Prayer camps, a substitute for mental institutions?
August 8, 2008
If you thought prayer, and worship was all what took place in prayer camps then think twice. Little did we know about the transition of prayer camps to mental institutions as divine healers of prayer camps have been upgraded to psychiatrists.
Prayer camps have become rife these days especially in some rural area in the country overtaking mental institutions in the treatment of mental illnesses.
People with mental disorders or strange behaviours are pronounced as witches, wizards or have some evil spirit inhabiting them and this is becoming the plight of mental institutions and Ghanaians as well.
The overwhelming popularity of prayer camps questions the accessibility and efficacy of present mental institutions in Ghana. What aren’t they doing right? Perhaps the few mental institutions in the country and their cost not to mention their efficacy.
Divine healers of prayer camps not only diagnose witchcraft or evil spirits but also predict how such a situation develops and how to get rid of such evil, consequently the inhumane treatment in such prayer camps; poor sleeping conditions, the use of shackles to chain inmates to restrict their movement, denial of food and water, forcibly taking strange concoctions without warning of its effect and sexual exploitation allegedly happening in prayer camps violate the rights of victims.
But why would people send mentally ill relatives and others to these prayer camps?
The strong belief in evil spirits is a common characteristic which has been responsible for the rife in prayer camps as any awkward behaviour which usually may be psychological is branded as evil spiritually, first before any other.
Difficult financial situation in a tough economy; with the cost of treatment of mental illness is most at times a burden to families of victims as well as a lucrative avenue for healers and priests who operate prayer camps as a business.
Stigmatization meted out by community members, neighbours, employers and in some cases family members and also strange illnesses in families are some socio-cultural influences. Another underlying factor is the belief in death before your time.
The inaccessibility of conventional psychiatric treatment among the listed above have been responsible for these prayer camps being so popular in the treatment of mental illnesses especially
Perhaps if we knew of much better methods then resorting to prayer camps wouldn’t be an option, this problem of ignorance I will call lack of education. The more people knew about mental illnesses, institutions and treatment meted out at these prayer camps the better.
Are people aware of the treatment given to inmates in these prayer camps when they send family and others away?
So what do you think?
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people should just be realistic. i mean you can always pray for yourself . rid yourself of this “pray for me ” Ghanaian attitude