FDP Mobile Clinic Reveals Acehnese Still Consider Consulting a Psychiatrist a Disgrace

Banda Aceh, MINA – The stigma that consulting a psychologist, psychiatrist, or family counselor is a disgrace remains strong in Acehnese society. This situation is considered a factor that causes various household problems to linger unresolved, even leading to serious conflict and divorce.

This phenomenon was revealed during a family consultation service held through the FDPeduli Mobile Clinic program after congregational dawn prayers with the BBC Community at the Al-Hidayah Mosque in Gampong Prada, Banda Aceh, on Sunday.

During the service, the counseling team directly handled three family cases with different issues but with similar patterns. Two cases involved children addicted to gadgets and began to damage family relationships, while the other case had reached the stage of divorce.

Dr. Agustin Hanafi, Lc., MA, an expert in Islamic Law and Family Law from UIN Ar-Raniry Banda Aceh, who provided the family consultation, assessed that these findings illustrate that family resilience in Banda Aceh is facing serious challenges.

“The family issues we’ve encountered demonstrate a situation that requires collective attention. Many families come to us when their problems are already at a serious stage, even though these problems could have been prevented early if they had the courage to seek help,” he said.

Dr. Agustin, who is also the Head of the Family Law Study Program at the Faculty of Sharia and Law and the Postgraduate Program at UIN Ar-Raniry, explained that the issues being addressed through consultation services are increasingly complex.

Some of these issues involve marital conflict due to significant age differences, couples dominating each other, conflicts between in-laws and extended family members over property issues, strained relationships between children and parents, and psychological stress within the household due to weak resilience in dealing with internal family conflict.

Meanwhile, Family Consultant Hayail Umroh, S.Psi., M.Si., a certified Mental Health Ambassador, said that changes in digital lifestyles are also becoming a new factor triggering rifts in family relationships.

“The cases we’ve received today show that family issues are no longer simple. Gadget addiction, for example, has begun to damage communication within the household, while some couples come to us when their relationships are on the verge of divorce,” he said.

He also stated that a more fundamental issue persists in society, where the perception that visiting a psychologist, psychiatrist, or family counselor is synonymous with family problems and is considered a source of dishonor.

However, this perception actually leads many families to suppress their problems until the conflict escalates.

“Many people in our society still believe that visiting a psychiatrist or family counselor is a sign of family problems or a source of shame. However, if problems are not addressed early, the conflict will escalate and lead to divorce or more serious mental health problems,” he explained.

Hayail Umroh revealed that this stigma is directly visible in the Mobile Clinic service. In previous events, the family consultation service was often quiet at the beginning. However, as the session approached its conclusion, residents began coming in for longer consultations, feeling more private.

“This shows that people actually need consultation services, but there is still a sense of shame or fear of family problems becoming public,” he said.

Data from the FDPeduli Mobile Clinic shows that family problems are now one of the dominant issues facing the community. From April to June 28, 2026, the mosque-based social service program treated 789 patients, with family consultations being one of the services provided to the community.

The Head of FDPeduli, Dr. Nurkhalis, stated that the FDPeduli Mobile Clinic program will continue to expand through collaboration with various community elements in Aceh, including mosque congregations.

“This program is open to all groups. We continue to create opportunities for synergy so that the community can receive optimal healthcare services and can carry out their religious activities and daily lives with greater peace of mind,” he said.

The increasing number of family issues arising in the consultation room serves as a reminder that maintaining household resilience in today’s era is not only about economics or education, but also about having the courage to seek professional help without being overshadowed by the social stigma that still lingers in society.

This activity was carried out in collaboration with several medical professional organizations, including the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI), the Indonesian Cardiovascular Specialist Association (PERKI), the Indonesian Internal Medicine Association (PAPDI), the Indonesian Pulmonary Specialists Association (PDPI), the Neurology Association (PERDOSNI), and the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) of Banda Aceh City. []

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)