Donuts made by the bakers at Hospital Sentosa.
MENTION the mental hospital and the image of a madhouse springs to mind.
Ironically, that is in itself a mental problem – one that those of us who consider ourselves ‘normal’ suffer from.
The picture we have of a mental hospital is actually very far from what it really is. Our very own Hospital Sentosa at Mile 7, Penrissen Road, Kuching, is far from being a madhouse.
Who would have imagined a mental institution such as Hospital Sentosa could produce five professional bakers?
The five ‘clients’ (former patients) of the hospital have completed a three-month bakery and culinary skills training at the Mental Health Foundation (MHF) in Kuala Lumpur.
MHF chairman Tan Sri Datuk Hashim Meon recently presented them with their certificates at a ceremony held at the hospital.
MHF initiated the training where selected candidates, with some mental challenge, were given the chance to train in bakery and culinary skills as part of their rehabilitation back into the community.
The five were the first batch of trainees who attended the training and on their return, would serve as peer specialists operating Hospital Sentosa’s own bakery programme known as Peers’ Bakers.
Hospital Sentosa, under MHF, will also act as a training centre for the bakery and culinary courses statewide.
The courses make up the supplementary programme of MHF whose core function is promoting mental health and carrying out health education and rehabilitation for mentally ill patients and their families.
Bakers work at Hospital Sentosa after their training in Kuala Lumpur.
thesundaypost spoke to two of the graduates – May Li and Jen Pin (names have been changed) – who are currently active participants of Hospital Sentosa’s bakery programme. Their confidence has been boosted by the opportunity to attend the courses in Kuala Lumpur.
They said the training was the best moment of their lives and they felt very excited they could learn how to make various types of buns.
More exciting still, they revealed, was that they were able to make new friends and see new places. They visited Melaka, Zoo Negara, museums, Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC), and the Twin Towers.
“It was like going on a vacation. We had a lot of fun but we also learned a lot from the courses,” May Li said.
As for Jen Pin, he plans to attend more such courses to improve his living skills.
“Who knows, I may open my own business in time to come? And I have another big dream – if everything goes smoothly, I plan to study stress management. I hope to be a counsellor one day.”
He said he only studied up to Form 5 as he was not able to go further due to his health condition.
In bakery, he said he liked making popiah (spring roll), which also happens to be his favourite food.
“It’s not easy to make because you need to make sure the filings do not spill out. A good popiah is as much about how tightly wrapped the fillings are as the amount of fillings that go into the wrappings,” Jen Pin explained.
May Li, who has a diploma in accounting, said she had previously worked in several places, including in Singapore.
She decided to go for the training after her treatment to learn new skills in the hopes of getting a better job.
“I wanted to prove to myself that I was up to the challenge. And I was very happy to have successfully completed the three-month course. I would like to thank my parents, who are my biggest motivators and supporters,” said May Li, who is good in making sweet buns, white bread and donuts – her favourite foods – and hopes to open her own business one day.
Cinnamon buns for sale.
Opportunity and treatment
Both bakers said people diagnosed with some mental illnesses could have their conditions improved, if given the opportunity.
“People with mental health issues can be treated or at least, have the issues under control to the extent they can lead a normal life.
“As for me, being selected to attend the bakery course has given me more self-confidence. I hope more of the other Hospital Sentosa clients or patients can also be given the chance to attend any programmes suitable for them,” Jen Pin said.
Concurring, May Li said there are still people out there with a negative impression of mental patients, thinking they cannot contribute.
“My message to them is they should change their mindset. Mental illnesses can be treated just as sicknesses like diabetes or hypertension can be treated. In fact, some mental patients, after treatment, can work like everyone else.”
May Li also shared some of her experiences as a Hospital Sentosa client.
“Before I had medication, I always felt sick. I was hot-tempered, getting angry easily over small matters. That was partly because I did not want to take my medication. I couldn’t work.
“Now, I always keep my doctor’s appointment as an outpatient and I take my medication with discipline. I feel my life now has better quality because I can work properly. And I have also made more friends.”
She said one reason she initially refused to seek treatment was that she was in a state of denial – not wanting to accept she had mental health issues despite her family’s repeated advice to seek treatment.
Later, when her family managed to bring her to the hospital where she had to be warded for treatment, she fell into a sombre state.
“I knew everyone thought Hospital Sentosa was a place for mental patients. So when I was made to stay there, I really felt very down because I was afraid of how people would view me. I also dreaded thinking of how my friends and relatives would look at me.”
Kedai Sihat Sentosa is the shop at Hopistal Sentosa.
Paranoia
Asked what made her feel mentally stressed in the first place, she suspected it was the overwhelming pressure at work.
She said the symptoms of her condition were delusions, hallucinations and paranoia – always thinking people around her were trying to harass or harm her.
She was always suspicious the gestures and comments from the people around her were directed at her.
“I also used to hear things that didn’t exist. I heard voices which turned out to be the howling sounds of winds. And whenever others talked, I always thought they were scolding me. I didn’t like that and I would just burst out.
“At one time, my neighbour was scolding her child but I thought she was scolding me, so I got very angry,” she added.
Recalling her earlier life, May Li said she was happy at school, had many friends and led a normal life. But that changed after she started working and the stressful workload caused her to suffer from mental health problems.
She has been on medication for many years and has already regained much of her normal self.
Feeling unsafe
As for Jen Pin, he was diagnosed with symptoms of a mental illness since he was around 14. In school, he would always think his classmates were talking about him and saying bad things about him behind his back.
He did not feel safe and was always imagining everyone, including his teachers, were trying to harm him. He started withdrawing from friends, even family members, often feeling depressed and moody and totally lacking motivation.
“Even when my father sneezed or coughed, I would think he was scolding me and I would get angry,” he said.
He believed the treatment and medication had made him much better, saying the symptoms were effectively gone and he is now able to live a normal life.
However, he felt sad that despite the dissemination of so much information to the public and people were now able to talk more openly about mental health, there were still many suffering from mental illnesses such as depression but refusing to seek treatment because they were afraid of stigmatisation or discrimination.
Conversely, he pointed out, it could be extremely challenging for those living or dealing with people with mental illnesses.
“We need to acknowledge the courage and resiliency of those trying hard to help the mentally challenged to lead a productive and meaningful life. I think there’s still a lot to be done to change the perception of mental illness.”
Jen Pin is thankful he has a loving family and he gets a lot of support from his elder brother and sister.
He said the skills he acquired from the three-month bakery and culinary skills training had also made him more confident.