Milford chronicle., 1963-05-17

DStteI III MS own community
sfEach Of us lives In a commun-
ity, or more to the point, In a
neighborhood," he explained.
sfWhen, for psychiatric reasons,
we can't quite make 1t among
our neighbors anymore, we've got
to get help.
ffNow, when a person needs
help, that is not the time to
wrench him from his family, his
friends, all that is familiar to
him, and deliver him to an in
stitution. The first thing he has
to do In an institution is get
re- e-adjusted, and this can impose
a severe jolt when he doesn't
even see many normal people,
except for the staff, and some
times is too far from home to
get visitors regularly.
sfWhat the mental patient needs
as much as drugs and techniques
is a good theraputic environment.
Some of our better institutions
literally spend millions crsat-
ing home-1ike atmosphere. But
nothing can be more home-like
than your own netghborhood and
friends.
"Also, you have to consider
that he got sick in his own
neighborhood, when he gets out
he has to go back there, so he
ought to be treated there. Other
wise, he may come to the con-
clusion that the only thing to do
is run away. Going to an in
stitution is running away, in a
sense.
"That's why I say 1t is ridi-
culous to think that institution
alization is the best way to make
people well. It may work, but it's
the long dark way to recovery"
Big Institutions have certain
other Inherent defects, DR.. Felix
believes. Too many people who
need help and know it, will shy
away for fear ffof being sent
away" Then too it's often a case
Of the 'big institution over the
hill" being out of sight, out of
mind.
Their isolation and they can
Ibe isolated in a city as well as
in the county and the fact
that patients are congregated
there from such awide territory,
has the public looking at many
mental institutions "more like
an Industrial complex than a
hospital" DR.. Felix said. This
breeds public apathy and lack
of support.
Not only does the hospital gel
lost in the public mind, the pa
tient sometimes gets 'flost''
within the big hospital. "The In
volved mechanism needed to run
big institution often prevents ar
individual from getting the per-
sona1ized care he needs SO des-
perately," DR.. Felix said. 'T
might take months to get him int
the proper line Of treatment, anc
these are the early months
so very important to his re-
covery."
sfIn contrast, the principal OBJ
Elective of the whole new pro-
gram is to make seeking helE
for mental illness as simple
and uncompicated as getting
medical attention for a tummy
, lache."
Working at the community
level, care can be quick and in
tensive. The waiting lines, the
procedura1 complications that Of
, ten bog down SO many mental
hospitals are minimal.
To get help person would
, have to look no further than his
family physician. Many emotion
; al and mental problems can be
resolved right there. Those pa
tients who do need special at
, tention would be referred to a
Ipsychiatrist, just as the family
doctor now will often call in a
surgeon to remove a diseased
gall bladder.
II disqualification is required,
then the patient would be admit
ted to his local hospital. This
could involve either full or part
time care. After discharge, or
perhaps as the only care
, necessary, the patient might be
seen In a local clinic.
!, No matter what the course Of
treatment, the aim Is to inter-
rup the patients day-to-day life
as little as possible. In some
cases hospitadzed patients might
even continue to work, the only
. difference being that they woulc
. leave for the office from the hos
) pita1 and return there at night
: There Is almost unanimou:
! agreement among psychiatrists
, that there Is a tremendous ad-
vantage In working through the
family doctor.
"No reason exists why any
physician can't treat mental Ill
ness just as well as any other
common ailment. DR.. Feliz
!, said. "And, when the same maj
who has treated a patient fol
other ailments in the past treats
him for a mental disorder, tht
patient comes to realize ther,
is nothing strange or bizarrt
!. about mental Illness. There's no
: all the brow-beating that some
I patients heap on themselves. ,
Also No one fS in a hafto1