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Awake in a psychiatric hospital
In my first psychiatric hospital (twenty years ago) in Purmerend, a small Dutch town, there were cameras everywhere, including in each patient’s room. When I noticed this phenomenon I wondered whether by some accident I had ended up in an episode of Big Brother, with a question -what to do about it? I had to… Continue reading
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Psychosis: Before and After
Prior to my first ‘psychosis’ and my first psychiatric hospital in a small Dutch town called Purmerend, I was leading quite a successful life, according to the society’s standards. I somehow managed to get a job as a financial analyst of banks (and later, as a portfolio manager) in a Dutch consultancy without any diploma… Continue reading
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And so, my psychiatric journey began…
It was twenty years ago when I entered my first psychiatric hospital, in a town called Purmerend, not far from Amsterdam. I was driven there by my boss and a colleague/dear friend, who were concerned about my health. I was in a ‘psychosis’, in which I experienced the most amazing things. The whole world appeared… Continue reading
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Stigma sucks
What’s the first impression you want to give people? The first impression I want to give people is that I am absolutely normal. And it’s the impression I usually give. It isn’t written on my face that I have the tendency for psychoses, and the majority of people find me pleasant, empathetic and friendly. I… Continue reading
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Sheffield, I miss you.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? Having lived in four different countries, in some of them twice, I think I have ‘experience’ to reflect on this issue. Where is it to live the best? I lived in Russia till I was nineteen years old, then in Brussels for five… Continue reading
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Our baby cat
What is good about having a pet? Having a pet is having a new family member that radically changes your life for the better. This is Loonie, who can also be called as Luni, Lunichmuli, Lynchastii, etc – in Russian we use these strange ‘pet’ names for those we love, and we love Loonie. Loonie… Continue reading
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Walking is the best sport
What is your favorite form of physical exercise? If you met me when I was twenty-seven years old, you would probably be a bit overwhelmed by me. When I was twenty-seven years old I lived in Amsterdam, and worked as a financial analyst of banks and a portfolio manager in a nice financial company. I… Continue reading
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You can be whatever you want
What alternative career paths have you considered or are interested in? I found this question very interesting as I have not only considered an alternative career path, I tried several of them, and in different countries. I worked as a translator and interpreter at Brussels’ committee for refugees and stateless people, as a library assistant… Continue reading
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Bipolar and writing
What’s a topic or issue about which you’ve changed your mind? I often changed my mind about how I approach my ‘bipolar disorder’. A recent example is when decided to write openly about my diagnosis and my experience with ‘psychoses’. I thought hard about it and reached the conclusion that if I, a university lecturer,… Continue reading
About Me
I am a doctor of philosophy, a university lecturer, and a lover of cats, fine wine, dancing, theatre, and human eccentricity. I was born in the Soviet Union (Moscow). I am fluent in four languages, and have spent all my adult life studying (except from 18 to 19) working and living throughout Western Europe. Despite a surname-Netchitailova- that translates from Russian into English as “unreadable”, my greatest passions in life are reading and writing. My personal struggles have made me appreciate the manifestations of weirdness that exist everywhere.