Storytelling as Psychotherapy for Sickle-Cell Patients: A Study of Helon Habila’s Measuring Time
Akporherhe Friday and Udi O. Peter
ABSTRACT
Sickle-cell anaemia is a disease caused by sickle or curved red blood cells which obstruct the smooth flow of blood through the veins in the human body. This blockage in the veins which prevents the red blood cells from getting to other parts of the body usually leads to untimely death of carriers except in rare cases where the patients survive. One of the major symptoms of sickle cell disease is joint pains and statistics has shown that most patients die in their twenties while a few survive in rare cases. In this paper, we shall examine the therapeutic functionality of storytelling in tackling sickle cell anemia disease as chronicled by Helon Habila in his narrative, Measuring Time. This is apart from the routine drugs medication and other interventions such as water therapy, talking therapy, love and attachment therapy, among others. It is a common medical practice to prescribe routine drugs to patients especially those suffering from sickle cell anaemia, however, our focus in this study shall be on the use of storytelling and other forms of psychotherapy as alternative for drugs medication or supplementary intervention. Habila’s infusion of the health problem of sickle cell anaemia into his narrative is to educate the public about the cause, effects and ‘curative’ measures for this sickness which has killed patients and caused pains and agony to their people.
