Poems by: Betty Fox Psychiatric Nurse Nassau Bahamas STOP THE STIGMATIZATION Why do you stigmatized me?

Because I work In the mental health industry I love what I do So why cant you?

You use a thermometer I use one too You use a blood pressure apparatus I use one too You feel for a pulse I do too

You talk to your patients I do too You assess your patients I do too You bathe and feed your patients I do too

So what about me in the mental health industry! That makes u want to stigmatize me Do you stigmatize me?

Because I do things differently

You may use more tools than me For my tool is my personality My personality that helps my clients Return to normalcy Return to society Return to their family In a sometimes unforgiving society

So what if I play dominoes, checkers or cards This is way to give my clients a chance A chance to talk to someone who understands A chance to socialize and dance A chance to feel a part A chance to pour out their heart

So what is so wrong with what I do? U chose what u love I did too!

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SEE ME!
This poem was written by me, so that hopefully persons, like those who work with the mentally ill, family, friends and others would gain some insight into how the mentally ill sometimes feel. Never having walked in their shoes, I cannot honestly say that I completely understand their plight, but having worked with them for a number of years I have seen their grief, their pain and their wanting to be understood by all persons coming into contact with them.

See me You see me but you dont You care for me but do you really care You talk to me but do you listen You listen but do you hear You hear but do you understand Do you understand when I tell you I hear voices Do you understand when I say I am king You may laugh, you may argue, and disagree with me My thoughts are slowed, my behavior bizarre I have flight of ideas and extreme paranoia I echo your words, make new ones Imitate your actions and have a depressed mood I want you to see, see m See me the whole me See me not the schizophrenia, the mania, the depression, the suicidal client But the person who is entitled to be understood and enlightened For I have feelings, and a family who care

So dont talk about me as if I am not there Look at me, not around me, Stay with me, even when I am not there For at times I withdraw in a world of my own So I need you to say please come home Home to where I am nurtured and cared Home to where I have nothing to dread Home to where I can be myself with out fear if have to regress Regress to the point where I have to be fe Regress to the point that I am confined to bed So treat me with respect so others will accept Accept me and not stigmatize me Accept me and not reject me But holistically treat me Treat me the whole me Use milieu therapy, socio therapy, occupational, Individual and group psychotherapy. So one day I too can return to society So please listen to me. I need to be heard And not to be labeled for others to fear But to be treated with compassion and care