Sad Bar is a pop-up bar that plans to hop around Bangkok selling drinks and donating proceeds to psychiatric hospitals in need around Thailand. The first pop-up took place at Ari hostel The Yard this last Saturday (Aug 27), and the money was donated to the Loei Ratchanakharin Psychiatric Hospital. BK speaks to Paron “Nile” Sujitjorn, 35, who suffers from an anxiety and panic disorder, about how he came up with the idea for this project and why it’s ok to not be ok.

 

I work as a copywriter at a tech company as a full-time job. I started seeing a psychiatrist when I was in university when I experienced a sort of panic attack—I was shaking, my heart was racing. After not having spoken to my parents for six or seven years due to some family issues, I had to tell them and then they took me to see a psychiatrist for the first time. Later on, I learned that I had an anxiety and panic disorder. 

 

It’s a pop-up bar, and the plan now is to rotate in various different fairs and locations around Bangkok, but I’ve been on the constant lookout for a permanent location to set it up properly. I want to create a comfortable space for people to talk about mental health without any judgments or pressure on anyone to start seeing a psychiatrist or therapist. If one day they decide they want to start seeing one, whether or not inspired by the conversations at Sad Bar, then that’s a good start. The drinks are also named after different mental illnesses with a short write-up about it, like the Gin Tonic is the Gin Panic.

 

Yes, on the first pop-up, we donated to Loei Ratchanakharin Psychiatric Hospital. I chose this hospital after consulting with my psychiatrist because I learned this hospital is really in need of support. There are only five psychiatrists in total, and they have to take care of 200-500 patients per day.

 

Yes, I created it about a year ago. Back then I had some problems with my close friends and felt very alone, like I had no one at all and during that time. I kept getting panic attacks and I didn’t have anyone I could reach out to. One night, the panic attack was so terrible, I wasn’t trying to kill myself or anything, but it was bad, I was alone and I just thought that if I never woke up again I wouldn’t regret anything. I survived that night and realized that it didn’t matter how much I kept saying that I like being alone; when I really had no one, it’s not a pleasant feeling at all. So I created this Instagram page to remind other people who might be going through the same journey that they are not alone.

 

Mostly to remind people with mental illnesses that they are not alone and there are other people who go through this. I also want to raise awareness that people can talk about this topic more comfortably without fear of judgment, just like when we have physical illnesses. If one day, maybe someone is feeling really down, alone, or doesn’t want to live anymore, and happens to stumble onto this Instagram page, I hope it could change their mind about suicide.

 

Two or three years ago, the waiting list to see a psychiatrist at a private hospital was around two to three weeks. In the past year, the waiting list is now one to two months. It means that more people are taking care of their mental well-being compared to 10 years ago. Back in the day, people would think you were a lunatic if you saw a psychiatrist. Of course there is still room for improvement, but things are better than before.

 

Most people are very supportive. I’m quite open to talk about my mental health and usually the one to start the conversation about it. I’ve learned that once I start, the other people around me will feel more comfortable to speak about their journey. It’s just that no one wants to start. Sometimes people are just waiting to be asked. If you open up your heart to other people, they will open up to you.

 

With the Sad Bar project, I want people with mental illnesses to see that they can also help other people. However, before you help others, it’s important that you are first able to help yourself so that you’re not neglecting yourself while creating a better society. Don’t think that just because you have a mental illness that you are incapable of doing things for society. We can find a better meaning in life when we stick together and help each other.