7.3 Emerging themes and subthemes
7.3.8 Theme 2: Descriptive names of mental illness
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the medicine, nothing we can do because they have the tendency of denying. We will then ask them the reasons for not providing.
They will tell us that we should not provide because of this and that.” (Participant THP10)
This seems to suggest that divination is the critical tool that informs the healers about the guidance in the process of intervention.
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In the view of the results of this study, the condition that presents itself as what may be understood by clinical psychologists as depression is understood as “makgoma” by traditional health practitioners.
Subtheme 2: Kgatelelo ya monagano (Oppression of the mind/stress)
The symptoms similar to those reported in Case Study A which is understood as depression by clinical psychologists were reported by the participants to be those of the
“oppression of the mind” (stress) (kgatelelo ya monagano). This is understood as a condition that suggests that the individual presenting with it is not well mentally and requires intervention. The illustrations presented below illustrate this assertion.
“...when she thinks too much, the brain gets tired. When your brain gets tired, your soul also gets tired. Even thinking too much also damages the body. Then if it damages the body, it also damages the heart, and then we see her heart hurting, leading to her thoughts of taking her life. What she is going through can be associated with thinking too much. She has an oppression of the mind (stress) (kgatelelo ya monagano). (Participant THP11)
“...when she comes to us, you will find that we say it is “stress”.
And when she is like that, we take her to hospital. When a person has stress, they want to be put well at the hospital (rearranged)”
(Participant THP8)
The symptoms associated with the presentation in the case study seem to suggest that the person experiencing them is under stress. Stress is understood by traditional health practitioners as a condition that leads to tiredness of the mind, body and heart, which may, in turn, lead to an individual thinking of taking their own life. The results further suggest that the stress is well managed at the hospital through western forms of treatment.
Subtheme 3: Go hlakana hlogo (mental confusion)
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This study has revealed that at times, symptoms similar to those illustrated in Case Study B are understood as mental confusion (go hlakana hlogo) from the perspective of the traditional health practitioners. This presentation is further understood as a condition that usually results from ignorance of communication from the ancestors that leads to mental confusion. This is illustrated in the extract below.
“It is not mental illness or anything. It is that of the “ancestors”. He did not pay attention to it until the point where he got mentally confused (go hlakana hlogo). Then it will end up as if it is mental illness while it was not actually mental illness.” (Participant THP8)
Symptoms suggestive of mental confusion are understood by traditional health practitioners as a sign of ignorance of communication from the ancestors and presents themselves in what may look like mental illness while it is not a mental illness.
Subtheme 4: Go gafa / Bogaswi (Madness)
it was suggested by the results of this study that the presentation of symptoms that were illustrated in Case Study B (see appendix 2B) and others which may range from roaming around, poor hygiene, aggression towards people, animals and property and talking and laughing to self is an indication of madness (bogaswi).
“If a person complains, he or she has illness in the body. Firstly, she will have high blood. She will neglect personal hygiene, be aggressive towards people, animals and property, talk and laugh alone, and roam around. Afterwards, she will have stress which will lead to madness (bogaswi).” (Participant THP10)
The presentation of a person who roams around, neglects their hygiene, talks and laughs to themself, and becomes aggressive towards people and property is understood by traditional health practitioners as madness, which is a form of mental illness.
Subtheme 5: Go swarwa ke badimo (Ancestral possession)
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The results of this study have shown that at times, individuals may present with symptoms similar to those of mental illness, which occur as a result of an individual being possessed by ancestral spirits. The possession may present as a need for the symptomatic person to become a healer. However, the results have further uncovered that even though the presentation may be similar to that of a person with mental illness, ancestral possession is a curable illness. This assertion is illustrated by the extract below:
“When we look at it, especially the symptoms, we may just say that Mologadi has an “ancestral possession/ancestral calling” (go swarwa ke badimo / pitšo ya badimo). When you are sick like the way in which Mologadi is sick, we just say you are possessed by ancestors. Your healing will come when we help you through the process towards becoming a healer. That‟s how you will get cured.” (Participant THP7)
What the results seem to suggest is that there is a similarity between the symptoms of mental illness and the symptoms suggesting ancestral possession. The symptoms of mental illness are treated while the symptoms of ancestral possession disappear after the initiation process of one to become a healer.
7.3.9 Theme 3: Conceptualisations of stress-related and depressive disorders by