KUCHING: With the right treatment, therapy, medication and most importantly emotional support, one suffering from mental illness could recover.
New Sarawak Tribune managed to interview two recovering mental illness patients from the Group Home at Mile 7 here.
Tears came falling down when a recovered mental illness patient shares his thoughts on how thankful he is to have recovered but hopes family members and the society could accept people like him.
Wan (not real name, to protect his confidentiality), is among the six residents staying at the Group Home, at Mile 7, which is just across the road to Hospital Sentosa.
The Group Home under Hospital Sentosa serves to provide support and rehabilitation for selected discharged patients from Hospital Sentosa to prepare them with basic living skills before sending them home.
However, Wan and his other five friends have stayed at the Group Home for more than 10 years because some of their family members did not want to take them home, and some felt the Group Home is where their real family is and where they should belong.
Wan, 57, is a Malay, he is among the youngest in the family, and was diagnosed with Schizophrenia at the age of 18.
According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), Schizophrenia is a brain disorder. When schizophrenia is active, symptoms can include delusions, hallucinations, trouble with thinking and concentration, and lack of motivation. However, with treatment, most symptoms of schizophrenia will greatly improve. And most people with schizophrenia are not dangerous or violent.
He is the youngest and closest to his mother, after the passing of his mother he could not accept it. It was due to stressful and emotional occasion at home, that somehow triggered him to develop the illness.
Wan, whose favorite subject is English, still can speak and write a little in English, and still good in calculation. His dream was to become a teacher.
“I remember I got kicked out of school when I was in Form 3 for smoking, I could not go back. And that made me really sad,” he said as he cried.
He then recalls a family member locked him in an empty room, fearing he would cause harm to others.
“All I did was stay in the room and ate in the room. Almost the same routine every day,” he said.
One day, a concerned neighbour called Hospital Sentosa, and that was when he was saved and sent to the mental hospital for observation and treatment.
When he was mentally stable, Sentosa Hospital discharged him. In 2010, that was when he was discharged to Group Home at the age of 48.
“I’m grateful that I have recovered and very happy that I have a ‘home’ to stay in. I’m glad for the person who takes care of us here — Mdm Remy, the one in charge of the Group Home.
“My elder brother does come to visit and give me money once in a while. I do miss my home a lot, I want to go back, but am afraid my family members still could not accept me. And I’m already comfortable staying at the Group Home here,” he said.
During his free time, Ali would collect vegetables which the residents grow behind the Group Home, and bring to sell nearby. To pass time, he would also write about himself.
He is the happiest when new visitors pay a visit to the residents, he would sing and entertain them with songs and dances.
Meanwhile, another resident Ah Yaw (not real name), 58, a Chinese from Sibu, was a drug abuser at the age of 20, which led him into developing Schizophrenia.
“I realized it was my own mistaken, and understood my family could not accept me anymore.
“They locked me out, and cut ties with me. I have to find my own place to stay at that time, and find a meal to eat. I then came to Kuching looking for jobs, life was really difficult for me at that time,” he said.
He said even his close friend left him and found him a burden to them.
“I did not have anyone, until I was sent to Hospital Sentosa because my condition had gone worse. They gave me a type of injection so that I would not get aggressive.
“But now I have recovered, I no longer need that injection but just take my normal medication,” he said.
Same like Wan, he was alright to be discharged from the mental hospital. When asked how he felt staying at the Group Home, Ah Yaw said, “This is my only home, all my friends are here with me, we understand each other, we understand our weakness which no one else could.
Ah Yaw, said he would never return to his dark past and wanted to improve his life mentally and physically.
“I love planting vegetables and flowers, sometimes there are customers who are interested to buy the flowers from me,” he said.
Aside from receiving the aid from the welfare department, he earned his living by selling the plant or flowers that he grew, which cost RM10 and above per pot. Sometimes, people would hire him to do gardening and decorate their houses.
Both Wan and Ah Yaw also hope the society could accept them by offering them employment.
Meanwhile, Remy Inggor, the Group Home manager, who has been in charge of the home since 1995, said although the residents have all they need, shelter and food, but what they lack is the love from their family members.
“They are also like us normal human being, we all have emotions, if we are being neglected or abandoned of course we will feel sad.
“Each time during any festive season, I feel for them. They want to go back to celebrate it with their family. But they can’t. But luckily, there are people out there who still care, such as NGOs and religious bodies would come to celebrate with them,” she said.
She said the activities and programmes organised by NGOs, colleges meant so much to them, and the residents would always remember those who had accepted and shown their kindness to them.
“Compare Western countries and us, we are still lacking behind in terms of mental health related issues. Last time the awareness was low and the stigma on mental illness was so bad, but I see now it has improved.
“Therefore, we can’t solely depend on the government and mental health association to create the awareness. We, as a society, as friends, and family members too, must accept it with an open mind.
“We must look after each other, our family members and friends, to watch for the warning signs and quickly send them for professional help before the mental health gets worse,” she pointed out.
She said those suffering from mental illness was not what they chose or wanted, and emotional support was very important to help recover.
“Suicide case is increasing too, and it is a worrying matter now. I encourage those facing difficulties in life, to contact Mental Health Association of Sarawak (MHAS) as they do provide counseling at 082-231458 or BeFrienders, a suicide prevention hotline at 082-242800 from 6.30pm to 9.30pm daily.”
For those who wish to visit the residents at the Group Home, may contact Remy at 014-2066526.
