Announcement
Schizophrenia Awareness Association (SAA) is happy to announce the forthcoming publication of
“Mental Illness and Caregiving: Challenges, Concerns and Complications”. SAA’s president Amrit
Bakhshy has been diligently working on the book for more than a year. The book is based on his
experience as a caregiver for more than twenty five years and as a mental health activist for nine years.
This comprehensive book, first of its kind in India, is written mainly for Indian family caregivers of
persons with mental illness and provides the necessary information that will be useful to them. The
book will also be of interest to others including stakeholders, students and anyone who is interested in
mental health.
Around 200 page book is priced at Rs.200 (Rupees Two Hundred) only. However, the institutions and
organisations placing pre-publication orders for 5 copies or more will receive the book at a special
price of Rs.100 (Rupees One Hundred) only. The postage and handling charges will be waived for
such orders. Individuals may place orders for one or more copies at Rs.100 each but will have to pay
for postage and handling Rs.80 for delivery in Maharashtra and Rs.120 for delivery outside
Maharashtra. The discounted price will be available for orders with full payment received on or before
10th October 2016. The order form is attached with this mail.
1. Extract from Introduction
In 2014, Amrit was appointed by the Govt. of India on the Institutional Body of NIMHANS, an
Institute of National Importance created by an act of the Parliament in 2012. In 2015, the Government
appointed him as the Chairperson of the Hospital Management Committee of NIMHANS.
As SAA President Amrit was actively involved in consultations in drafting of the Mental Health Care
Bill 2013 and was invited for national consultations and for a presentation before the Parliamentary
Committee. He serves on committees of many national bodies dealing with mental health.
At the international level, in March 2015, Amrit was invited by WHO’s Department of Mental Health
and Substance Abuse, for expert advice to review the draft material WHO had prepared on mental
health issues. Amrit is a collaborator for a 3 year Quality Rights Project in Gujarat which is supported
by Grand Challenges Canada.
I am happy to see that Amrit has come forward to share his knowledge and experience with other
caregivers of mentally ill through his book, Mental Illness and Caregiving – Challenges, Concerns
and Complications. The book is the outcome of his keen desire to help the caregivers find solutions to
their problems in the process of caregiving. It is based on his experience as a caregiver of his daughter.
Amrit has collected useful information from various sources and put it in a book form for guiding the
caregivers. It unfolds with his journey on the path of caregiving to Richa.
The first part, titled “Orientation”, covers basic information to help the caregiver understand the basic
facts involving the care of a family member affected with schizophrenia or other mental illnesses. The
tips on “Dos and Don’ts” come in handy during the day to day caring.
The second part, “Concerns, Doubts and Queries”, in question-answer form, provides guidance on
various issues that arise in the process of caregiving. The caregiver often gets confused with
unpredictable situations that arise due to odd behaviour of the affected family member. This section
will come in handy to deal with such circumstances.
The third part, “Empowerment” is a compendium of important legal issues involving rights of the
patients, mental health acts, nominating representatives, and so on. These are summarized in this part
of the book.
The fourth part “Annexures” is not essential for direct guidance, but it provides important references
for caregivers who want to know more. For example, it contains lists of facilities beneficial to
caregivers, such as hospitals, institutions, rehabilitation centres, websites, acronyms, all related to
mental health.
Mental illness has many variations; each case is different. What suits one caregiver may not apply to
another. Taken this into account, Amrit has covered many different scenarios involving affected family
members, composition of their families, and available community services. I congratulate Amrit for
writing this useful guide for Indian caregivers.
Jagannath Wani
4 Strathbury Circle SW
Calgary, T3H 1P7, Canada
Email: [email protected]
2. Extract from Foreword
Care-givers form a substantial number of family members who need support. This support includes
providing adequate information about the illness such as schizophrenia, tips to manage the person with
such illness, benefits and consequences of available treatments, other alternative or complementary
interventions that can offer benefit are some examples. In addition, care-givers have to recognize the
stress in themselves that can emerge out of the process of caring the affected. Care-giver-stress can be
a potential risk and the society should help them to overcome this stress. Research has looked into
developing several techniques including yoga to alleviate this stress.
This book by Shri. Amrit Bakhshy is a unique contribution. Written by a care-giver himself, the
compiled material is most appropriate and comprehensive. The style of writing is simple and clear to
help an average caregiver to follow.
The author deserves congratulations for this effort. A reader will understand how one could win over
this challenge and even convert it into an exercise for the benefit of fellow care-givers. I wish all the
readers a fruitful journey through the book.
Dr. B.N. Gangadhar,
Director
NIMHANS, Bangalore
Date : 01-09-2016
3. Extract from Author’s “My Journey as a Caregiver”
Looking back, I see my becoming a proud father of Richa in 1972. Eighteen years later, in 1991, the
destiny made me her caregiver. In 2007 I became a volunteer for helping those with mental illness and
their families and in 2010 I joined the mental health movement as a full time activist. The journey will
continue. I have made arrangements for Richa after my wife and I are no more. I get great satisfaction
to be “agony uncle” of the community of caregivers 24/7.
I feel the unending responsibility towards my daughter and the mental health community. So this
journey will continue till I remain functional. I wish I had become a mental health activist much earlier.
I learnt caregiving system the hard way over a quarter of a century. In the last six years, I have tried to
share my experiences and knowledge gained over years, with all the family caregivers, whom I could
reach. This book is an attempt to reach and help those family caregivers, whom I am unable to reach
in person. Hope this would avoid their groping in the dark and make the same mistakes I made due to
lack of awareness about schizophrenia.
Amrit Bakhshy,
501 Nyati Abode, NDA Pashan Road, Bavdhan,
Pune 411 021
Mobile- 9881190000, E-mail <[email protected]>
4. Order Form
Mental Illness and Caregiving: Challenges, Concerns and Complications
By Amrit Bakhshy
Purchase Order
1. Name of the Organisation/Institution/individual
:………………………………………………………………………………
2. Full address for delivery
:……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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3. Phone number and Email address:
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4. Number of copies required:
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5. Discounted Price for each copy: Rs. 100/6. Total Price for the number of copies required :…………………………………………………………………………
7. Delivery charges: NIL / Rs. 80/- / Rs. 100/- *
8. Total amount payable: Rs.
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Payment Details
Crossed Draft/Cheque number…………………., date……………………………. in favour of Schizophrenia
Awareness Association, drawn on …………………………………………………………………………………………... for
Rs. ………………….. (Rupees……………………………………………………………………………………….).
An amount of Rs. ………………….. (Rupees…………………………………………………………………) has been
transferred on ……………………………….. (date) to the account of Schizophrenia Awareness Association
as per the following details:
Schizophrenia Awareness Association
Bank Name: AXIS Bank
Branch: Sinhagad Road
Bank Address: Senate, S No. 118 A, Jaidev Nagar, Sinhagad Road, Pune
Account No.: 910010035538609
IFS Code: UTIB0000828
MICR Code: 411211014
Please tick the appropriate box
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* Delivery charges for 5 copies or more – NIL, Less than 5 copies in Maharashtra Rs.80/-, Outside Maharashtra Rs.
120/-
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