Patch Adams
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Hunter "Patch" Adams (born May 28, 1945 in Washington, District of Columbia) founded the Gesundheit! Institute in 1972.
His life was the template for the plot of the movie Patch Adams, starring Robin Williams. Adams is currently based in Arlington, Virginia, where he promotes alternative health care in collaboration with the institute.
Patch Adams is a social activist, citizen diplomat, professional clown, performer, and author. Each year he organizes a group of volunteers from around the world to travel to Russia as clowns, to bring hope and joy to orphans, patients, and the people. In 1998 he also visited Bosnia, one of the Balkan Peninsula countries torn apart by the war that started after the break-up of Yugoslavia.
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[edit] Early career
After attending Wakefield High School in 1963, Patch Adams was graduated to Doctor of Medicine from the Medical College of Virginia, Health Sciences Division of Virginia Commonwealth University in 1973, convinced of the powerful connection between environment and wellness. He holds the belief that the health of an individual cannot be separated from the health of the family, community, and the world. In consequence, Patch and some friends founded the Gesundheit! Institute, which ran as a free community hospital for 12 years.
[edit] Gesundheit! Institute
A revamped Gesundheit! Institute, envisioned as a free, full-scale hospital and health care eco-community, is planned on 316 acres in Pocahontas County in West Virginia. Its goal is to integrate a traditional hospital with alternative medicine--acupuncture, homeopathy, etc. Care will combine integrative medicine with performing arts, crafts, nature, agriculture, and recreation. The West Virginia location accepts seasonal volunteers through the website. The new hospital has not been built as Patch continues to seek funding. The current caretaker staff at the West Virginia land is actively developing educational programs in sustainable systems design targeted to medical students, university alternative break groups, and the general public. Several videos and books have also been produced including Patch Adams.
Since the 1990s Adams has supported [1] the Ithaca Health Alliance (IHA), originally founded as the Ithaca Health Fund (IHF) by Paul Glover. In January 2006 IHA launched the Ithaca Free Clinic, bringing to life key aspects of Adams' vision. Patch Adams has also given strong praise to Health Democracy, a book written and published the same year.
[edit] Patch Adams' controversial statements on depression
At a speech at Vanderbilt University, Patch Adams said depression was "a selfish act" and "You cannot be depressed and hold someone you love in your mind at the same time — it is impossible."
His comments were criticized by a member of the psychiatry faculty who said, "I was shocked and dismayed to hear a famous and influential physician speak in this way about mental illness. While I am the first to admit that we all need love in our lives, I can tell you that I have seen many patients with plenty of love and support who nevertheless succumb to such illnesses as depression. For these patients, and for others without love and support, medications may represent a lifesaving alternative and should not be avoided."
Response to this statement from Patch Adams: "In my experience depression is not an illness it is a symptom and the illness is loneliness. And I do think one can place friends in their thinking so that they have no loneliness. I actually don't perceive that I am representing an answer rather a possible direction. That one can compose their own life using thinking, play, friends, and do what they decide to do whatever they want to do. What I have found most effective was to have an environment described in my book, Gesundheit and my website. If one chooses to work with mental illness without psychiatric medications, this kind of complex environment makes me feel safe not giving medication which is why I've insisted on not continuing until the whole facility is built. When we re-open as a hospital there will be doctors who prescribe psychiatric medications. I think my second book House Calls gives a brief introduction of directions for mental health and that we want a facility where all those things can be dynamic. We do not think we are right, rather, we are a direction, an individual's choice."
[edit] External links
- MindFreedom.org - 'President Bush and the Shrinking of the USA: Coalition of Advocacy Groups Says: "Start With the Top. Test President Bush for 'Mental Illness' First: "The "Real" Patch Adams Volunteers' (press release), MindFreedom.org, (August 16, 2004)
- PatchAdams.org - Patch Adams
- Holistic World.org- Holistic World Expo
- Patch Adams Profile Page- Video clip, book listings, speaking topics.
- [2] Article on the speech that included the controversial statements
