WHO IS A NORMAL PERSON?

Before beginning, I want to make sure that this is in no way anti-psychiatry. I do not endorse or condone anything. Everything I say here is my observation and subjective experience.

Both, Psychiatry and Religion, have shaped my worldview and affected my life personally. In my internship at two of the acclaimed psychiatric hospitals of Tamil Nadu, I noticed something similar that has grappled me in the past, throughout my late teenage days (to some extent, even now).

Religion and Me

I was brought up in a conservative household where I was conditioned to turn towards God for any problem I faced. I was an obedient son. After turning 16, I had questions that no God had answers. Prayers and rituals did no good when I only wanted reason and consolation. I wanted someone to debate with. To scream in pain. To hug and cry. And in return, to hold me and say "It's okay." People talk about finding God and how it changed their lives. I found love. I think now I understand what they mean.

Psychiatry — A Tree with many Branches

There is no denying that psychiatry has created a revolution in understanding and managing mental illness. Despite its innumerable contributions to the field of Mental Health, a question arises. What really happens in a psychiatric hospital? This is not a generalized view, instead, I'm sharing my personal experience from interning at two of the biggest psychiatric hospitals in Tamil Nadu.

Effective Treatment Modalities

The ultimate goal of both hospitals was to prescribe medication or admit them as inpatients. The drug treatment, and in some (many) cases administering electric current through the brain (a procedure known as ECT) are indeed effective. But how do you define 'effective’?

The patient develops insight about their illness, practices self-care regularly, and the symptoms are managed to a maximum extent. Absolutely, it is a great progress. However, is that your definition of 'effective’? Your symptoms have reduced, you are aware that you have a condition, and you eat, shit, and repeat. Is that the only concern?

What happens post-treatment?

Once the patient gets out of the hospital, they will have countless questions. Regrouping is an insurmountable task. Career, relationships, financial worries, existential concerns. It requires a lot of strength and support. Not only for the patient but also for the family, the whole process will be extremely challenging.

The Untold Struggles of Caregivers

Caregiver burnout is something that's talked about less. The family has to be unconditionally supportive and understand that the illness is the fault of no one. It's all unfortunate. One can't try to find logic and reason behind the suffering. The caregivers will be left with lots of unanswered questions.

Medical jargon will be a new normal. The doctor tries to simplify. Google does the majority of the work for you. None will offer what you actually need. As what you need is strength and acknowledgment. Someone to validate your selfless efforts out of pure love. Unfortunately, you can't pop a pill to get the feeling of understanding, warmth, and gratefulness.

Role of Counselors in Psychiatry

Even the concerns of the counselors and social workers who work in the psychiatric hospital revolve around the illness and its symptoms. Appearance? Speech? Conscious? Mood? Thought process? Intelligence? Insight? All normal? Good.

Many mental health professionals don't have the opportunity to explore beyond the symptoms. The patients will be required to do group activities, eat, sleep, meet with the family once a week or so, and talk with the counselors for the same amount of time. Completely sidelined from the outside world.

Conclusion

Psychiatry and Religion both place conditions on what is normal human behavior. You have to fulfill certain criteria. The divine books and the diagnostic manuals are sacred texts. To some extent, they do provide stability. Being stable is not what all of life is. A person needs to be happy. A person needs to love. A person needs to find a work he likes. A person has to experience the beauty of nature. A person has to be understood. A person has to be accepted for who he is. A person needs empathy.

Personhood

This is not a critique or a cry for help. Next time, when we look at a person, rather than weighing them on the scales of good and bad, normal and abnormal, how about we try to listen and see who they actually are? Try to enter into their world. See the colors they see. Understand their inner struggles. Without clouds of judgment. With a clear head. Without criteria. With unconditional positive regard.