her name was mirka

I visited Bloomington Hospital's Behavioral Health Center today. After completing a five-page self-assessment form, a social worker interviewed me for nearly 40 minutes. The interview was very thorough and, among other things, covered my current symptoms and past experiences. While I squirmed in my seat and wished not to discuss some of the darker, more regrettable aspects of my history, I felt compelled to do so because the interviewer seemed genuinely interested and, more important, concerned about me; she did not conduct the interview as though it were a precursory formality.

I cannot overstate how crucial it is for someone who is knowingly suffering from a mental illness to feel that a professional within the field actually cares about him or her. There is a shortage of psychiatrists in Bloomington (this is not a perceived shortage, by the way), and as a result, too many individuals are referred to programs that process their patients like cattle; such programs sacrifice individual care because of the sheer number of people they must process, which is why many people, like myself, hold such critical and unfavorable opinions about the mental health field.

Over the next two weeks I will visit a therapist who will discuss coping mechanisms and other practical, non-medicated approaches to my illness. I won't meet an actual psychiatrist (Dr. N) until July 9 (I may see him sooner if a cancellation arises).

I can only hope the care and professionalism I experienced today will be a common thread throughout my future appointments.

xx