By Rhaka Katresna, Intern at Peace Place Pati
Petrus and Rhaka advocating for mental health care in Pati at Pati Regional House of Representatives, taken by the officials of Pati Regional House of Representatives, March 1 2022
At my first 3 months review in my internship at Peace Place Pati, my focus became clear. I was reminded of my competence and also my long lost interest in mental health. I realized that I forced myself to become invisible regarding the state of my mental health and how I recover. I’m aware that this is due to the discrimination I experienced living with my family in Bandung, denying their abuse of me and the condition of my mental health. This long denial has hindered my development and recovery.
My previous involvement in mental health activism has not been satisfactory or meaningful. When I finally spoke up against my parents back in 2016, the community opposed me. There was denial and shouting, silent treatments and beatings. I was struggling with my own recovery. I heard voices in my head that stopped when I finally pointed out the injustice I experienced in the past at the hands of my parents. Society blamed me for my actions. They said it’s a shame for children to tell the wrongdoings of their parents. I still do tell because what I needed most was to tell the truth.
I have concluded that the abuse I received has led to my severe mental health problems. The injustices in my family were due to my parents’ own traumas and the socio-cultural condition of my surroundings. At the beginning of my mental health recovery, I was told that my mental health problem was personal, that it’s my own pursuit. It’s true that I need to finally be able to take care of myself. But how about examining the long running trauma and mental health problems in my family and in society? I realized that mental health problems are not only personal, but are included in our concern for peace and justice. I noticed that poverty, lack of care and support, and even generational and colonial trauma contribute to mental health issues. When someone’s mental health declines, we are reminded that we need to stop and find out why and how. We need to consider the surroundings, including the family and the places where people live. The condition may be related not only to the lack of mental and emotional capabilities but also to the injustice that has happened and is still happening.
My work in Peace Place Pati has supported and encouraged me to build Bestari Keswa Pati, a mental health support community in Pati. We’re planning for the development of community mental health care and support, and building tools based on conscience for mental health survivors. I’ve been thinking about the next step when the survivor has recovered and is ready to speak up for change. In Indonesia, many communities work only for personal recovery and looking normal without really being aware of the main causes of mental health difficulties. That’s the missing piece in mental health advocacy in Indonesia. I finally found my focus again on Public Mental Health. Thank you to the friends along the way of my journey.