Crazy Daycare
I was sent to a place that exists somewhere between the psych ward and the Outside World. Norms call it “Day Hospital”. They have snacks and basket weaving. There’s individual therapy, group therapy, and occupational therapy. I’m about to finish an 11 week stint and I’m feeling therapied out.
It’s much less romantic than my imaginings. Peeling paint, missing locks on bathroom stalls, fluorescent lights all combine to create a desaturated version of every movie I’ve ever seen on the subject. Hollywood led me astray. Where’s my Nurse Ratchet? Where’s my Sylvia Plath? Susanna Kaysen?
My meagre attempts at injecting some life into the off-white hallways gets as far as quietly placing tiny creations on the unused stove. Nobody noticed.
ADDENDUM: The staff at Day Hospital were always professional and helpful. I’m grateful I had access to this kind of service (thank you Canadian Health Care). So, I may poke fun at my experience here, but really, it was a game changer.
The light that diffuses the sterility of that place is you.
That’s downright poetic. Thank you.
Agreed!
Filed under “things that are not as scary as being inpatient but are still kinda freaky.” Almost done, yes? There’s a light at the end of that there tunnel!
A little freaky indeed. Surreal. But like you said, at least I got to sleep in my own bed.
Loving the zombie cup! And I’m loving the term “norms”. I use it occasionally myself. I wonder why the daycare isn’t more like kid’s daycare. Recess and red bouncy balls. Finger painting and playing in the sandbox. Story time! Yay!
I vote for nap time. Don’t remember where I first heard the term “norms” but I like it. Ironically, the more I get to know people, the more I realize that “norms” might be mythical beasts.
Mmmm naps!
They are mythical in a way. No one is really “normal”. The “norms” are the people that I term that don’t have a diagnosis and don’t believe anyone else really does either.
Nice. That makes good sense to me. The Outside People. As in, outside the system, outside looking in, outside of therapy, treatment, or the pharmaceutical haze.
More than that. Outside of any of it, and refusal to acknowledge the legitimacy of it’s existence. The same people who tell others that they need to “Get over it” and ridiculous stuff like that. Those are “norms” to me.
How ’bout “just be more positive!”. Or, maybe you have PMS”…
Yeah, people who don’t quite get it…who have stereotypes of mental illness engraved into their brains…
But I was there once. Trying hard to blend in with the Norms…
The PMS one is liable to get people in a mess of trouble with me. Oh yes, every woman with a disorder just has PMS. Truly.
*eye roll*
And if it comes from a man, I get the urge to run out to the yard and grab some hedge clippers. You know where I’m going with this.
I DO! Trimming hedges is great for anger management ;)
SDN,
I love EVERYTHING about this post! The subject, the humor, the pics. They are SO dead on. Get this. My Crazy Daycare was called… wait for it… “BRIDGE HOUSE.” Hilarious, right?
You funny.
We connecteds.
U.
Was it a bridge over troubled water? Or was that the only acceptable use of playing cards (edges dulled down of course)?
Hilarious. But, I know, right? I just love the “halfway-house” concept for Crazy Camp. What they don’t get is that we ARE the troubled water, but playing with a FULL deck of cards. Even if the edges are down. “Funneh.”
ps. YOU funny. thanks for thinking i’m funny.
You funneh. Like my kitteh.
*snort*
Reblogged this on A Clown On Fire and commented:
This is a great blog post.
Enough said. Go read it.
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There is a room in my GP’s building that has all of these features (except the Blade Runner-esque origami). The thing is, the rest of the building is freshly painted and decorated. Have a guess what kind of doctor works in that room? Yep, my special friend, the HEAD DOCTOR.
Same with Day Hospital! Seems the rest of the Normal People Hospital is state-of-the-art, clean, repaired, has working fountains and other fancy things. I’m sure the realisation that we (DH people) are the lowest on the priority list is great for recovery.
“How do we treat someone with a mental health condition, like depression or anxiety?”
“Well, we’ve got this old room down next to the cellar that looks like it’s from The House on Haunted Hill.”
“That’ll do nicely. Can we peel the wallpaper a little, though?”
Bwahaha!
That should be a comic.
I have the drawing abilities of a salamander. You seem to be quite proficient, though. The rights to it are yours.
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