Art for Life: Jakarta Urban Community Efforts Peace with Mental Disorders through Art (Case Study in Indonesian Schizophrenia Community Care)

Abstract

This paper describes concerning the efforts of Jakarta urban community to peace with mental disorders caused by many factors, one of which is the hard life in Jakarta demanding society able to adapt the rapid changes. The impact of rapid changes in the community mental health can be seen in the presence of: school dropping out, fighting between students, or fighting between ethnic village, the violence on woman and children, crime, psychosomatic disorder, acute anxiety, depression and other mental health problems. Indonesian Schizophrenia Community Care (KPSI) tries to peace with mental illness disorder through art therapy. Various activities are explored to determine the response on persons with schizophrenia to therapy sessions and its psychological impacts. Art therapy here is not intended to replace medical treatment and does not offer instant recovery, but rather act as a supportiing therapy of pharmacotherapy. Some of the activities that have been implemented include: drawing, painting, creating murals, painting batik and making collages. These activities are carried out by a group thematic format with a semi-structural approach. With the gradual flexible implementation strategy, therapy sessions show the contribution to the development of more well developed self-esteem, self-confidence, fluency to respond stimulus, imagination and problem-solving abilities, being able to interact and socialize with others in a positive way, as well as their fine motoric develop more skilled. Development themes that is explored has more orientation to provide comfortable, enjoyable sensory and aesthetic experience and satisfy personal to build confidence and openness in sharing life experiences. The art works they create and exhibitions held by KPSI is an effort to reduce negative stigma attached to them. The progress report of the development of individual and group potential in writing give special attention to personal and interpersonal abilities related art work activities. Data for the report was obtained through observation participation, in-depth interviews, the study on documents related to art therapy session held from February to May 2013. The report results constitutes a feed-back concerning strengths and weaknesses of persons with schizophrenia and also serves as an evaluation instrument for the implementation of art therapy sessions that have been taking place. Efforts to peace with mental illness through art therapy program is a real contribution form of the art to the Jakarta urban life.

Keywords: Art, urban society, Jakarta, peace, mental disorder.