AYŞE AND MEHMET
It’s a winter day. It’s snowing with rain. Still, you can head out onto the street wearing clothes that’ll keep you warm. Winter has its own unique beauty, too. How wonderful it is to live in Istanbul, a city that experiences all four seasons. It’s a captivating city with its historical and natural beauty, shopping malls, cultural events, and wonderful restaurants and cafes. The only issues are traffic and the high cost of living. But as they say, “You have to take the rough with the smooth.” Istanbul is expanding outward. As the saying goes: “Every stone and grain of soil is gold.”
Our story takes place at a TRSM—a community mental health center—in Istanbul. Our government has opened these treatment centers and ensures we receive free consultations and medication. Thank God.
-Hello. My name is Ayşe.
-My name is Mehmet. Nice to meet you.
-I came to get a refill on my medication. After seeing the doctor, I’ll stop by the psychologist’s office as well.
-I’d like to change my medication, too. Of course, our doctor will make the decision. But I’ve been feeling really unwell day by day. Some days I get manic. I’m overcome by excessive energy, and I can’t sleep at night. I go on shopping binges, and I meet up with someone new every day. My appetite has really increased, too. I eat like crazy every day. I’ve gained weight as well.
– My problem is my obsessions. I open and close my bag over and over again. My thoughts are bothering me. Open, close, open, close. Again and again. When I’m about to leave the house, I check everything multiple times. Checking once makes sense, but I spend half an hour—sometimes forty-five minutes—doing this, so I can’t leave the house. The medication is helping, but my condition isn’t fully improving.
– Some months I go from mania to depression. I lose all motivation. I neglect my personal care. I have trouble waking up in the morning. My sleep is also irregular. I’m going to tell my doctor about these issues. I’ll ask him to put me on a new treatment. How are your relationships with others?
– I socialize with friends who are going through the same thing as me. I come to this TRSM every day to join the conversation groups. You can come here too, Mehmet—keep that in mind. The people here are very friendly. At this TRSM, there are therapy sessions with music some days and art other days. You should definitely participate in these workshops.
-Yeah, it’s good that I learned this from you, Ayşe. I’ll come here every day, too. And I’ll join the conversations. I see you have a mixed-gender group here. How wonderful it is to make friends and share life together.
-We welcome everyone who comes here. The people here aren’t seriously ill. The seriously ill patients stay in the hospital.
-Please let me join you. I’d like to talk with you, get to know you, and make friends.
-Of course we’ll welcome you. As long as you want to.
-After you leave here, what do you do at home in the afternoon?
-I draw. In pencil. I take photos of the houses and people that catch my eye on the street, and then I sketch them at home. I’ve had a talent for drawing since I was a child. I really love capturing life exactly as it is in my drawings. What do you do at home?
-I read psychology books and novels. I really like Jung. He’s the one who pioneered spiritual psychology. Archetypes live within us Archetypes live within us and are deeply meaningful. The persona, the shadow, the anima, and the animus are the most prominent archetypes. I really admire Engin Gençtan, Irvin Yalom, Viktor Frankl, and Doğan Cüceloğlu. I also admire Nevzat Tarhan.
-Which novels do you like?
-I like the classics. Balzac’s lengthy descriptions bore me. Dostoevsky’s psychological analyses are excellent. Freud apparently cited Dostoevsky as a reference in his books. From Turkish literature, I like Sabahattin Ali and Sait Faik.
-I’ve never read anything by Sabahattin Ali. Would you recommend him?
-Yes, strongly. I don’t judge people based on their political views. They can have any opinion or belief. As long as they’re human.
-Of course. As long as they have love for humanity in their hearts. I also believe in freedom of religion and thought.
-I embrace both my country, Turkey, and the whole world without discriminating based on religion, language, or race.
-Me too. As long as a person’s heart is open.
-It’s so nice that we met here. From now on, I’ll get to know the other friends here and build friendships with them.
-Here’s my phone number. Give me a call.
And even though these two precious people are ill, they are still able to experience happiness. In fact, their illnesses are a blessing for them. Does God ever give suffering without a reason? These illnesses exist so that their awareness may grow, their understanding of reality may deepen, and they may have time for themselves. Do not look down on them just because they are ill; they are truly human, precious, rare, and friendly. I look forward to meeting you one day in Istanbul to chat over coffee at a café and build a friendship as genuine as theirs. Take care.
By İzzet KARAAĞAÇLI