A little history of the hospital came my way today. It turns out the site was big on lobotomies back in the day, but obviously, the practice has been extinct and the building that housed the procedure has long since been torn down. The first generation psychotropic drugs that were in use have also been cast aside, although this occurred not nearly as long ago. The hospital has changed procedures and shed aside (most of) the archaic bleakness that shadows the history of psychiatry. I would like to think the modern standards they hold up for themselves are being strictly adhered to.
I met a nice older man who speaks all of his thoughts aloud to himself. His stream of consciousness is unveiled at all moments. You may think this hinders his focus on the rest of the world, being so verbally preoccupied in his thoughts, but it is quite the opposite. He is very quick to smile, offer nice words, and focus all of his attention on whomever he is speaking with. It is simply whenever he is not interacting with someone that he returns to the recitation of his thoughts.
He is no different than many individuals I have come across. It has become apparent that the fears and hesitancy people have about those with mental disorders are present due to a small, hostile population of those suffering with them. The rest are among the most humble, kind-hearted, and gentle individuals you will ever come across--individuals that are no different than someone suffering from diabetes: they simply can't control the internal processes that are governing them. That being said, they can make efforts to manage it, like a diabetic who takes his insulin and avoids sugar.
I learned another lesson today, a little more major than the last: never take a seat near someone without asking them if it is okay to do so first. Some people just require a very wide space to feel comfortable.
No comments:
Post a Comment