Marzenia

Patients have a lot of time to dream. That is what we all do when we visit psychiatric hospitals, right? We dream about a nice bathroom, a comfortable bed instead of a mattress in the corridor, etc. First, however, I would like to point out that the moment when a sick person crosses the threshold of a public healthcare facility is often the final moment. Before that, the patient many times tries their chances and seeks for help in different places: acquaintances, friends, family, private practices, spiritual institutions.
I dream of a world when our private doors are open to other people. I dream that the education system and school classes equip everyone with enough knowledge, empathy and understanding to provide the person suffering from psychical problems with the first aid they need, and I dream that we know how to sympathise with those people.
I really dream about the day when I wake up with the disease symptoms, but without the fear that the only place waiting for me is the psychiatric hospital. In my dream, I, my relatives and friends have saved in our phones numbers to a Centre for Mental Health or other helpline that we could call for an appointment on the same day to talk with someone or, even better, a helpline that we could call and they would send a specialist to talk with us. When I am sick, I dream of a chat with a specialist – not limited by time, without ticking any boxes, a chat that is not going to be categorised by anyone. With a specialist that is well rested, emphatic, gentle and full of care.
I also dream that when I am in a really bad shape and I end up in hospital, this hospital is a warm place – both figuratively and literally. A place where there is no shame, no indignity. A place where I do not have to be afraid, and where I can feel safe. My stay in this facility would be a short one; it would be full of activities during different kinds of therapies with well-selected medicines or, even better, with no pharmaceuticals at all, or only in very limited amount. Finally, I dream of solitary rooms, which are rooms where I could spend some time with myself and gather my thoughts. I dream about long walks around buildings when I feel like it, not being forced to look at the outside world from behind the bars. In my dream, you can hear, “Please, come for your meds”, instead of, “Pills, get out!” followed by checking your tongue with a spatula. In this dream, there is a...


Pełna treść artykułu...