“I polite you (dance) better than the others, I would like to polite you all day, please don’t stop me,” continues the patient (SHK), 49 years old in a psychiatric hospital. To the head of the dabkeh to make her more enthusiastic with the pats (movements) of her feet on the ground, while she sings with the party singer the fast Kurdish songs of the dabke.

for women only

Like many women, Sh.K.’s case has stabilized in the “Suz” hospital for women with mental illnesses in the Sulaymaniyah Governorate in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, after she was subjected to a strong trauma due to a family problem, which made her depressed and lost her ability to mix and integrate with society, and made her isolated, to think She committed suicide several times, but all her attempts failed.

In a move to treat its patients in different ways, the hospital has devised new methods to further help treat people with mental illnesses, and alleviate their conditions and suffering with illness, most notably holding singing parties inside the hospital, hosted by well-known artists, to allow patients to relieve themselves by dancing and singing as they like. .

In the context of using various methods, the hospital organizes recreational trips to the parks and public places for women there, and takes them to a restaurant to eat, and then go to the markets to do some shopping.

Research and scientific studies indicate that mental illness, unlike organic disease, has limited efficacy in treating it, and may have greater side effects. This prompted researchers to stress the importance of recreational activities in treating mental illness. Especially with regard to disorders and depression.

Sheikhani saw that singing comes within the natural treatment of great importance and reducing psychological pressure (Al Jazeera Net)

private salon

In addition to entertainment and recreation for mental patients, the hospital relies on behavioral therapy techniques such as relaxation training, family visits, and celebrations of holidays and special and public occasions, according to the head of the nurses’ department, Kurdistan Sheikhani.

Sheikhani explained that among the treatment program for patients, exercise is daily, and the opportunity to practice hobbies, noting that some of them have various creativity, especially those related to handicrafts. She stated that the hospital provides a salon for decorating.

Sheikani pointed out that holding concerts is part of physiotherapy, which is of great importance to treat female patients, or reduce psychological stress.

The positive reflection caused by these artistic and recreational activities, prompts Sheikhani to suggest that such activities be adopted in all other hospitals, whether for mental or physical diseases, especially chronic ones, because they increase the speed of recovery from the disease.

Yassin complained that the hospital suffers from a lack of support for holding events and activities to serve patients (Al-Jazeera Net)

lack of support

Psychiatric patients in the hospital receive special care. In addition to adhering to the appointments of medicines and physical therapy, they are provided with 3 main meals, and they are allowed to shower twice a week, according to the director of the administration at the hospital, Dilshad Yassin.

In the hospital, there is a special room to listen to music, and Yassin believes – in an interview with Al Jazeera Net – that these recreational activities and events would contribute to the treatment or alleviate the patients.

However, the hospital, despite the various services it provides, suffers from a lack of sufficient support to hold events and other activities similar to Dabkeh and singing parties, and this is what made it – according to Yassin – to rely heavily on the donations of benefactors in its financing.

Salim considered that one of the messages of art is to support people with special needs and mental patients (Al-Jazeera Net)

art letters

As for the artist Luqman Selim – who performed a concert in the hospital – he believes that one of the messages of authentic art is to support and communicate the voices of people with special needs in society, specifically mental patients, and work to bring happiness to their hearts in various ways.

In his speech to Al-Jazeera Net, Selim comments on what he saw in the faces of the injured during the revival of the party, saying, “Words are unable to describe what I saw in their faces of joy as they stroked and sang as if they owned the world, including it.”

The Kurdish artist calls on his peers that artists should increase their free concerts for people with special needs and patients in hospitals and centers that shelter them, as it is a humanitarian condition that helps in their recovery and integration into society.