Paktia Parents Who Develop Mental Illness After Son's Death

GARDEZ (Pajhwok): Musakhel, a resident of Sayed Karam district of southeastern Paktia and his wife lost mental balance after the death of their son. Their son, who worked in neighboring Khost province, was killed in a blast at a hotel.

Musakhel, 55, a resident of Bokar Ghundiarea of Usmankhel region in Sayed Karamdistrict, lost his mental balance after the death of his youngest son.

Before telling the story of his son's demise, Musakhel pointed to the door–less rooms of his house:“We spent the entire winter in these rooms. They have no doors and the weather was very cold.”

Musakhel, who seemed an old man at the age of 55 due to poverty and the death of his son, said his son lost his life in a hotel explosion in Khost province last year.

His eyes welled up on looking at the picture of his son and stopped talking, but brieflysaid.“I have applied for assistance, but they did not give me any money, they say my son was not married.”

He was told that the Department of Martyrs and Disabled People provides money to the families of martyrs, but he hasn't received any.

Like him, Musakhel's wife was so devastated by the death of her son that she couldn't even speak. She didn't say anything and just kept listening.

Their other son, Zaminullah, who is currently working in a factory in Gardez city, earns so much that barely meets their daily needs.

He said if he had money, he would have treated his sick parents. He said:“My younger brother went to Khost after graduating from grade 12 last year. He was working in a hotel when a bomb exploded and my brother died. My parents become mentally sick after that. They are always sad. They cry all day long. They spend the whole day and night crying and feeling sad. They still think that if they had not sent their son to Khost, this would not have happened.”

Zaminullah is married, but has no children yet. He says he wonders whether to support his family, treat his parents or his wife?

Zaminullah said:“When my brother was martyred, I applied for assistance and the district administration approved it and told me to take the application to Gardez, but the Martyrs and Disabled Persons Department came up with the excuse that my brother did not leave behind any orphan.”

“But he left behind parents who are suffering from mental illnesses, and I would have treated them with the assistance.”

He said doctors told him that treating his parents would need enough money.

How to deal with such patients before treatment?

Shah Mahmood Gran, a specialist in mental and neurological diseases in Paktia, said such people should not sit idle and they should not be reminded of what they lost and should always be consoled.

He said:“If someone loses a family memberand if he/she overcomes the grief in a month or forty days, it is good and after this period, if the persons remains depressed, crying, angry, or has sleep disorder, then he is considered ill, so he should consult a mental or neurological doctor and get treatment.”

Zaminullah says he has talked to doctors about the treatment of his parents, but since he could not afford it, he had done nothing as yet, urging the government and aid organizations to help him in this regard.

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