JASON OXENHAM
BLUE DAY BUT A GOOD DAY: Author and schizophrenia sufferer Peter Finlay will celebrate the launch of his first book tomorrow night.
HIS BOOK has been a longer time coming than most, but then Peter Finlay's life has not been a straightforward one.
The Grey Lynn author will tomorrow night celebrate at the launch of his autobiographical novelette Blue Messiah, an account of his experiences with mental illness and his time in infamous psychiatric hospital Lake Alice.
He's been working on the book for almost 15 years but has only been well enough to get around to publishing it recently.
The story begins in 1986 when Peter, a paranoid schizophrenic, had gone off his medication and had a "terrible fight" with police on the streets of Palmerston North.
He was thrown into the acute unit of Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital in Rangitikei where he stayed for three months.
The institution, which has been the subject of numerous historic abuse allegations, was a scary place, says Peter.
"The worst thing about Lake Alice was the boredom," he says.
He remembers being forced to stay awake, despite the heavy medication which made patients sleepy.
"All I wanted to do was lie down or have a private shower," he says.
The second half of Blue Messiah covers the two years after he was discharged from Lake Alice and compares his time in the hospital with his recovery in the community.
He says receiving occupational therapy and being able to chat for a couple of hours a week over a cup of tea with fellow sufferers made a world of difference.
"Having something like that is all you need to get you through. It improves your quality of life."
Peter was diagnosed with schizophrenia when he was 26 and has spent the last 20 years of his life in and out of "unwellness" and various hospitals and mental health facilities.
He says it's been a constant struggle to establish the right medication and stay on it.
"Once you come well again you tend to forget some of the thoughts. But I'm a happier person when I'm on medication," he says.
The 52-year-old Grey Lynn resident says he's been well for the last three years and the right dose of medication has enabled him to complete the book and attend creative writing classes at the Toi Ora Live Arts Trust, the publisher of his book.
Toi Ora manager Erwin van Asbeck says funding for the book has come from the Frozen Funds Trust.
The trust was established in 2008 to distribute grants from a $5 million fund, originating from interest accrued on patients welfare benefits while they were institutionalised during the 1970s and 80s.
More than half the money was returned to its owners in the 1990s and the rest is used as grants for mental health projects and services.
Erwin says mental health has come a long way in the last 30 years, with a focus now on community care.
"There's much more awareness," he says.
"Patients don't necessarily end up going to hospital."
The book is being launched tomorrow at Alleluya cafe in St Kevin's Arcade, Karangahape Rd, at 5.30pm.
- Auckland City Harbour News
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