The Story We're Too Scared to Read
Nick Casey wrote about the state of Venezuela's mental hospitals in the absence of psychiatric drugs. We saw Meredith Kohut's amazing pictures, and froze. It's a truth we know we can't handle.
I know about Nick Casey’s story about the scene at El Pampero Psychiatric Hospital in Barquisimeto. Of course I do. Along with Meredith Kohut’s amazing photos, it was on the front page of the New York Times. It’s not missable.
But I haven’t read it. I’m too scared to.
I wrote that on Facebook earlier, and I was amazed by how many “me too” comments I got. It keeps popping up on our Facebook feeds. We know we have to read it. But we can’t.
The whole idea of a mental hospital without psychiatric drugs…it’s too much. A dark stain on our collective consciousness. A truth we can’t handle.
So, no money-quote this time. I’m not going there. There’s so much heartache as it is, I don’t know that I can afford any more.
But if you’re stronger than me, well…the piece is here.
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