Discourse on psychiatric disorders in modern Thai literature: A study of Piyaporn Saksasem’s novels
Keywords:
Discourse, psychiatric disorder, Thai novels, Piyaporn SakkasemAbstract
This study aimed to explore the presentation of psychiatric disorders and discourse towards mental illness presented in Piyaporn Sakkasem’s novels published from 1993 - 2013. The study design was documentary research using a qualitative approach, represented by descriptive analysis. There were 6 novels included in the study.
The main findings were that most of the characters exhibited psychiatric symptoms after unfavorable behaviors, such as premature sexual relations and substance abuse. The novels also generally suggested that the causes of the psychiatric illnesses in those who behaved favorably originated from “outside” as they were usually victims of physical or mental abuse, whilst characters who conducted unfavorable behaviors were motivated from “inside” themselves. The novels similarly revealed psychiatric disorders as the “outcome” of the character’s negative behaviors in the past. These literary techniques may have an impact on attaching a negative meaning to psychiatric disorders, such as the disease of a “sinner” or a “victim”. Moreover, the novels displayed changed representations of mental diseases during 20 years of publishing, which may characterize changes in the discourse of psychiatric disorders in modern Thai literature as well.
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