IMH visit

yup, went to the IMH on saturday, on a "bhbh2 post-trip activity". can't believe, it's been six months since the bhbh2 crew first met. about 12+ people went, not a bad turnout.

the thing about IMH.. it's still called Woodbridge Hospital, but the whole compound is called "Woodbridge Hospital and Institute of Mental Health". Opened by Dr Tony Tan (?) in 1993 (?). It's been around for quite some time.

I've never been there before, for a consultation or otherwise. The stigma associated with that place ensures that.

first view there: its too quiet. the only people lurking around the huge compound were volunteers.

we went to the cafeteria. along the way: long, seemingly abandoned hallways without much people. it felt like a hospital, with all the lifts that could accomodate beds, signs to block 2, 3, radiology dept, pharmacy, etc... but without the crowd. without the masses of medical personnel that came here and there.

it felt so... dead. something like a ghost town.

we were ushered to the "staff room" where all the volunteers for the event (us and a contingent from nvac who were regular volunteers) were gathered. we were briefed on the event that we have to facilitate - to organise a "carnival" for the patients in ward 44a. this includes either being game ICs in charge of particular stations, or "caretakers" of the patients, which gave more interaction in the personal level.

took the lift at block 4. 4th floor. doors to ward 44a opened to a counter, a visiting area. there were 2 wards on this floor: 44a and 44b, on the left and right respectively.

frankly, at that time, i was afraid. this looked very wrong, the patients looked like they were in prison. grinning faces looked at me from windows, behind closed doors. we've heard all the worst stories about violent, irrational, crazy(?) patients.

surprisingly, when the door to ward 44a was finally opened, the patients formed a row and shook hands, one by one, with everyone who went in. some were nice old people.

i was still nervous in the next fifteen minutes that passed, trying to ignore all the stares that i got while setting up my game. but after that, everything seems ok.

you really feel for these patients after a while. being kept in this ward - probably for the rest of your life - following the endless, daily routine dictated by someone else and living in a haze of sedatives - not the best life that we'd like to have. it's true what they said in army to those fellas trying to chao keng - put someone sane in this ward, and he turns out insane.

they're just so helpless, living in this probably 50-100 square foot area, facing the same people, with their minders watching them. like jailors. condemned and abandoned by society, never to come out again.

i've also heard that some of the patients here are old folk who have no kin. abandoned. sad.

i think, the study of psychiatry is still not as developed as physical medicine. nor is the method of treatment. until then, these patients will live in a twilight existence.