Hospitalised Schizophrenics, Their Socio-Sexual Life And Rehabilitation

Hospitalised Schizophrenic: Their Socio-Sexual Life an Rehabilitation is a commendable attempt to focus attention on the problems of chronic Institutionalised schizophrenic who constitute more than 60% of the population of any psychiatric hospital. They pose a very big challenge to the mental health experts-psychiatrists, social workers, psychologists, nurses, sociologists, occupational therapists etc. because they not only suffer from psychiatric disability, but also from social disability (described as ?Social Breakdown Syndrome?, ?Secondary Handicaps?, Total Institution? by renowned authors). These patients stay in the hospital more for social reasons than for psychiatric reasons. The study tries to explore different and various facets of the life of hospitalised schizopheric patients, in particular, their symptoms, social relationship, productivity, sexual life and assessment of their assets necessary for their social and economic rehabilitation. The chapters deal with mental illness in Ayurved, symptoms and prevalence of schizophrenia, hospitalisation syndrome treatment and rehabilitation approaches for mental patients, especially schizophrenic, hospitalisation process, relationship with family, capacity for sef care, sex and inter-personal life, capacity to work and factors related to their long stay, policies, practices and services for mental health in India and various implications for further action. Since the book deals with psychiatric, sociological, and economic aspects of the institutionalised schizopherenics, it will prove useful to sociologists, social anthropologists, apart from those working in mental health field like psychiatrists, social workers, psychologists, nurses and occupational and rehabilitation therapists.

Dr. R.K. Upadhyay (b. 1943) obtained his Master’s degree in Social Work from Khasi Vidyapith. Varanasi in 1963. After having worked with an American Cultural Anthropologists and in Tribal Welfare Deptt. of Madhya Pradesh, he joined Hospital for Metnal Diseases (now Central Institute of Psychiatry) Ranchi as a psychiatric social worker. He was appointed as an Assistant Professof of Psychiatric Social Work in 1968 at this Institute. He has been teaching Social Case Work, Social Group Work etc., for the last 10 years. In 1976, he went to USA and gained expertise in Psychotherapy (group and individual). He has contributed articles to various journals which speak of his wide experience in dealing with various psychological proglems. He is Founder-President of Indian Society of Psychiatric Social Workers and Editor of Indian Journal of Psychiatric Social Work. He is presently serving as Head of the Dept. of Social Work Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra.