Psychiatric hospitals often have a bad reputation in society.
Whether it's in books, films or what we hear around the subject, it remains a rather vague and troubling reality.It's rare to hear testimonials from people who have actually experienced it, whether for fear of judgment or difficulty in expressing their feelings.
The aim of this project is to present objects belonging to people who have been patients of these institutions. Behind these objects, personalities emerge, while remaining anonymous.
For this reason, the names were changed and we only know their age at the moment of the most meaningful hospitalisation.
Juliette, 25 years old, 2025
“ « Not everything in life is black and white ». I've often heard this phrase applied to myself. As a bipolar sufferer, I go through phases with my spirits very high, and others with my spirits very low. In the end, it's as if life were in black and white, with big contrasts between these phases.
I took the objects that marked me during my first hospitalisation. I wasn't sure what to take with me at this time. I asked a friend what to take when you're hospitalised. A few days later, he gave me this cuddle toy to take with me during this time. I didn't want to take my childhood one. I didn't necessarily think about comfort. My aunt brought me some slippers. They were cat-shaped, I missed my cat. From then on, even when I went outside, I went in slippers.
I used to draw a lot at that time. It allowed me to isolate myself in my own world. I did it while listening to music to isolate myself from the other patients, especially since I had a shared room. When I got out, I bought the vinyl of my favourite songs.
My friends and family used to bring me Coke to cheer me up. The girl I shared a room with used to buy me Monster. I'd never drunk one before, and I never drank more afterwards. It kept me awake and compensated for the sedative effects of the medication. We were only allowed coffee at very specific times. One day, a friend came to play cards with me. We played on the floor because we didn't have a table. He was the only one who didn't ask me how it was going. We just had a good time, leaving the situation I was living aside.”