If you’re sitting at home with a broken leg, or are otherwise physically ill, chances are people are trying to cheer you up by sending you a get well card. Get better soon, we are thinking of you! Shops are teeming with such get-well cards. But if you develop psychological problems, for example depression or burnout, such cards are often not forthcoming.
That’s actually a shame, says comedian Marjolijn van Kooten. Because even then you can really use such a sign of compassion. “I have noticed the difference very strongly,” she says on the phone. “When I had pneumonia, I received a lot of cards. When I had a hernia, people came to vacuum for me and offered to do the shopping. That was very nice, because I couldn’t do that. But I had previously suffered from depression and panic attacks and then I couldn’t leave the house either. But then the questions were asked much less: can I help you, what do you need? While: when I had pneumonia, my manager came and sat at my bedside!”
Van Kooten discussed the major difference in our card-sending culture with physical and psychological disorders with psychiatrist Christiaan Vinkers. Together they concluded that it was time for psychological get-well cards. A statement of support helps people with psychological problems – half of all Dutch people will suffer from this at some point, it appears recent research.
If there are special cards for this, this will hopefully lower the threshold for those concerned. “Because I really don’t think it is unwillingness that people often do not respond,” says Van Kooten. “It’s an inconvenience, I think. It’s not that people don’t sympathize with you. Look, you can also send a regular card, but this is a way to get extra attention for it.”
That’s how it came into existence project Mentally on the map , a website where you can send cards to people with mental illness. Cards with texts such as: “I’m thinking of you” and “It’s okay to not be okay for a while.” And the question: shall we walk, drink coffee? – with the message: “Tell me where you stand.” Artist and primary care physician in psychiatry Hanneke ten Hag designed the cards. You don’t have to worry about the costs: those who are short on cash can do so mentaal.opdekaart.nl/landing even send a mental get-well card for free.
Launch on ‘Blue Monday’
On ‘Blue Monday’, the third Monday in January that was once designated as the gloomiest day of the year as a marketing stunt, Marjolijn van Kooten presented the project in the Kleine Komedie in Amsterdam. She played pieces from her previous performances (psychiatric cabaret as she calls it) about her own depression and panic attacks.
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Sjors van der Panne and Maarten Ebbes sang songs, Roos van Rijswijk read, and Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema launched the Mentally on the map-website. The cards are on there, and the website of the knowledge platform ‘The Young Psychiatrist’ contains additional tips from experienced experts. For example: “You don’t have to give advice.” Drinking coffee when the other person is ready is often enough. And: “Remember that with a mental illness the sense of humor does not (always) disappear.” Marjolijn van Kooten is a living example of the latter with her psychiatric cabaret. “It is my mission to make psychological problems open for discussion.”
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2024-01-23 15:10:38
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