Kufungisisa
Dr. Dixon Chibanda in a November 2017 Ted talk entitled “Why I train grandmothers to treat depression” tells the listener that the word in his country for depression is kufungisisa which literally means “thinking too much”. It is a Shona word. Shona is one of the 16 official Zimbabwe languages.
The origin of the word depress in Latin is depressare, frequentative of deprimere, meaning ‘press down’. (Oxford dictionary)
Many of those suffering from clinical depression will say that they feel disconnected from themselves and life in general. Many will report without using the word kufungisisa that they cannot stop thinking or they cannot stop worrying.
Scientist now know what is happening chemically in the brain when one is reporting symptoms which weigh one down and make it seem impossible to get out of bed or up from the couch. Depressed people report that they are thinking too much about negative events or possibilities. They are without hope. The more depressed they are the more their mind refuses to turn off. The depressed mind says that there is no reason to get up, to keep moving or to keep living. These negative thoughts send out these messages to the body. We know that sometimes modern medication can help one begin to slow down one’s mind and to begin to experience some of the colors and movements of the world. The world becomes literally brighter. We also know that talk therapy can help one begin to correct the lies of the depression. In addition the mere fact of someone listening in a loving, empathetic manner can sometimes override that feeling of disconnection and can help break the cycle of the isolated, negative thought process.
Much of what an effective psychiatrist, counselor, psychologist or other “professional health care worker” does is listen – being present with one’s heart. The mere fact that someone cares can help to override some of the negative thought process. Yet there is a grave shortage of mental health professionals or other medical personnel who have the time to empathically listen and help correct the distorted thinking which is a part of depression. Dr. Chibanda tells the TED audience that he is one of 12 psychiatrists in Zimbabwe for a population of 16 million. He and others came up with a creative approach to deal this paucity of professional mental health workers – a program “powered by a limitless resource: grandmothers.” In his Ted talk he describes “a friendship bench program which trains grandmothers in evidence-based talk therapy who bring care and hope, to those in need.” He further states that “Today, there are hundreds of grandmothers who are working in more than 70 communities. And in the last year alone, more than 30,000 people received treatment on the Friendship Bench from a grandmother in Zimbabwe.”
I applaud Dr. Chibanda and his colleagues for their openness and creativity in recognizing that there are many professional in the community which it comes to such areas as health care. Many grandmothers as well as grandfathers have been doing counseling for much of their adult lives. Many bartenders and hair stylists/barbers are already doing counseling. (A models Cities program in the 1970ies recognized this and gave bartenders and hair stylists the same sort of training which the grandmothers are getting.) The 12-step programs have long used sponsors. Many addiction treatment programs have used those who are in a recovery program as para-professionals and professionals counselors. AIDS programs often used volunteers called buddies to provide practical as well as emotional support to those living with AIDS.
It is long past time that professional health care organizations accepted that many in the community have already had long-term apprentice programs in counseling. With some basic training and the sharpening of active listening skills we can greatly expand access to mental health services in all part of the world. We can help others to reconnect and calm their minds. We can reduce kufungisisa.
Written March 1, 2018
Dr. Dixon Chibanda in a November 2017 Ted talk entitled “Why I train grandmothers to treat depression” tells the listener that the word in his country for depression is kufungisisa which literally means “thinking too much”. It is a Shona word. Shona is one of the 16 official Zimbabwe languages.
The origin of the word depress in Latin is depressare, frequentative of deprimere, meaning ‘press down’. (Oxford dictionary)
Many of those suffering from clinical depression will say that they feel disconnected from themselves and life in general. Many will report without using the word kufungisisa that they cannot stop thinking or they cannot stop worrying.
Scientist now know what is happening chemically in the brain when one is reporting symptoms which weigh one down and make it seem impossible to get out of bed or up from the couch. Depressed people report that they are thinking too much about negative events or possibilities. They are without hope. The more depressed they are the more their mind refuses to turn off. The depressed mind says that there is no reason to get up, to keep moving or to keep living. These negative thoughts send out these messages to the body. We know that sometimes modern medication can help one begin to slow down one’s mind and to begin to experience some of the colors and movements of the world. The world becomes literally brighter. We also know that talk therapy can help one begin to correct the lies of the depression. In addition the mere fact of someone listening in a loving, empathetic manner can sometimes override that feeling of disconnection and can help break the cycle of the isolated, negative thought process.
Much of what an effective psychiatrist, counselor, psychologist or other “professional health care worker” does is listen – being present with one’s heart. The mere fact that someone cares can help to override some of the negative thought process. Yet there is a grave shortage of mental health professionals or other medical personnel who have the time to empathically listen and help correct the distorted thinking which is a part of depression. Dr. Chibanda tells the TED audience that he is one of 12 psychiatrists in Zimbabwe for a population of 16 million. He and others came up with a creative approach to deal this paucity of professional mental health workers – a program “powered by a limitless resource: grandmothers.” In his Ted talk he describes “a friendship bench program which trains grandmothers in evidence-based talk therapy who bring care and hope, to those in need.” He further states that “Today, there are hundreds of grandmothers who are working in more than 70 communities. And in the last year alone, more than 30,000 people received treatment on the Friendship Bench from a grandmother in Zimbabwe.”
I applaud Dr. Chibanda and his colleagues for their openness and creativity in recognizing that there are many professional in the community which it comes to such areas as health care. Many grandmothers as well as grandfathers have been doing counseling for much of their adult lives. Many bartenders and hair stylists/barbers are already doing counseling. (A models Cities program in the 1970ies recognized this and gave bartenders and hair stylists the same sort of training which the grandmothers are getting.) The 12-step programs have long used sponsors. Many addiction treatment programs have used those who are in a recovery program as para-professionals and professionals counselors. AIDS programs often used volunteers called buddies to provide practical as well as emotional support to those living with AIDS.
It is long past time that professional health care organizations accepted that many in the community have already had long-term apprentice programs in counseling. With some basic training and the sharpening of active listening skills we can greatly expand access to mental health services in all part of the world. We can help others to reconnect and calm their minds. We can reduce kufungisisa.
Written March 1, 2018
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