Twelve days in a mental health clinic: 'It isn't a magic wand'

CapeTalk's John Maytham interviews 'Marley Jones', a writer and a mental health advocate.

Listen below:

Getting help often feels like the hardest step – because it means admitting that something is wrong.

After being urged three times by her psychologist to check herself into a mental health clinic, Marley Jones finally did.

She had been struggling with suicidal thoughts and the devastating loss of her partner.

What followed was a 12-day stay that would become a turning point in her journey.

Having lived most of her life with clinical depression and being diagnosed as “severely mentally ill,” Marley says she eventually understood the value of taking that step – and the kind of help the clinic could offer.

"I eventually recognised that maybe this is not something I should play with and I should go into the clinic."

- 'Marley Jones', writer and a mental health advocate

Those 12 days were filled with structure, therapy sessions, hard emotional work, and ultimately, self-discovery.

But most importantly, she says, the clinic gave her practical tools – skills for coping beyond the safety of its walls.

Her daily routine looked like this:

Wake up at 7 am, followed by her morning routine and making the bed
Blood pressure check and check-in with nurses
Breakfast and morning medication
From 9 am, a series of hour-long therapy sessions
Tea and lunch breaks throughout the day
Biokinetics at 4 pm
Supper at 5 pm
Free time for the rest of the evening

"You don't really get exposure to the outside world; it's just you and the people on the inside."

- 'Marley Jones', writer and a mental health advocate

Since leaving the clinic three months ago, Marley admits it hasn’t been easy.

She’s often found herself battling the thought: “I should be better by now.”

But with time, she’s come to realise that healing isn’t instant.

“Going into clinic isn’t a magic wand,” she says.

Instead, it’s about using what you learned there and figuring out how to apply it in the real world.

If you or someone you know needs help, click here.

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.