enough to tear down the stigma and give people the support they needed. We realised that hospitalising people wasn't enough. For the past ten years, we've been advocating to break those stigmas and fight for the rights of people dealing with mental health challenges.
We have been emphasizing the importance of delivering holistic care that includes avenues for reintegration into the community, equal standing under the law, and opportunities for economic self-reliance for individuals wrestling with mental health conditions. Access to high-quality mental healthcare is a fundamental human right that transcends geographic boundaries.
Even though I don't have a label slapped on me, I have had my fair share of rough patches, just like anyone else. This shared human experience has reinforced my belief that mental health is a collective responsibility. Therefore, it is our duty as human beings to make sure access to quality mental healthcare for everyone, everywhere when needed.
If you would like to share your story with GMHAN we invite you to complete the form on this page.
