Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1537666
I did not know Jan Pace but I can tell from what has been written about him that he was loved; he was gentle, kind and unas- suming. His loss is serious and we must come together to ensure that at least it may have some meaning. From what has emerged, Jan was gen- uinely suffering and hence the desperate plea to find him that resonated on social media when his absence was noticed. In 40 years of experience working in the social field, I have been exposed to many more individuals, who like Jan suffer in silence. They are not necessarily at risk of giving up on life but they do give up on hope. They stop trying; stop believing that they may feel better and have a de- cent life, and even more sadly they stop believing in the system that should be supporting them. We need to address our mental health system. It is a scandal and yet nothing changes. As a psychotherapist I work with persons who have mental and emo- tional challenges. Mount Carmel Hospi- tal remains the only place a person may go to if they need a medical setting where they may be seen by a psychiatrist and monitored in what is supposed to be a safe environment. But Mount Carmel is a disgrace. It is a frightening depressing, de- meaning environment where the patient must live, locked up, in wards. Males and females use the same bathrooms. Patients sit in rooms doing nothing but smoking, overeating due to their medication and looking out of barred windows set against walls which seems to demonstrate the broken spirit of the place. And it is not only the patients who are suffering but al- so the staff that are meant to help them. They work in a terrible environment too. Furthermore, a patient who is seen to by a psychiatrist as an inpatient or an outpatient must sit on a chair in front of about five or more professionals, which is daunting to anyone, let alone a person who is suffering and fragile. I remember being a student many years ago sent to Mount Carmel to 'learn' and instead was shocked by what I saw—the power of the psychiatrist frightened me, and I remember thinking to myself, 'im- agine how the patient feels'. Is it really surprising most persons will not ask for help or speak about suicidal ideation because they are afraid of being sent to Mount Carmel? Even I, as a pro- fessional, hesitate to suggest such a place. If a person cannot afford private thera- py—because the solution for depression and other emotional problems is not just medication—they would have a waiting list of many months and a limited number of sessions available. But don't be shocked—this is real all around the world. There is a sense of impotence in our society. If the wheel is turning, who cares? That is, until you or someone dear to you has problems. And this is true not just for Mount Carmel. Persons, who are medically unwell are often emotionally mistreated. A perfect example is oncology care, where too many times, I have witnessed consultants tell a patient they are probably going to die without giving any importance to the emotional turmoil such news brings to the patient and the family. My own mother was told by a consult- ant, bluntly and angrily, that my father would never leave Mater Dei Hospital alive—he was wrong; my father managed to come home for a short time. My moth- er was crushed. I remember when my father, many months later, lay dying and I was calling my mother to come quickly, the nurse next to him told me: "What do you think, if you tell your mother to get the suit to be ready." Those were the last words my fa- ther heard before he took his last breath. And now we are discussing euthanasia and we are supposed to trust the system. Our society has lost its soul. We live in hope when we see how normal people like us stand up and demonstrate in the streets and refuse to accept that evil be- haviour should ever be justified or nor- malised. In Malta, we live in a place where the government is not questioned; not shaken and not threatened in the least bit of los- ing power. The Opposition offers nothing different, fresh, safe or new. We live in a society that has welcomed the modern way of offering people a choice depending on their values regard- ing birth, divorce, drugs, dying, and many other rights. It is obvious that with such changes within society there needs to be clarity and systematic planning to adapt to change. But this does not happen and we are thrown into the deep end. Yes, we are economically sound with many opportunities; but are we happier, healthier, more mentally stable, kinder, more aware of each other, building values and having morals? No, we are not. We are like children being allowed to play at a cliff's edge and without the proper moni- toring many will fall. It ultimately all boils down to what gen- erates money. Eliminating Mount Carmel and creating an excellent mental health residential service with the many moti- vated and caring professionals that al- ready exist becomes unfeasible because it costs money. Ensuring that professionals and consultants are more accountable be- comes an inconvenience because it is too much of a hassle and there is no profit to be derived from it. Social issues do not make money. How- ever, social and effective health services that are held accountable with the right monitoring tools, will create a healthy population that strives to be content and therefore productive. Let us come together as a nation, and together put pressure on the system by supporting the people who genuinely try to change things. Let us speak out every time a person, who is supposed to offer a service is patronising and uncaring. Most of all, let us care for each other, by not looking the other way when we see others hurt themselves with substances, or dan- gerous and impulsive behaviour. Let us be patient with persons who do not stimu- late us because they are passing through a phase that renders them unwelcoming. Let us teach our children to love others, not to ostracise their peers. Let us put our foot down—Mount Car- mel is a scandal. While services within the community are being offered, Mount Carmel, a residential nightmare of a hell- hole, remains. When a person is suicidal, very special- ised delicate work is required to support them. The good news is that with the right systems in place it works. I've seen people change their perspective on life, on themselves, and I have seen people begin to believe and hope. It is because of this that I remain saddened for all the persons like Jan. Mariella Dimech Warranted psychotherapist 7 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 20 JULY 2025 OPINION Where does it hurt? Social issues do not make money. However, social and effective health services that are held accountable with the right monitoring tools, will create a healthy population that strives to be content and therefore productive. Mount Carmel Hospital