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Criminalizing the mind
Almost all media have indeed portrayed people with mental illness as dangerous villains who need to be avoided.
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A mentally ill patient rests his feet through the bars of his isolation room in the Galuh Foundation rehabilitation center in Bekasi, West Java. (Antara/Hafidz Mubarak)
R
ecently, many news reports have cited instances of the mentally ill being rounded up or assaulted, after some religious leaders were attacked by mentally ill individuals. The attacks urged local governments to protect the victims and prevent further acts. Some areas like Karanganyar in Central Java, Serang in Banten, Pasuruan and Kediri in East Java, began to conduct a search for abandoned or untreated people with mental illnesses.
Local governments said the search was a response to complaints by the community that their presence was disturbing. Many asked, are people with mental illness really that dangerous? Almost all media have indeed portrayed people with mental illness as dangerous villains who need to be avoided. They become unpredictable figures that can suddenly bring harm or disturb others, thus we should avoid them at all costs.
However, behind their scary image, they are actually very vulnerable. In fact, they are weak and crying for help, but most people misunderstand their efforts. Just imagine that you are in a fantasy world, like in the settings of Narnia or Harry Potter. It becomes harder for you to differentiate between fantasy and reality. People around you might think that you are weird. Sometimes they are frustrated and begin to abuse or neglect you. You might not react because you think that they are stronger or you simply do not care. Similarly, mentally ill people are often lost in their own world. People do not try to understand them, and instead judge them. They think that they are weird, so they should be left out.
Someone with a mental illness could be agitated and aggressive, like any other person. The difference is that they do not fully understand what happened to them. They simply cannot control their behavior. According to research, the loss of control is due to biological factors, which can be helped by medication, as well as psychotherapy. If treated well, it is possible for people with mental illness to achieve a full recovery and lead a “normal” life.
