It is said that the Caballero de Paris (Gentleman of Paris) endured his madness with great dignity and little suffering because, among many reasons, he received a very positive attention of those he knew. The delirium was the most significant symptom in his illness and that false idea that he came from a noble Parisian family, although he was Spanish.

In the Psychiatric Hospital of Havana hes remembered as one of the most famous patients. He was a patient of long evolution who lived a time not so full of todays achievements.

"Today most mental patients recover fully and return to their normal life", assured to Cubasi Professor Ricardo Gonzalez Menendez, president of the Cuban Society of Psychiatry, when speaking of the achievements that Cuba will show in the coming scientific event PsicoHabana 2007, scheduled for September 3-7.

The academic and consultant professor of Calixto García School reminded that after 1959 and with a deep sense of humanism, the Revolution made deep changes that changed the worst asylum in Latin America into a garden of hope. Besides the therapeutic treatment, every patient is given the time for interacting with sports, culture, recreation, and the rehab work, these achievements which are already shown in those traditional festivals, carnival parties and the art-therapy workshop called by the prestigious institution.

Cuba shows advances in the field of mental health marked in the interaction between hospital and ambulatory services with outstanding progresses in the development of community centers of mental health, in each municipality there is at least one. The philosophy of the members of their teams of professionals is that of not discriminating against any scientifically validated therapeutic source and supported by its effectiveness over the patient.

"The United States although a power can not compete against that which we have been able to offer an integral attention to the entire population. This country has not offered the appropriate help to soldiers showing Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) like those of Iraq", pointed out Professor Gonzalez Mendez.

-Doctor, which is the current situation of mental dysfunctions in the world?

-Although mental dysfunctions have improved in their prognosis with the development of science, the complexities of societies and their demands show episodes of progressively growing reactions before distressing situations like its the case of the war, but science is very positive in the face of this reality.

- Which is the most common mental illness right now?

- Depression, it is calculated that the 20% of the worlds population will present at some point in their lives a depression that requires professional help.

- What about the schizophrenia?

- Theres no need to be anguished before schizophrenia, the forecast is really encouraging for the multiple ways of facing it and have all those who suffer from it to develop a normal life.

"There are psychiatric illnesses that are more related to the patients physical built rather than with the environmental conflicts or problems that can affect him and a paradigm of these ones is the schizophrenia, although there are patients who suffer it because of the human problems they live through, conflicts and unpleasant situations like wars themselves.

"Fortunately the advances of science show that before five years they will be healed."

Source: CubaSi