My first day at Graylands Mental Hospital
Locked wards building, Fortescue at the Graylands Hospital
To gain a wider exposure of what clinical psych is all about, I decided to sign up for volunteer work at Graylands Hospital (apparently, according to my med friends, they dread getting placements there because the people are really, for lack of a better word, siao).
When I entered, the place had a really odd feeling about it. And it didn’t make it any much more comforting when I got lost and drove around the whole compound 3 times before I actually found the correct building. I immediately locked the car door when I saw a man lurking around when I was looking for directions!!
Anyway, things started looking up when I got introduced to a plump, red-haired and seemingly fierce lady, Sue at the kiosk. She is so awesome. I love her! She’s so patient with teaching me the works, and by the end of my shift, I learned so much. She explained to me about the patients, her experiences, etc.
Also, she’s awesome because a mental dude shouted at me for no reason at all, and she shouted back at him and told him to get out before she called security! At the end of the day, I told her how she was such a great mentor, and that I would definitely come back again next week. She then gave me a huge hug and told me she would love for me to go back to help. SO NICE!!!!
I served so many mental people today. I was really scared at first and my hands were trembling as I collected money at the till, but they’re actually pretty harmless. Although it’s pretty depressing, seeing as how they aren’t “normal” and how we immediately stereotype them as crazy. There was this one guy with scars all over his body (even his scalp!!!), he looked really scary, but when he came up to the till, I just attempted my sweetest smile (despite the fear) and he smiled back!
Although I have to admit, I’m still scared of them. I walked really fast back to my car and locked it immediately, in fear of some mental person banging on the window or something. Like zombies!!!!! Come to think of it, I think the hospital compound is a potential zombie-filming location.
What an interesting experience! :D
