The Science of Psych Wards | Sci Guys Podcast
Vložit
- čas přidán 8. 09. 2024
- Psychiatric hospitals & mental asylums often receive a bad rap in fiction, but is there any truth to that? This week we dive into the crazy history and science of psych wards!
Grab our merch: normalcitizen....
Support the podcast on Patreon: / sciguys
WATCH EVERY EPISODE:
bit.ly/2z3ifN0
SUBSCRIBE TO SCI GUYS
Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2TAPC3h
Spotify: spoti.fi/2H91rZu
CZcams: bit.ly/2Z7bWTk
JOIN OUR DISCORD
/ discord
FOLLOW THE PODCAST
Twitter: / sciguyspod
Instagram: / sciguyspod
Facebook: / sciguyspod
References & Further Reading
Psychiatric Ward Basics
www.mind.org.u...
History of Psychiatric Wards
www.nursing.up...
www.sciencemus...
www.nlm.nih.go...
www.newscienti...
Effectiveness of Psychiatric Wards
www.washington...
wchh.onlinelib...
www.ncbi.nlm.n...
www.sciencedir...
www.cambridge....
www.cambridge....
The Patients’ Perspective
www.mind.org.u...
www.theguardia...
www.ncbi.nlm.n...
www.southernhe...
Follow the SCI GUYS
@notcorry / @lukecutforth
Yes, I have been in a psychiatric hospital. I also turned water into wine on my day release. That showed them.
I was institutionalized involuntarily about 11 years ago, and at the time I didn't think I was all that depressed. It stemmed from an incident where I got frustrated with my struggles with physical fitness, and said something that was construed as wanting to SH. It felt like a big misunderstanding at the time, but in hindsight it may have been related to body image issues and underlying gender dysphoria I didn't know I had. This was years before I came out as trans. Now I realize I was trying to compete to be the "alpha male" and outperform the men at the gym, basically playing heavily into the gendered expectations. The irony is that I'm in much better shape now than I was back then, and I couldn't care less about BS male hierarchies.
My state had an old asylum from the 1800s where patient treatment was so bad it was believed to be haunted. The hospital closed in 1994 after discovering how many abuses were still going on.
And yes, I said 1994
Theres an asylum in Cardiff Wales that only closed in 2016, obvs abuse wasn't happening all the way up to that point but its crazy it was still open, its abandoned now and if you google pictures of it, it is the most stereotypical film set asylum ever
I am mentally ill. There have been times, looking back in my life, where I probably should've been admitted :/
I am mentally ill, but I have never gone to a psych ward except as a visitor to see a friend.
I suggest looking into Willowbrook State School. It was an institution that housed around 5000 children with intellectual disabilities. Their treatment was awful. They were overcrowded, lived in filth, and experimented on them.
I have been sectioned and gone to a ward as a patient and also worked one. You can’t just turn up to one and get admitted you have to take your self to a and e or your health care worker has to arrange it. It is very hard for staff to turn people away when they just turn up. How ever there is waiting lists and you need to be seen by a doctor first.
In the US you can, but it also depends on the hospital and how much room they have.
As someone with trauma from inpatient stays, ❤ thank you - havent heard the episode yet but i trust you guys and your sources
i have borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder as well and have been severely depressed for a long time before i went to a psych rehab place in my country (central europe) last year. its basically a 3 months inpatient care program. the rooms were segregated by sex but other than that we were free to mingle, within certain boudaries. there were rules in place, all of them were reasoned and explained and i think they made sense. most of us didnt have much hardship abiding by them and we were encouraged to talk about it we broke them, why that happened, stuff like that. they didnt send you home unless you did something kinda "big" that broke rules, (like having a houseparty over the weekend) or you did something multiple times and didnt care much for your therapy in general. this was during covid so we werent allowed to have visitors or go home for two months while i was there but then we went home for the weekends starting springtime, thats how it usually works, youre there during the week, therapy every day, usually 1 to 3 different sessions, including one on one with your personal therapist, big group therapy and smaller groups like art/drama/movement therapy. on the weekend you go home and try what youve learned in the outside world so you dont get too used to being in there. covid kinda got in the way of that but i personally didnt mind. we had structure, tons of therapy and also about 30 people to talk to and play ping pong and board games with when we had freetime. There were around 20-25ish mental health professionals, they generally all discussed all patients so you didnt just get one therapists opinion but a whole bunch of them. that might sound weird but i think its actually really useful to get more insights. we also had a couple nurses, at least one of them and a doctor was on 24/7. if someone was feeling bad at night we were encouraged to go out and talk to them. all this is public healhtcare btw, you dont have to pay anything extra. which was super surprising for me because this country generally has awful healthcare conditions. the building itself was kinda small but had more than enough space for the 30-34 of us. it was a bit like a primary school but it was far from bleak and recently renewed. cozy, safe, friendly. it was up on a high hill, surrounded mostly by nature with some other buildings here and there. we were free to roam the premises, go on walks, although some needed to ask for permission to go further then the next building. its definitely not for everyone though. it specializes in personality disorders but also accepts people with most other conditions as well. all this worked really well for me because i was ready to accept the structure, participate in therapy and socialize with the others and didnt have episodes that they couldnt deal with. there were some others however who either didnt feel that therapy was helping them, couldnt get along well with the others or had episodes or conditions that the staff wasnt able to deal with. they either left on their own, which they were free to do if they really wanted to, were transferred to another hospital when needed or just hung out until the end of their therapy anyway. depends on the person really, but i think its a great place that helps a lot of people. it certainly helped me, i was able to work through a lot of stuff and have been at a much better place since then, its now almost a year later. i made some amazing friends too. i usually do my best to keep my days structured similarly to how ive learned there, get up, take my meds, eat sorta regularly, sleep in time and enough, stuff like that. im not currently in therapy other than getting my meds but i would like to join some sort of group once i graduated uni . i also just. talk to people before things get unbearable instead of bottling up until i cant take it anymore. so yeah, sorry this got so long but it might be interesting to hear about a facility that actually works. oh, the food kinda sucked but sometimes we got delicious stuff and it made our day lololol
Oh speaking of dissociative identity disorder it would be great if you could educate people on this condition.
We’ve done an episode on this already!
I've been admitted to a psychiatric hospital multiple times. I was there "voluntarily" (it's not actually voluntary bc they'll petition the court to have you committed if you refuse) each time. My experiences at these places have varied, but I would say it had little to no benefit beyond keeping me from killing myself. Even that is questionable. Anyone who goes there more than once eventually figures out the system. I figured out what I needed to say and do to get discharged after the 2nd or 3rd time and just started telling the doctors whatever they wanted to hear. No one is focused on getting better bc they're all trying to get out as fast as possible. Also the price is a big issue. They do make sure to get you signed up for medicaid/care if you don't have insurance, which is good, but the places I went to cost about $12,000/day. You can imagine how much that adds up to when you're in there for weeks. There was also the cost of the emergency room visit and ambulance. Even though the hospital I went to was right next to the psychiatric hospital, they still had to take me there in an ambulance. I got a $2000 ambulance bill for a 30 sec ride 😂 f u c k the US honestly
i once was in a psych ward for an eating disorder- it was the worst week of my life. First, they put me on a meal plan that was lower than what i was eating at home, causing me to lose more weight. After this, they ignored my lactose intolerance, giving me full cream milk drinks 3 times a day, and cheese twice a day, and full dairy desserts. They ignored me during panic attacks, and i was so uncomfortable and upset that my mum took me out without medical consent. there were nurses that mocked us for wanting to call our parents on the phone we could get access from (it was an adolescent ward), and i was told by one nurse that self harming was natural and ok. some wards are ok that ive heard, but my particular experience was terrible
The night sky! I felt so seen when you described your experience of watching the stars. I feel this every time I look at the moon 🌙 it's an incredible feeling, being connected to everyone who came before and everyone who will come after me. Thinking about it blows my mind in the best way.
I was hospitalized into a mental health care facility for adolecsents as a teen. I only stayed there for 3 days and it was a bit trauamtic.
Not the actual facility in itself tho, the staff was very caring, and the psyhcologist I spoke to was pretty good I think. The reason it was truamatic was becasue my family put me there after I "attempted suicide". But I faked it, I wasnt suicidal at the time. I just had enough of their neglect and abuse and wanted them to see how much pain they inflicted on me, so in the heat of the moment I gestured that I was gonna jumo out of a window.
And they made my "suicide attempt" all about them and how it made them feel. Telling me I'm "sick in the head" and basically treating my like an asylum patient. They pushed me down to my bed. They're always controlled by what they feel at any guven moment. It made feel like I was the problem, and that I was inherently "insane". When in fact my family are just toxic and unhealthy people who made me feel shit.
TW for Death
I’ve never been to a psych ward, but a few people in my family have been. Before I was born, two of my grandmothers’ siblings were taken to one, Julio and Rosario (we call her Sarito). My grandma told me that they weren’t mentally ill either, but they had been taken away anyways. My great-grandmother tried to get them back home, but it didn’t work out. While they were there, Julio passed away. The official statement was that he was sick and died, but when my family got his body back, it looked like he had been beaten and starved. Julio was 17. Sarito is still alive, she’s 86 now I think, but she hasn’t spoken since leaving there. That place closed down in 1987, and apparently over 12,000 people died there. It kind of scares me to think of all the ways that people were treated there, somewhere that should have been safe for them and a place for them to get help, and it also makes me angry. Both because no one deserves that and the way it traumatized my family.
I’m glad that psych wards are better now though, even if there’s still lots of improving to be done in some places.
Luckily never been admitted myself. My step mum's mum got sectioned for dementia though, wasn't an easy time for them but must have helped cos she's a lot better now.
Nice hair cut BTW corry
What youre talking about at 52:30 is known as revolving door syndrome and its a massive issue with schizophrenic patients! One of the largest reasons antipsychotics are so helpful is it keeps people out of psychiatric cares which is great because it lowers costs massively and opens up more spaces. However because all antipsychotics trials are done in controlled conditioned they don't account for schizophrenic people not taking their meds, either because they feel they're healthy enough to not take them, or they cant stick to a schedule. Because of that their delusions start again which can lead to paranoia which prevent them from taking their meds and the spiral begins. They then get put back into psychiatric care, they try and get them on meds to lower costs and get more people in etc etc and its a never ending loop.
My dads girlfriend works in a mental health ward and know people who are now 25-40 who have been in and out of care for months at a time since they were teens for this exact reason.
I've been to the pound before! It was not cool lol but I understood why I was there because I was in treatment for anorexia and the "refeeding process" can cause life threatening health conditions.
It was wild - we couldn't contact the outside world and they wouldn't let us outside. The psychiatric treatment they provided was quality, though. Group CBT therapy was really helpful for me.
Long term, I'm grateful (but I have done years and years of out-patient therapy, too). Kinda makes me a badass now. Like -drags on a cigarette- "yeah, I've been to rehab. I could a tell ya some stories."
Short term, I had nightmares about going back and it was generally awful. Would not go back 👎
I've been on all sides of experience with locked psych facilities. I was sectioned (in Florida they called it Baker Acted) when I was 12, I've visited close family, and I've worked as a mental health technician in both a private and a county facility. I can definitely say that the whole system is both highly unethical and entirely necessary until replaced with something better.
That said, there are so many practices, and plain abuses of power, that are both unethical and unnecessary, and need to be stopped.
corry misused the term “trauma-bonding” in this ep in a way that it is commonly misused, i used to use it this way before learning the actual definition. but it made me interested in an episode about trauma-bonding
Speaking about how governments and organisations incentivise medical students in particular, my aunt* was a NHS midwife and mentioned to me about how medicine now is shoved in the face of the acidemically excellent rather than those who actively want to help and care for other people (not mutually exclusive) with most universities requiring A*s or high Bs to even get accepted into medicinal courses. This all happening at the same time as medicinal staff are getting less and less in terms of pay, protection and even facilities- my aunt mentioned gradually watching staff rooms(?) get lower and ower in stock up until the point where people were bringing in there own teabags or milk cartons throughout the day
* some of this info might not be 100% accurate but i think i got roughly what i meant to say lol any mistakes feel free to correct me!!!
Coming back to the episode after being hospitalized 🎉 I had a really good experience,
But I also went voluntarily which helped
I was involuntarily sectioned after an unaliving attempt. I got really lucky and was sent to one that was new and full of employees who hadn't yet lost the will to live and it was definitely what i needed at that time
Afterwards i finally actually started pursuing medical transition after being out socially for a couple years prior. It kinda just made me realize that transitioning was more important to my mental health than i was willing to admit before i went. Not that i spoke to those doctors about it
When I was living with an abusive partner in Sweden she would often threaten to deliver me to one of the psychiatric emergency wards, that they have in Sweden, to be committed when the anxiety and stress of live with a gaslighting narcissist caused me to act erratically. Fun!
3 years ago I was diagnosed with PTSD and Major Depression (in partial remission now)
I have struggled with various mental illness throughout my childhood and teen years, and I was sent to a temporary psychiatric hospital for 9 days when I was 12, and about 6 days when I was 17
Keep up the great work
a Jerusalem syndrome ep would be awesome!
Honestly, I usually love this show and I didn’t feel comfortable with this episode. And yes, I did debate as to why the hell im posting this- mainly I guess because I genuinely like the podcast? I’m rooting for this show and I recommend it to so many folks. I feel like maybe at times the tone and consideration for the topic were off? Maybe it would have been useful to have a guest on from within mental health services, a history expert or someone who has previously had experience inpatient? I’m sorry to post this feedback and I also appreciate you don’t have to read this and that’s okay too. As someone who is mentally ill I just felt really othered at times and also super uneasy with the direction of the topic. I do value both of your experience with mental illness and I’m thankful how open this podcast is with this topic and many others. ❤
Yes. I have a schizophrenia spectrum disorder and I have other friends who have them, and they generally have found psych wards to be dehumanizing and violent. I have not watched the much of the episode cus I think it will pretty upsetting. My greatest fear is being institutionalized. I really don't think this is something that fits the tone of a podcast that's meant to be a bit silly and about learning science.
I've been a patient and now I'm a nurse.... the system is impressively broken
36:00 i 100% thought he was going to say they kill them
Yes I am mentally ill, but I've never been to any kind of mental institute. Several of my friends have but the majority of the time it wasn't because they did or had something that would call for extensive mental care, rather because of their parent/guardian's lack of understanding or outright rejection of people who have mental illnesses or are otherwise neurodivergent. I think that the idea of extensive care and therapy for certain people is good, but mental institutes have very rarely actually been used in a helpful way. More often than not, people are institutionalized for things that they don't need help for, issues that aren't actually there, or even for a real reason but mistreated in or traumatized by the hospital/ward they end up in. God I'm so conflicted about mental institutes
I was in a couple mental hospitals from around August 2020-September 2020. It was hardly remembered, but I believe I might have been experiencing some extreme psychosis, even if they didn't diagnose me with schizophrenia. However, I know that it does run in my family. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the time. I was also diagnosed with autism and ADHD at around age 23. I'm 29 now. I have only considered myself "part-time crazy" since I have gotten on meds, it's been a lot easier to manage my life. However, I'm not the best at financial planning and might have to move back in with my mom if I can't afford health insurance. I have a question which I'm going to ask my case manager. Since I need these medications to survive and function like a "normal" person, would it be then too much to say that I NEED medicaid in order to survive? Because I don't think I should have to pay for something that should be a given. Everyone should deserve to live.
I was in 3 different hospitals for 3 years of my life. I'm 18. It has truly traumatised me tbh. But I'm still alive ig lol
So excited for this episode! I love this podcast and you guys are amazing ♥︎
Yay I've been in and out most of my life!
Yes I am mentally ill, no I haven't been institutionalized, but my younger sibling has been due to an attempt. My sibling has improved.
Bethlam became bedlam. Thats where the term bedlam comes from. It was the bethlehem hospital thing.
I am mentally I’ll and I haven’t been to a psych ward but I seriously thought I would be there by now
I am mentally ill :)) yay! Spent 2 months in an eating disorder mental hospital
I'm mentally ill but never been sectioned. I have worked in a mental health ward as a housekeeper though!
Yes and yes.
I am mentally ill but I've never been admitted to a psych ward
No, I haven’t been admitted but I do have a friend who has been
Yes and yes many times
Yeah I was inpatient about 5 months ago, im still not doing great but what can a fella do
For the algorithm!
5:59 Interestingly enough, that is called a man trap
I’m trans, and there is actually an argument FOR gender dysphoria being classified as a mental illness, since it can help us access healthcare.
My university professors explicitly said this is the only reason why it’s still in the dsm-v. Damn insurance companies
Hey i live in jerusalem if you wanna chat
no and no :)