I recently finished reading my favourite book for the 3rd time. It is the autobiography of Seattle actress Frances Farmer entitled, 'Will There Really Be a Morning”. The book was given to me by my Grandma Sook and is one of my most cherished possessions. The book focuses on Farmer's struggles with mental illness and living a life with almost no love and support. Due to my struggles with depression, I read it this last time with a different set of eyes.
Frances Farmer (1913-1970) was a free-thinking, independent screen actress during the Golden Age of Hollywood. She made several pictures and worked with the likes of Bing Crosby and John Barrymore. She did not set her sights on the bright lights of Hollywood but through a series of events, ended up there. Her real passion was for the stage. Frances' mother, Lillian Farmer, was perhaps one of the first stage mothers from Hell. The relationship between mother and daughter was strained at best. Lillian's endless quest for the spotlight by association lead her to exploit her daughter repeatedly. Due to Frances' sometimes erratic behaviour and rebellion, her mother told flagrant lies in order to have her committed to an insane asylum where her life was forever changed.
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| Frances Farmer |
Farmer's account of her (and others) treatment in the asylum reads like the script for one of the torture movies that are so popular now (Saw, etc). Daily rapes, beatings and starvation were the norm. These heinous acts were often committed by the medical “professionals” and staff who were supposed to be caring for these women. Their most basic human rights were violated on a daily basis. The women were often left naked and shackled. There were no proper bathroom facilities and using the toilet often meant having to go in a pail or on the floor in the corner of their “cells”. Bathing was permitted once a month and no toiletries (or undergarments) were available when the women were menstruating. This, shockingly, was the norm in 1930's and 40's sanitariums. Abuse of the mentally ill was rampant, physically and psychologically. Even the “medical” treatments so many people (including Frances) endured were torture. So-called cures such as Insulin shock therapy, hydrotherapy and lobotomy were nothing short of barbaric.
The reason I am writing this is because some 80 years later, abuse of the mentally ill is still far too common. From emotional and physical abuse to the stigma attached to those who suffer. No-one chooses to suffer from anxiety disorders, depression or schizophrenia (Ms. Farmer was diagnosed with everything from manic depressive psychosis to paranoid schizophrenia). It is the hand that some people are dealt. Until society realizes that mental disorders are an illness just like high blood pressure or diabetes, nothing is ever going to
change.
If you know someone who suffers, be patient, be compassionate. And most importantly, don't abandon them. Far too many people suffer in silence. Remember, it often takes months, sometimes years to find a treatment that works. Mental disorders don't have a standard one size fits all treatment. If you think “dealing” with someone who is sick is “exhausting”, try walking a mile in their shoes. Imagine how frustrating and at times seemingly endless the search is for a treatment that fits.
Despite the absolute horror Frances Farmer was forced to endure for many years, she remained remarkably resilient. She was a survivor. I too, am a survivor. I dedicate this post to all of the lost souls, past and present, who were/are forced to navigate this journey alone.
“She'll come back as fire. To burn all the liars. Leave a blanket of ash on ground.”--from the Nirvana song, 'Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle'.
You know you love me,
Stacey xo
