Life Behind Mental Illness

The series of pictures documents life at Bădiceni’s Psycho-neurological Boarding House, an Institute whose buildings are located in Moldova in an isolated area, surrounded by fields - a few kilometers from the nearest vilage of Bădiceni - in the district of Soroca.

The complex houses more than 400 patients, approximately 50 per cent women and 50 per cent men, all affected by different mental and physical disorders. Between the most common are: epilepsy, schizophrenia, paralysis and more.

The origin of the patients differs from case to case, most of them were sent under medical commission after staying until the age of majority into institutes which were very similar, but specific for children. Others, were brought by families too poor to assist them, or simply came after the death of all parents. Every patient has its own sad story.

The staff does everything possible to assist with serious attention, love and dedication all the people, but the number of workers allocated by the Ministry is very small compared to what would be necessary.

Only a small number of patients is able to take part in some activities organized by the institute like sewing machine and crochet work. All the others spend their time watching TV, listening to radio..above all, just sitting on benches and staring out into the vacuum.

Most patients, once entered the institute, stay in it until death. There are men and women who live at the Boarding House since 30 years. Bădiceni’s Institute represents a home for them, but, many patients, if there would be the possibility to follow them more, could have a much better life in the community without living most of their time as outcasts.

While staying at the Boarding House, helped by the helpful and kind staff, I spent time with the patients, following their daily life, realizing how hard it could be and observing at the same time, how strong were human relationships developed between them.

Life Behind Mental Illness is the first step of an ongoing project aimed to describe how mental and physical illness can totally change the life of the individual. Starting from concepts unfortunately well known as suffering and loneliness, I want instead to speak about the human relationships which follow through the life of a patient and which constitute the little rituals that help him to survive.