Dear Editor,

I was abroad recently when a colleague of mine referred me by e-mail to your website, suggesting I follow the discussion which started with the Observer West article about the admission of Mr Horace Peterkin to the psychiatric ward, more popularly known as ‘Ward 21’, of the University Hospital.

My friend and colleague was very sympathetic with Mr Peterkin, as I am. We both work in the field of mental health illnesses, and he was particularly disturbed that you carried an article that he believed was severely insensitive to the plight of people with such an illness. I planned to contribute to the discussion as soon as I got home but was distracted by some very pressing matters.

However, it’s never too late for a shower of rain. Here’s my two-cents worth. Unlike my dear colleague, I am not as upset that you published that article about Mr Peterkin and Ward 21, even though he thought your apology was refreshing.

I think that out of adversity comes opportunity. The problem of mental heath illness is almost always swept under the carpet whenever it comes up, because people are so afraid to face it in public. Your article provides us such an opportunity to raise awareness about this terrible thing.

People like Mr Peterkin will not be helped by everybody pretending that the problem can go away by itself if they ignore it long enough. What they need is support, support and more support. This is the more critical because victims often believe nothing is wrong with them and refuse to stay on their medication.

It is believed that this behaviour of mental health patients stems from the fact that Jamaicans seem to think that they are pariahs who must be shunned by all. Mental health illness is not a shame. It is an illness like any other and should be treated as such.

My sympathy goes out to Mr Peterkin and all who have at one time or another passed through Ward 21 or the Bellevue Hospital.

Joseph Harriott Dawes

johardawes@hotmail.com

Kingston