PRESS RELEASE - #AMIGDALAPMM

Amigdala: A Journey in Repressing Memory

To Rise and Become Survivors

Jakarta, 20 April 2020 - Mega Arnidya or also known as Ega Mpokgaga or simply Mpokgaga is a survivor of domestic violence and an activist of Jakarta’s underground scene. Earlier this year, she completed her first book titled Amigdala: Perjalanan Merepresi Memori (Amygdala: A Journey in Repressing Memory). This book is the first part of Amigdala’s trilogy universe which tells the life journey of its main character, Ishtar Mahesa Sumoprawiro – a domestic violence survivor.

Having spent the past three years with personal observations, Mpokgaga felt a rather absurd and disturbing phenomenon in the social media. She witnessed how glorification and worshipping of the term mental illness have been echoed overwhelmingly to the point it started to feel worrying. Many users could access various digital platforms –especially social media– who then “flaunted showcases” of self-diagnoses; self-concluded loosely after reading several Google search results once or twice, without having ever applied for a thorough and timely check-ups with professionals.

She realized that not everyone has the privilege to access professional help or to even be able to share and tell their daily problems and internal struggles. Even with the State’s presence in helping to provide professional psychologists and psychiatrists in several Puskesmas (government’s run clinic) or Rumah Sakit Umum Daerah (regional government’s run hospitals) – focused to help cater citizens’ mental health aspects; but the stigma and stereotypes upon mental illnesses have gotten too attached inside people’s minds. A stigma of those who required help in maintaining mental health are automatically and wrongfully considered as people with psychiatric disorders and must be avoided. 

This restlessness moved Mpokgaga to open discussions with her own main support systems. She also exchanged thoughts with figures from the professional communities and other communities related or working with women’s issues. This was done to exchange ideas and thoughts about good initiative possibilities that she individually could ignite; to at least tell her personal experiences in non-patronizing manners, while at the same time also educate people who are in need of help in regards of their mental conditions.

Amigdala’s trilogy universe wished to exist as a storytelling friend. Amigdala needs to tell the vast and wide audience that we as humans requires a longer time to enable ourselves to rise again from our adversity and downfalls. We needed more time on how to control the “noisiness” within our heads; on how we could repress certain parts in our own amygdala so that we would remain abled and empowered in our scarred beingness. Finally, it is also about how we can continuously love ourselves unconditionally and in limitless time.

Amigdala: Perjalanan Merepresi Memori – life is all about getting ever ready for changes. We may dream and design plans, but we must still always be ready of every possibility. 

Now also available in Google Play Books, link could be accessed here.

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About Ega Mpokgaga 

A woman born under the Aries zodiac sign, the eldest daughter of 9 siblings (biological or halves), full time worker in a fintech startup, an activist of Jakarta’s underground scene, once was a Business Manager of Indonesia’s legendary metal band –ROXX– and owner of the flawless most perfect pair of eyebrows in South Jakarta (self-proclaimed, but non-debatable nonetheless).

Tweeting way too often than necessary under Twitter handle of @mpokgaga and has no trendy Instagram feed under the same account name.

Curiosities and queries can be addressed to:

universe.amigdala@gmail.com 

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Translation by @deanbenitez