People who suffer from mental illnesses require others to treat them with more patience and understanding.
However, the situation can be tough to handle when the person repeatedly causes distress to others.
Recently, Shin Min Daily News reported that a man in Choa Chu Kang regularly digs through trash and splashes water along the stairwell and outside his window.
Upon investigating, it turns out that the man is mentally unwell and has been suffering from an illness for the last 10 years.
Unfortunately, neighbours who found difficulties in tolerating the uncle’s actions resorted to taking matters into their own hands, such as sealing the keyhole of his door with glue and even splashing water back.
According to Shin Min Daily News, an uncle residing in Block 816B of Keat Hong Link repeatedly digs through the trash and throws water bags around.
His actions have caused much distress to the neighbours.
According to one resident, the man would rummage through trash bins every night at 10pm and throw rubbish around the HDB block and a nearby park.
The rubbish contents include water bottles, cans, cartons, and sometimes even durian husks, furniture parts and glass bottles.
Another resident claimed that the uncle would also throw bags filled with water along the stairwell and down the block.
Some of the bags may land on tree branches and end up accumulating rainwater, posing a risk of becoming breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
A cleaner also mentioned that the uncle’s behaviour has been going on for around 2-3 years. Due to his actions, cleaners often pick up around 200 pieces of rubbish every day.
A reporter from Shin Min Daily News went down to investigate and found out from the uncle’s wife that he is mentally unwell.
His wife said several neighbours have retaliated with unkind actions out of frustration.
Some allegedly spoilt their door, threw water into their house, and even locked their gates with a bicycle chain. The man’s bicycle placed downstairs was also damaged.
A few weeks ago, someone had sealed the keyhole of their main door with superglue. Until now, they have been unable to lock the door properly. Left with no choice, the family lodged a police report.
Though the woman is apologetic for her husband’s behaviour, she feels upset having to endure such treatment from the neighbours.
The wife divulged that her husband has been ill for over a decade. He’s also been in and out of the hospital 3 times to treat his condition.
Since the man is unable to work, his wife has become the sole breadwinner to support and take care of the family for the last 2 decades.
She related that her husband used to take medication to keep his condition under control. However, he had to stop last year after suffering from severe side effects such as pneumonia and high fever.
He is currently receiving counselling.
While it can be challenging to tolerate the man’s actions, it is not right to retaliate by causing damage to someone’s property.
Now that the man’s plight has been revealed, we hope that the neighbours can be more tolerant and considerate from now on. We also hope that the family can help alleviate the situation by seeking help to keep the uncle in check.
Hopefully, the man’s family and the neighbours can reach a compromise and live peacefully with one another.
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Featured image adapted from Google Maps.
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