Yesterday morning, I was up early. I picked up the newspaper which usually arrives around 3:30 am. I settled down, with our cat, Iitu, to find out all the previous days news.
As I turned the pages I came across this picture by photographer Jarmo Kontiainen:
First I shuddered, causing Iitu to turn to me inquiringly. In less than a second I realised I was feeling great mental agony.
It has not been many pictures that has caused that feeling in me.
Regular readers of this blog may recall that as a child I was bouncing with exuberance. When an uncle of mine taught me the art of relaxation, I learnt to drop asleep in just a few minutes. But, the process required I find the most comfortable position to fall asleep in. It also meant I remove all small urges that may occur, such as scratching here or there, removing a ticklish feeling that may occur on some part of the skin, etc. I need freedom of movement during those last few minutes before I drop asleep. If I do not ease those simple small urges, the mind will focus of them and the relaxation process ends, causing me great anxiety.
When I saw this picture which restrains both the hands and legs of the wearer, it caused in me a great anxiety, almost as if I was being tortured. It was as if a claustrophobic wall was around me. I was in great mental agomy as I felt that the person so strapped must be feeling the same as I was!
These straps are what is used here in psychiatric institutions to restrain violent patients. The use of this is not permitted in other Scandinavian countries. It is used exclusively in Finland. As I visit patients in these institutions, I have seen the use of these on several occasions.
It is a barbaric practice, to me. But Finnish authorities continue to use them, although they border on mental and physical torture.
The picture was from a newspaper report explaining how their use continues in Finland.
I hope the authorities will find more humane methods to restrain violent patients, such as in the neighbouring countries.
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