2025/01/07

Happy New Year. This is Kiri.

I have just returned from Zenkoji Temple in Nagano Prefecture.

 

For readers who are thinking about starting a healthy lifestyle this year, please share some tips for staying healthy other than blood sugar and cholesterol levels.I would like to convey this.

It's about heart and mental strength.

In our daily lives, we may face many difficult and painful situations, but it is necessary to relieve stress in an appropriate way. Whether it be exercising or doing something you enjoy, a good mental state is sure to lead to good health.

Even if you develop a mental illness, it is not the end of your life. It is said that one in five people in modern society suffers from a mental illness.

In that case, see a psychiatrist.

 

A common saying in Hong Kong is:

"If you have a disease, see a doctor."

(If you're sick, consult a doctor, no matter what kind of illness you have)

"Thought-related ataxia - essential treatment as soon as possible"

(If your mental health is not stable, seek treatment early.)

 

However, there are still many people who are hesitant to face psychiatry. To help overcome the mystique of psychiatry, Hong Kong's leading psychiatrist, Ching Shan Hospital, runs a mental health experience tour at the hospital.

All experience tours require reservations, so you have to make a reservation online. Since the number of participants is limited, it took me a while to apply. After working hard for about half a year, I finally completed my mission. 

 

First, go to Aoyama Hospital from Tuen Mun Station.

You can get there by bus or taxi, but it's also possible to walk.

To respect patient privacy, taking photos or videos is strictly prohibited once inside the hospital entrance.

There are less than 10 members on the tour.

 

First, as part of the "admission procedure," you will be given a tag with your real name written on it. Put it on your wrist.

The best spots for photos are the Seizan-tei (reconstruction) and the main entrance. Let's travel back in time.

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Q: What is the history of Hong Kong psychiatry?

Tsing Shan Hospital was established in the 1850s by Sir Alexander Grantham, the Governor of Hong Kong, and was originally called the Victoria Mental Hospital.
However, this was not the beginning of psychiatry in Hong Kong. The first psychiatric hospital in Hong Kong was established in 1841 at Victoria Prison (now Tai Kwun) run by the British government. Later, the Ching Shan Hospital was established, and in 1872, a psychiatric hospital was also established at the charitable Tung Wah Hospital.

Aoyama Clinic, a psychiatric hospital based on modern medicine, was built in 1961. The location chosen was Aoyama, so it was named Aoyama Clinic.

*Japanese media say that Aoyama Hospital was named in commemoration of the achievements of Kitasato Shibasaburo and Aoyama Inshun, but when I looked at old maps of Hong Kong, I found that this mountain has been called Aoyama since ancient times.

 

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Q: What are the social incidents involving psychiatric patients?

 

There are many hospitals in Hong Kong that offer psychiatric treatment, but Tsing Shan Hospital in particular attracts patients with serious illnesses, and even after they are discharged, they still need to receive regular treatment.

In 1982, Li Zhiheng, a discharged patient who had not received regular treatment (was not taking his medication), killed two family members at his own home, then broke into the nearby An An Kindergarten, killing six kindergarten children and injuring 6.

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Q: What was treatment like in the 19th century?

 

There were many unscientific treatments that would be unthinkable today, including having patients sit in cold bathtubs.

As you walk through the Historical Corridor, you'll see 19th century hospital gowns worn by patients, where it was not uncommon to see feet and hands bound to the bed with white fabric bandages, something that might be seen as a violation of human rights today.

 

Patients with mild symptoms are grouped together in shared rooms, while those with more severe symptoms are in individual rooms.

Rooms for patients with mild symptoms
Protective Room

Patient rooms with soft pads on the walls, like minimalist rooms, are called "protective rooms." They are set up to prevent patients from harming themselves. The downside is that if the pads absorb the smell of feces and urine, the room will stink. This is not good from a hygienic standpoint.

 

The last area is where you can experience symptoms.

The patient is asked to enter a different room. This is an experience that uses VR, which is used in disaster prevention centers in Japan, to experience the patient's five senses.

 

Not only outside, but also at home and at work, everyday things change strangely. It's hard to be suspicious of everything every day, wondering if someone is scolding you or staring at you.

 

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An interesting discovery: Hong Kong top star Cheng Sau Man is on the list of thank yous. She is a celebrity who suffered from depression and also worked hard to promote mental health.

 

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Fun Fact:

 

Treating depression in Hong Kong: private clinics vs. public hospitalsin XNUMX minutes by bus from Yonago Station.

Private clinics charge between HK$2000 and HK$5000 for each treatment,It's a burden.

You can apply for a psychiatric consultation at a public hospital through a referral from your family doctor. Although the waiting period is long (basically about six months), the cost of each treatment and medication is reasonable (varies from person to person, from free to around HK$200), and the hospital has a good reputation.

 

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The ornaments and accessories sold in the shop are handmade by patients in the psychiatric ward of Aoyama Hospital.

I believe that another benefit is that patients can earn some pocket money, which helps build their self-confidence.

 

Mental Health Experience Center

Access & Reservation:Mind Space – Opening Hours and Location


Kiri
A Japanese language teacher and travel writer, she is also a certified sake sommelier and tour guide. She especially loves Japan and visits there at least 10 times a year. Her books include Kiri's Toei Cultural Observation Notebook (2017), Japan Solo Travel (2019), Lufeng Sakurago: A Record of Prewar Japanese Celebrities' Visits to Hong Kong (2022), Lufeng Sakurago: Prewar Japanese People's Stories of Life in Hong Kong (2023), and Easy Travel in Japan (2024). Her books are available at bookstores such as Eslite Sanlian in Hong Kong.

Blog Kiri-San.com
Facebook Page facebook.com/kirisan.page/
Instagram www.instagram.com/kirita/

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