Last week in Pyschosocial Dysfunction class we watch the movie titled "First Break". The movie depicted the struggles of individuals living with a mental disorder. Throughout the movie one of the individuals went back and forth into a mental rehabilitation hospital suffering from schizophrenia. I couldn't get over how dreary and cold the atmosphere appeared to be! I've always heard of the stereotypical "white-walled" mental institution, but to get a glance of it through this individual's story impacted me greatly! The walls were a grayish white, the halls were vacant, in the rooms were a cot with one sheet, a dresser, and a chair. I just kept thinking to myself during the movie...why can't they just paint the walls at the least a nice yellow?!?! Maybe a picture of two? Before I knew it, my mind had headed off to Lowe's to redecorate. I kept saying to myself...what can I physically do to make these places look more like a therapeutic environment??? What do Central Regional Hospital and Dorthea Dix look like? Is there a reason for this environment or is it the lack of funding??? All of these thoughts were swimming around in my brain.
A few days later, with my thoughts still impacted by what I saw...I started reading Chapter 11 titled Responding to Symptoms and Behaviors, in our textbook. The chapter described common symptoms of mental disorders and also strategies for modifying the environment. I realized that with most all of the symptoms of mental diagnoses, professionals warn to avoid stimulating environments! Ah ha! (Insert: lightbulb going off in my head) There might be reason for the white! I hadn't thought about the impact of too much stimulation through decoration and color etc... Even if this isn't the main reason for the dreary halls, I learned again that sometimes there is more than meets the eye. :) This will be a topic I definitely ask about during our fieldwork!!
No comments:
Post a Comment