I've been reflecting a lot lately, and it prompted me to post this.
St John of God Hospital has a very special place in my heart and always will. Before being admitted in 2022, I was in the worst place I had ever been with my mental health. I had suffered on and off since I was a teenager and repeatedly refused admission because I was terrified.
However, from my first moments in the hospital, as much as I felt incredibly unwell, I knew I was in the right place. It's honestly one of the quietest, most peaceful places I have ever been, and the love, support, and guidance I received was second to none. My time here changed my life in more ways than one. Not only did I leave a happier and whole person ready to love & live my life,
I left with some lifelong friends, the tools to care and support myself and it's also the place I was finally heard and received my autism & adhd diagnosis.
I will be forever grateful to this amazing place, and I don't even think of it as a hospital but rather a sanctuary and a safe haven where I found myself and learned how to live again. ❤️
Emma, a former patient
