The charity, Changing Faces writes on their website:
"We live in a culture where disfigurement is often seen as a medical “problem” that could/should be fixed by surgery or medical intervention. However, surgery alone cannot always remove a disfigurement and can sometimes lead to further complications. Changing Faces helps people to face the challenges of living with a disfigurement and equips them with the appropriate tools to build self-confidence and self-esteem."
We now know that surgery is only one facet of treating someone with facial or body disfigurements and, thanks to charities such as the UK's 'Changing Faces', the psychological needs of patients are being met.
Of course, there was no such 'refined' cognitive therapy in Joseph's day. Medicine and psychotherapy back then was still very much in it's infancy and those of the medical profession were constantly on the look out for new, groundbreaking cases, on which to apply their skills. It sounds cold, but that's what was needed, to further the science.
I'm sure Merrick would have benefitted from,'Changing Faces'. All I know is, the services of such charities are, par excellence and indispensable.
Changing Faces website: http://www.changingfaces.org.uk/About-Us
I think Joseph would have benefited from some kind of psychiatric therapy. Considering all that he's been through, I imagine Joseph still had a lot of emotional baggage. Especially given his ordeal at Liverpool Street Station.
ReplyDeleteNow, we know Treves spent many hours with Joseph, but he still tended to be very vague about certain parts of his life.
I think if he were to see a specialist, like the ones at Changing Faces, maybe Joseph would have felt more comfortable talking about himself.
If Joseph lived in modern day, I could see him requiring quite a bit of therapy, both physical and mental. For instance, if he were to receive a titanium hip joint, he would need to learn how to walk all over again. But of course, with all that he's been through, I believe he'd be a prime candidate for therapeutic counseling. Someone that could help him come to terms with his situation and his past.
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