[InRealLife45]

This is sad.

No Flowers on the Psych Ward - The Atlantic

Unless you can cash pay for a fancy hospital, you are completely disempowered and herded like cattle.

[stopdog]

The biggest difference I have seen in psych units and prisons is that my clients in prisons actually have a firm outdate not dependent upon the whims of the mental health people running the show at the moment. The psych clients have the potential for indefinite holds.

[Lauliza]

This is very sad. But for perspective, this was written about a Massachusetts hospital for mentally ill criminals, so it is state run and part of the criminal justice system (and many of the patients/inmates here are violent criminals). A friend of mine and a professor both have worked here and both described it as, from their end as young female clinicians, pretty scary.

As a kid I was a patient in locked ward, and while it was traumatic, it wasn't as awful or degrading as this article describes -and I did NOT want to be there. But the staff was very kind and for the most part as helpful as they could be. It was not a fancy hospital at all (like McLean's hospital, which is beautiful and for the rich) though it was private. They are not pleasant places to be by any means, but this is an example of the worst that most of us would not be in. At least not where this one is located, in Massachusetts.

[InRealLife45]

I don't recall there being any flowers on any psych wards I've ever been on. But I guess you're right.

[Lauliza]

Originally Posted by InRealLife45

I don't recall there being any flowers on any psych wards I've ever been on. But I guess you're right.

Actually there probably were no flowers when I was hospitalized (it was a long time ago so I forget), but as a kid I don't remember that being something I thought about. But, we had windows with some trees outside and at least a view of the street so it wasn't as stark as this hospital sounds.

[nottrustin]

we allow flowers as long as they are not in either glass or metal vases....We believe that flowers brought in by loved ones can be very therapeutic for our patients.

[HazelGirl]

Flowers are not allowed at most hospitals because of allergies.

[stopdog]

I just spent two months being at the hospital daily with my loved one who has cancer - there are flowers all over the place - in the rooms, at the nurses station, in the lobby and in the flower shop on the ground floor. Flowers are quite common in the hospitals in my part of the US.

[InRealLife45]

On a cancer ward, sure. Or in every other part of the hospital besides mental health. It's different on psych wards. Sometimes you can't even have your own underwear.

Also I am sorry to hear your loved one is ill with cancer....I hope he/she has a full recovery.

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[stopdog]

Thanks. I was responding to the idea that hospitals in general don't have flowers because of allergies, not the psych ward specifically. The psych wards I visit to see my clients vary greatly in ambiance. None are great, but not all are as stark as the one in the article.
Frankly the cruelest thing I think some of them do is not let people smoke. They poison people with their meds (my long term psych clients often have permanent awful side effects from the drugs) and so forth and admit they can't cure most of them, but a cigarette is going to be bad for the client's health.

[sunrise]

I used to work in a psych hospital. When visitors brought flowers we displayed them behind a glass window in the nursing station so patients could at least see them. The flowers were not allowed in rooms because the glass vases could be used as weapons. The flower water might be ingested to try to kill oneself. The flowers and leaves might be ingested to try to kill oneself. If the flowers had thorns or stiff stems these might be used to cut oneself or other patients. We did have big windows in each room that looked out on natural areas. Each day, patients got 2-3 times outside supervised in the fenced natural areas. They could go barefoot in the grass if they wanted. It wasn't much, but I think the fresh air helped mood. If visitors wanted to bring gifts, we would encourage books, cards, letters, or stuffed animals (without ribbons around their necks).

[growlycat]

I haven't read the article yet, but as Lauliza says, if it's Bridgewater State--this is a very unusual psych ward because it is for those who would otherwise be in prison. So it paints a bleaker picture than most wards.

Although, having been inpatient ages ago, most wards are bleak too, just not in the crazy way Bridgewater State is. (Never been inside, just heard about it lots while living in MA)

[Achy Turtle Armor]

I've been in a few different ones. They varied but overall it was no "One Flew Over the Cookoo's Nest." I got to keep all my clothes unless they had drawstrings. Obviously the same for shoelaces. It only took me one time without them to remember to bring slip-on shoes.

I was IP once during Easter. One of the bipolar patients bought us all Easter baskets but they kept them in the nurses station but we could see the flowers. We got to keep the stuffed animal.

[precaryous]

When I was inpatient back in the mid eighties, my husband brought me a beautiful bunch of cheerful balloons. I was able to keep them for one day....but discovered they weren't allowed, either.

[Hellion]

Originally Posted by sunrise

I used to work in a psych hospital. When visitors brought flowers we displayed them behind a glass window in the nursing station so patients could at least see them. The flowers were not allowed in rooms because the glass vases could be used as weapons. The flower water might be ingested to try to kill oneself. The flowers and leaves might be ingested to try to kill oneself. If the flowers had thorns or stiff stems these might be used to cut oneself or other patients. We did have big windows in each room that looked out on natural areas. Each day, patients got 2-3 times outside supervised in the fenced natural areas. They could go barefoot in the grass if they wanted. It wasn't much, but I think the fresh air helped mood. If visitors wanted to bring gifts, we would encourage books, cards, letters, or stuffed animals (without ribbons around their necks).

How would one kill them self with flower water, or by eating the flowers?...I have yet to see a vase of flowers including ones that will kill you if you eat them. I can see the vase being an issue and potentially thorns though not sure how much damage you can actually do with a thorn.

[Lauliza]

Originally Posted by growlycat

I haven't read the article yet, but as Lauliza says, if it's Bridgewater State--this is a very unusual psych ward because it is for those who would otherwise be in prison. So it paints a bleaker picture than most wards.

Although, having been inpatient ages ago, most wards are bleak too, just not in the crazy way Bridgewater State is. (Never been inside, just heard about it lots while living in MA)

Exactly - I am assuming this was about Bridgewater State since it's the only state run Psych hospital other than the VA. Its called a hospital for the "criminally insane", so it's probably one of the worst places you'd be as a patient and certainly not the place I'd want to do an internship or residency. Regular psych wards are bleak but like you said, nothing like this place, which in parts is basically one step up from prison.

[Hellion]

Originally Posted by Lauliza

Exactly - I am assuming this was about Bridgewater State since it's the only state run Psych hospital other than the VA. Its called a hospital for the "criminally insane", so it's probably one of the worst places you'd be as a patient and certainly not the place I'd want to do an internship or residency. Regular psych wards are bleak but like you said, nothing like this place, which in parts is basically one step up from prison.

They should eliminate there being a 'worst place' to go as a patient...if someone is getting treatment the goal should be to improve their condition right? How the hell are they going to do that in a facility described as being a step up from a prison?

'Oh only people with mental problems who have committed crimes go there' well they still should be getting proper treatment a facility one step above a prison does not seem like a good way to do that.

[growlycat]

Originally Posted by Hellion

They should eliminate there being a 'worst place' to go as a patient...if someone is getting treatment the goal should be to improve their condition right? How the hell are they going to do that in a facility described as being a step up from a prison?

'Oh only people with mental problems who have committed crimes go there' well they still should be getting proper treatment a facility one step above a prison does not seem like a good way to do that.

From what I understand of Bridgewater State, the patients are usually if not always those who have actually been arrested but not mentally fit to stand trial or sentenced but too ill to be in the regular prison population.

The goal there is to get people "well" enough to stand trial. It is a sad situation as our jails have become places to warehouse addicts and the mentally ill. At least MA acknowledges the mentally ill suspects/criminals by providing this facility.

But if it were me, I think I would prefer actual prison. Prisoners have more rights than the forcibly hospitalized.

[growlycat]

PS I'm not endorsing the concept of a Bridgewater state. I've heard it is a house of horrors.

[glitterrosez89]

I hate when I say I take precautions to avoid hospitalization, and people respond all, "Oh how can you expect to get better if you don't tell your doctor EVERYTHING?" or "If you really wanted to get better, you would have no problem spending time in a hospital."

Psych wards, while they vary considerably, are not typically fuzzy, supportive places. They're just holding grounds to keep people deemed mentally ill away from society. The patients are treated like criminals when many of them are simply depressed people who need someone to talk to. You don't want to take a psychiatric drug cocktail? Too bad, they'll force you. You want to talk to a family member? Too bad, no cell phone for you. You don't want every body cavity searched without your consent? Deal with it, your body is not your own anymore.

I am very careful about what I say and to whom because I know how fragile I am. I don't think I could survive being treated that way.

[growlithing]

Originally Posted by Lauliza

This is very sad. But for perspective, this was written about a Massachusetts hospital for mentally ill criminals, so it is state run and part of the criminal justice system (and many of the patients/inmates here are violent criminals). A friend of mine and a professor both have worked here and both described it as, from their end as young female clinicians, pretty scary.

As a kid I was a patient in locked ward, and while it was traumatic, it wasn't as awful or degrading as this article describes -and I did NOT want to be there. But the staff was very kind and for the most part as helpful as they could be. It was not a fancy hospital at all (like McLean's hospital, which is beautiful and for the rich) though it was private. They are not pleasant places to be by any means, but this is an example of the worst that most of us would not be in. At least not where this one is located, in Massachusetts.

I was in a locked ward in Boston last year that wasn't a private hospital. It was basically exactly how this was described. I was in there for three weeks. The only exception is that after I pestered for about two weeks, my psychiatrist decided that completely not allowing me to practice was greatly worsening my anxiety and they worked it out that my friends could bring my instruments, they locked them up and with special permission, I could play a little bit with a mute in. That was great. I calmed down so much when I didn't have to worry about the negative progress I was making.

My roommate was forced to take her meds against her will. They held her down and gave her a shot in her butt. I think she set it up that way or something legal happened where she gave some sort of consent in some capacity while in there. But still, if she wouldn't take it orally, they would physically restrain her and give her a shot. And she wasn't the only one they did that to. She was in there for bipolar disorder. She had been there for almost 2 months when I left and she still didn't know when she was going to leave the morning I left. She was talking about the day after. I don't know what happened with that.

Even still, I still remember how bright the sun was when I got out and how weird the world looked. The leaves had changed colors and there were so many things to look at. I couldn't even have crayons except from 12-1 on art days. I couldn't even listen to music at all until my roommate eventually stole the radio from art class. We somehow got away with playing it even with the checks every 15 mins. But all we had was an awful hospital bed, a composition notebook, and a pen. You could read, but there was only one group a day and it was always bad so that leaves the rest of the day empty. People would finish their books in a few hours and then be screwed. You couldn't sleep all day because then the doctors would think you are even more depressed and need to stay longer. Everyone just counted the hours until we could take a PRN and forget how bored we were. The boredom was so mind numbing. It was actual torture. It was the longest three weeks of my life and I never knew if I was leaving for sure or not until the last day. But to be honest, I did somehow make some improvement and they did discharge me to the right place.

[kisstress]

Where is went there were no flower you couldn't really see out the windows it sucked.

Originally Posted by Lauliza

Exactly - I am assuming this was about Bridgewater State since it's the only state run Psych hospital other than the VA. Its called a hospital for the "criminally insane", so it's probably one of the worst places you'd be as a patient and certainly not the place I'd want to do an internship or residency. Regular psych wards are bleak but like you said, nothing like this place, which in parts is basically one step up from prison.

Hi Lauliza
There is another State hospital in Massachusetts. Bridgewater is more for criminal offenses than straight psych. The other hospital is Tewkesbury. (or is that the VA?)
BTW, McLeans isn't for the rich. Unless you go to the Pavillion, thet accept Medicare/Medicaid. It is private as is Westwood Lodge, but they have all changed for the worse.
I was always allowed flowers in any psych hospital including Danvers State (when it was still open)

After reading the article, I remembered, years ago when I was in a psych unit in Mass. I asked my doctor if I could have a fish. He was enthusiastic about it. The next day my husband brought me a small Beta fish that I kept in my room. I fed and cared for it and it made me feel "necessary".

[Hellion]

Originally Posted by glitterrosez89

I hate when I say I take precautions to avoid hospitalization, and people respond all, "Oh how can you expect to get better if you don't tell your doctor EVERYTHING?" or "If you really wanted to get better, you would have no problem spending time in a hospital."

Psych wards, while they vary considerably, are not typically fuzzy, supportive places. They're just holding grounds to keep people deemed mentally ill away from society. The patients are treated like criminals when many of them are simply depressed people who need someone to talk to. You don't want to take a psychiatric drug cocktail? Too bad, they'll force you. You want to talk to a family member? Too bad, no cell phone for you. You don't want every body cavity searched without your consent? Deal with it, your body is not your own anymore.

I am very careful about what I say and to whom because I know how fragile I am. I don't think I could survive being treated that way.

I've been in two different psych wards and did not receive that sort of treatment...so while it does happen and is a concern since I am not so sure the last time I was in one will be the last time...and thus the chance of ending up in one with abuses going on is still there....

I am sure I could certainly 'survive' that but pretty sure it would just add to issues I already have.