close window

FOODS FOR THE MENTALLY ILL


DEDICATION

To the many people who have died while trying to eat their meals in mental institutions

and particularly to the patients at Dammasch State Hospital in Wilsonville, Oregon,

  who suffocated while eating pancakes for breakfast during the winter of 1993.

 

Mentally ill patients may have many bodily ailments besides the inability to control their thoughts. The entire body is affected by chronic clinical depression. The patient may have intense pain in the spine and may be unable to walk or move about in a normal manner. The stomach may be bloated and uncomfortable. The throat in particular is important to consider because of the constant need to breath and to swallow foods. The mentally ill person may feel as if he or she were being strangled or rent by the neck, as a terrier might rend an old shoe, and may be unable to swallow foods in a normal manner. This feeling of tightening or constriction in the throat may be completely undetectable and even unknown to an observer or a care-provider. Because of the constant necessity for breathing, it is recommended that mentally ill people NOT eat foods that are thick, small or hard, because small pieces of food can become lodged in the throat in phlegm and cause choking or even suffocation. It is highly recommended that a cup or glass of warm or cool water or other clear beverage (not thick) be present at all times during meals to help wash down foods that may otherwise be difficult, if not impossible, to swallow. Pitchers of water should always be present on the table, and empty glasses should be refilled immediately. Avoid very hot or very cold beverages. A moderate temperature is best for foods and drinks. Foods should nourish rather than fill. Treat mentally ill people as if they are very sick, because they are. If you were very sick, what would you feel like eating? The following list of foods is not intended to be complete but rather to be used as a guide in the selection of foods that provide nutrition, yet are easy to swallow and digest.

Foods to Avoid:

  • pancakes
  • syrup
  • nuts
  • raisins
  • small candies
  • thick gravies
  • rich gravies
  • rich sauces
  • peanut butter
  • honey
  • cucumbers
  • radishes
  • spicy or "hot" food
  • onions, garlic
  • lettuce
  • cheese
  • cayenne
  • chili peppers
  • popcorn
  • seeds
  • refried beans
  • raw vegetables
  • sweet potatoes, yams
  • bacon
  • dry cereal
  • coconut

Foods to Eat:

  • cooked grains
  • cooked vegetables
  • applesauce
  • pitted fruit only
  • fruit juices
  • bananas cut in small pieces
  • fruit salads
  • vegetable soups
  • ground or thinly sliced meats
  • consommé, soups
  • chicken, beef bouillon
  • soft crackers
  • yogurt
  • cottage, ricotta or cream
  • melted yellow or white cheese
  • ice cream, custards
  • cooked pasta, mild sauces
  • muffins, rolls, margarine
  • eggs
  • cooked beans
  • tomatoes
  • mashed potatoes
  • vegetable juices
  • stewed fruits

© 1994 by Nancy Lynne Harris. All Rights Reserved.