Begumisa’s search for sanity provides relief from bipolar disorder

“When I reached State House, the soldiers rounded me up, took me to Central Police Station (CPS). I ended up in the ambulance which took me to Butabika Hospital where I spent another phase of life,” he says.

It was his family that took him to Butabika National Referral Mental Hospital, a facility that provides mental health treatment. That was his second breakdown as a bipolar disorder patient.

Bipolar is a mental disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, concentration, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks. That was January 2008.

Begumisa was in his second semester as a third year student of Civil Engineering at Makerere University Kampala (MUK). He had been on medication for two years and in fear of the side effect the drugs would have on him, he had stopped taking them.

When he got to Butabika, he was unsettled. After filling his entry forms into the facility, he started organizing chairs in one of the rooms. He was left to be because as he later on appreciated, patients of mental health do not want to be opposed; whoever opposes them becomes an enemy.

Realisation

It probably had not sunk in that he was in a mental facility until his relatives left him behind, allowing him to look around.

“I saw guys with saliva rolling out of their mouth, others like zombies, others were naked. You see, when I talk about them I feel bad because I am part of the community. I asked myself what had taken me there. I then banged the hospital doors,  and within a minute, the nurses came. I did not know how they convinced me but I took my jab and started floating,” he narrates.

Begumisa attempted to escape from Butabika.  In one of the incidents, he saw a hole in a fence and tried to force himself in. It cut his thighs and when he got through it, he removed his clothes and ran.

He has since authored a book titled ‘In Search of Sanity: How my Bipolar Disorder turned into a Blessing’. 

Therein, he shares his story. 

According to Dr. Ethel Nakimuli Mpungu, a psychiatrist and senior lecturer at the department of psychiatry, Makerere University, stressful situations are the top causative factors for mental illness or disorder.

“You do not wake up one day and have a disorder. You move progressively from having good mental health. Right from the time you are conceived to the time you’re born then live your life until you die, you undergo various stressful situations, namely biological/genetics, psychological and social,” Dr. Nakimuli explains.  

In high school, Begumisa was a stellar academic performer. At St. Mary’s College, Kisubi (Smack), he always emerged top of the class so when his grades started degenerating, and he got retakes, his self-esteem was beaten.

He attempted to end his life through a suicide mission. 

Seven days in isolation 

“I was a very bright student and I could not imagine getting a retake at university. When I did, I walked like a rain-beaten chicken, locked myself inside my room at Lumumba and did not leave the room for about a week till a friend of mine came to check on me. He found me absent minded and smelly from not showering for a whole week. The night before, I had survived a suicide attempt because I kept hearing voices telling me that I was the most useless thing alive, and that I was good for nothing,” he narrates.

Another voice was telling him to take up all the tablets and sleep in peace. They were about 40. But then, intuition budged him not to end his life. What if he took them and left his mother devastated?

“And right there all the previous impulse to end my life melted away. I put all the drugs in a polyene bag and threw them away. My friend took me to hospital,” he further recounts.

Dr. Noeline Nakasujja, another psychiatrist, commends what Begumisa and his friend did; visiting a doctor. She says that mental disorder episodes can be manifested by suicidal attempts, disruption in someone’s sleep, someone going on shopping sprees to the extent of emptying their bank account(s) and more.

Begumisa attests to the effect disclosing that during the high stages of the disorder, he was ‘overly happy’ and was full of ideas. 

“At a particular time I almost withdrew all the money from the night. I failed to sleep for two weeks and by the time it ended, I was hit by negative life events,” he says. 

Dr. Nakasujja adds that seeking medical attention is key to combat the worst that could happen. 

Self awareness 

From experience, Dr. Nakimuli observes that many of the patients show up when they are already troubled and broken down.

She says that one in every four people in Uganda are potential patients. As such, the psychiatrist recommends that caretakers take patients as soon as they observe the signs mentioned start to manifest.

“The basic tool for recovery is self-awareness. After getting the retakes and suffering low self-esteem and being a shadow of my former-self, I went out and started reading about the condition and I accepted it so that I could get a way of dealing with it. On the other side, I did not accept it because I could not let the negative conditions of that thing swallow me and take away the joy that I’m supposed to have,” he further narrates.

He used to see world renowned psychiatrist Dr. Margaret Mungherera (RIP). 

“She was a woman with tough love. I had regular visits to her. Secondly, when you discover that you have bipolar disorder, it is very important to surround yourself with the people that care for you, relationships are very important. You also need to adjust your lifestyle,” he says, adding, “If you know that you have a particular health condition, you avoid things that escalate it. Then, eat well, sleep enough to avoid stress. I have developed a good and authentic relationship with God. That has been my number one factor of help.”

And like Bishop Zac Niringiye notes in the foreword of Begumisa’s biography, “Like other diseases, mental illness is treatable and manageable, in a way that one is able to thrive and contribute meaningfully to society”.

Today, the civil engineer is living a productive life. He is director of five companies, and is happily married with children. He holds a degree of science in civil engineering, a master of business administration in international business, a master in public infrastructure management, and a master of science in civil engineering.  

Overview 

Bipolar disorder (formerly called manic-depressive illness or manic depression) is a mental disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, concentration, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks.

There are three types of bipolar disorder. All three types involve clear changes in mood, energy, and activity levels. These moods range from periods of extremely “up,” elated, irritable, or energized behavior (known as manic episodes) to very “down,” sad, indifferent, or hopeless periods (known as depressive episodes). Less severe manic periods are known as hypomanic episodes.

• Bipolar I Disorder— defined by manic episodes that last at least 7 days, or by manic symptoms that are so severe that the person needs immediate hospital care. Usually, depressive episodes occur as well, typically lasting at least 2 weeks. Episodes of depression with mixed features (having depressive symptoms and manic symptoms at the same time) are also possible.
• Bipolar II Disorder— defined by a pattern of depressive episodes and hypomanic episodes, but not the full-blown manic episodes that are typical of Bipolar I Disorder.
• Cyclothymic Disorder (also called Cyclothymia)— defined by periods of hypomanic symptoms as well as periods of depressive symptoms lasting for at least 2 years (1 year in children and adolescents). However, the symptoms do not meet the diagnostic requirements for a hypomanic episode and a depressive episode.

[email protected]