iPhone photos 1.33 - Learning Journey to IMH

7 January (Wednesday) 
Ok background story: I was supposed to leave house at 9am for a super super super super super super important briefing at 10am (emphasize important) BUT I WOKE UP AT 9AM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And on the bus ride to school, guess what?????? There was A TRAFFIC JAM 2 stops away from school!!!!!!!!!!!!! So I was telling Sam that I'd be late (so she can book seat for me lol) and she told me to run... 

what

But anyway good news is I am favoured and I reached not too late and the briefing ended up being only 30 minutes and then we were dismissed wAT

So apparently our 4 hour tutorial was replaced by a 30 minutes briefing hahHAhaha #ReasonsToLovePsych

But of course I very diligently spent those hours finishing up my project instead of going straight home :----) and eating bread that Jingwen's mum made for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And also partly because I had to stay back for a field trip to IMH hehHEHhehe

Had a really nice time over at IMH although the trip there was quite infuriating because [start of rant] people kept making fun of IMH and saying rather insensitive (sorry) things like "Eh A we reach your house already, give us a tour" "Of course B's going to IMH, it's her house leh" and laughing. And I guess I can't blame them because after all stigmatization of mental illness is a huge issue so it's kind of okay if they don't get it because the whole of society is already like that right. 

But it just kind of upset me that these people have probably learnt about stigmatization or at the very least about how serious mental illnesses are (because we have a whole module about it)(which is why we could have had that field trip) so I just find it quite disappointed that they still continue making jokes about IMH?? And I know that they know that mental disorders are no laughing matter, they just probably didn't think saying "IMH is your house" and laughing about it is STILL stigmatizing and belittling mental illnesses. Like people actually stay in IMH wtf you making a joke of it is not funny at all. Like people don't even know the least bit about how how frustrating and painful suffering from a mental illness is. They already have enough to worry about, and they don't deserve to have to be upset about others using their illness as a joke or about people making fun of the place that's keeping them sane or probably even alive.

Do you make jokes like "haha you live in Tan Tock Seng hospital"? So what makes mental hospitals different? What makes mental hospitals so special that you can joke about it? If you think mental illnesses don't warrant the same medical attention as physical illnesses or if you think mental illnesses is just a matter of "no self control" or a "lack of willpower" or if you think people with mental illnesses should just "just snap out of it" because after all they "chose" to want to have a mental illness.... Then you're REALLY wrong.

And people will probably say things like "why are you getting so uptight about this" but I don't think you even need to have a mental illness to speak up about this??? But ok my main point is I understand if you have misconceptions about mental illnesses BUT please please please just don't make jokes about it................................. AND I also saw this article about the TV show Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners  AND I GOT SUPER ANNOYED ALSO!!!!!!!! But that's a whole other story about people being very insensitive but ok [end of rant] because I got really carried away щ（ﾟДﾟщ）
And also sorry if I offended anyone but just to clear again I don't not like you, I just don't like what you said hahahahaha

But anyway we had this talk about IMH and mental illnesses in Singapore... And after that Sam and I got to talk with one of the speakers from CHAT (this youth mental health organization), and I just got so inspired by her la. The Year 2 students from my course are actually collaborating with CHAT for one of our group projects, so she has spoken to us on 3 different occasions. And all 3 occasions, she's just such a joy to listen to??? And she's super cute and seems very passionate about her job!!!!!!!! She also told us about how she used to have the wrong impression about mental illnesses etc, but she's since then learnt la.
And oMg she's super inspiring laaaaaa like she's one of the speakers that I actually want to talk to after their speech LIKE I REALLY WANT TO BE LIKE HER OMG

Ok moving on
We got to go to this workshop during our tour, and it's where (ex?) patients learn how to do all these artsy fartsy stuff!!!!
                               

And the only other picture I took of IMH haha


We got the chance to visit one of the wards and meet a few of the patients... And it wasn't my first time in one of IMH's wards, but it was still really eye-opening. One of my most most most favourite moment is when one of the patients excitedly showed us all the drawings that he did, and even allowed us to take some home. I chose this one because he signed it HAHA and seeing this picture really really warms my heart and I'm just really glad he was so willing to give it to us :''') 

So overall the IMH trip was soOooOoO eye-opening and inspiring and idk I said this also when I went to Singapore Changi Prison and said I wanted to be a Prison Psychologist but now I'm torn between the two HAHAHA .....But I'm leaning more towards IMH right now :-)