Commentary by ANONYMOUS
I’ve been thinking about the question from the reader poll in the fall Counterpoint: Does Vermont need a forensic psychiatric hospital? A separate place from a regular psychiatric hospital?
I’ve been giving this a lot of thought.
If you think you’re the Second Coming, act like it; if you have been violent, scary, or inappropriate in a way that disturbs the peace or the peace of a parent, child, spouse, significant other, couple, family, an individual, yourself, or anyone, you need healing.
One good way to heal is: to have a safe place (where both you and others will be safe) where you can be quiet, be comfortable, have zero contraband but have some or all of your belongings. We heal by observing our relationships. When humans are too confusing for me, I find my relationships with my things is helpful to me in figuring things out.
It should be a place where you can see a tree (proven to increase healing), where you can see the sky, the sun, the clouds, the stars, and where you can see the moon or new moon, as I can tonight, as I write this. New moons are beginnings, my older sister told me.
It should be a place where you can eat foods you like and drink plenty of water.
If you want a chance to heal, a forensic hospital could be a good place to heal, if you make it healing, by being open to a path that takes you somewhere good.
I don’t know you or your situation, but I want to know you, if you’re working and working on
yourself. This commentary is my work today.
As a psychiatric survivor, my recent experience of disturbing those around me, and then a crisis, and then finding a new path towards good, leads me to offer some tips that I am hoping are helpful. They are: having access to a safe, quiet place, food you want to eat, plenty of water, and access to your belongings and the sky.
It will be a wonderful start.