My experience was a different experience and an eye opener. I went in there with a misconception of how the patients were going to be. As I started to establish a relationship with the patients I could understand their pain and suffering. Moreover, I felt like at one point in our life we can all end up feeling hopeless and fall into a dark place. However, it is how we handle the stress that differentiates us from the patients. This experience has changed my way of thinking because it is not always what you see, you must learn to look and listen to the patients in a deeper level. 

 

My drawing represents a patient  with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and dissociative identity disorder. My first encounter with Mr. H was very intimidating. He is a male of a stature of approximately 6ft, broad shoulders, and a long beard. However, when he spoke to me with a low, soft tone of voice I was able to ease my anxiety towards him. Even though his voice was low and calm his mannerisms expressed a very agitated individual. The next day he was not the same patient I was talking to the previous day. He had shaved his beard and was very agitated with everyone in the unit. He yelled at me "I told you this life is just not worth living for I just want to die." 

 

For my drawing, the black and white represents the pain he lives through every day. The reflection he sees on the mirror is that of a person without and identity. The voices in his head are constant and don't allow him to establish an identity. Father more, even though he seems normal from behind, his hands show the monsters that are hiding inside him. All though, he complies with the medication he stated that the medication took the little life he had in him and turned him into a zombie.