Is personhood lost after mental illness? Exploring the dynamic interface between personhood and mental illness in Ghana.

Abstract

Understanding of local conceptions of personhood and mental illness is central for developing therapeutic alliance and treatment regimens for persons living with mental illness. Such persons are exposed to several discriminatory behaviours yet factors that seem to encourage these behaviours are still not entirely understood. Personhood as construed from an emic perspective could potentially guide an understanding of societal attitudes toward individuals suffering from mental illness. This study explored Akan and Ewe conceptions of personhood in relation to mental illness. Using a semi-structured interview guide, seven Focused Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted in the Tutu and Taviefe communities of the Eastern and Volta Regions of Ghana. A thematic analysis of interviews brought out three main themes: loss of sense of personhood during mental illness; liminality of personhood status after mental illness; and restoration of personhood status. Within these conceptions, activities such as restoring routines and occupational therapy could be utilized to "restore personhood" at least at the performative level. This demonstrates the dynamic interface between notions of personhood and mental illness with implications for stigma reduction.