RE: My Trip to The Infamous Forest Haven Asylum
What an amazing post! I am almost lost for words when I think of what happened over the years in this establishment. It is like reading a horror story and sadly one which is repeated elsewhere.
In the post communist countries they had their own horror stories and this has been well publicised here in the U.K. and help has been given. Unfortunately there are some institutions still in operation, and by what I've seen still as crowded and lacking in care as previosuly reported.
In the U.K there have been tentative steps to alleviate this problem, the larger institutions were shut down and it emerged later that a lot of abuse went on by people who not only knew better, but were public figures!
the current plan is to house the mentally disabled in smaller homes with caretakers, encouraging those who live there to live normal lives.
Mental illness has so many forms and who can really say what 'normal' is? I hate the idea of institutions and locking people away, but such is the way most societies deal with this. The most severe cases where behaviour is extreme and hard to manage, I can understand need extra care, When I lived in Athens I had a lovely ex sister-in-law who had Schitzophrenia and it was hard to be close to her when she got really bad. Sadly she died at the age of 53. I was lucky enough to never having to witness her extreme days, with me she was a loving and sweet as she always was.
Unless we train more people to tend to those whose abilities are less than our own, then institutions will survive as an expedient way of dealing with it. What we should be doing, is making sure that in schools, colleges and universities, caring for others should be encouraged, rather than the 'hard nosed' attitudes of today. Social Media hasn't helped. There are a lot of caring children and teenagers out there but unless they are exposed to what goes on, and taught how to deal with it, how can they judge?
That's why I'm not on social media except Steemit and that's because it's a community and communities are supposed to share. Well done for this wonderful post, sad for sure, but enlightening. It's especially enlightening to see someone write as you have done. I applaud this.
Thanks for the comment. I've read some stories about UK asylums as well. What really disturbs me is when those could function relatively normally in society (I.e. dyslexic) being sent away and GETTING WORSE. There's just a ton of stories about people who actually got worse in these facilities. Ugh. Just horrible. I agree small group homes with 1:1 caregivers is the best idea
Dear chelsea88 and your sister traveller ohmenlightened, thanks for getting back. My husband (American born and quite the savant) I used to think was dyslexic as he thought so literally. Some time ago he told me he'd watched a documentary on Aspbergers syndrome and he recognised things in himself. It was like a light coming on. Oh, so that's it. That's why he was such a marvellous photographer/printmaker and still does some awsome cooking. Poor dear has so much to put up with health wise that he needs to know that he is understood. It has sometimes been frustrating for us both, but now we are comfortable in the knowledge. It could have been something I couldn't deal with and I've dealt with a lot. It seems strange that someone like me was called upon on three respective occasions to nurse those dear to me from cancer, including my mother. I would never in my earlier years considered myself for that role. It was both a priviledge and a special time, despite losing those lovely people. So there you have it. I am sympathetic to anyone with any mental issues whatever they are. The world is still not up to the task. I try to write when I can where it counts. Carry on caring about old buildings and their history and carry on remembering those less fortunate mentally. ASlso keep thinking happy thoughts!
Right on @jvalentine
I'm sorry for your losses by the way ❤
I'm a big mental health proponent and although many things have improved in this" industry", still many more things that need to be done. Still so much lack of understanding.
Yep, there were probably many aspbergers patients here just because they were a little socially awkward. I had a physics professor in college who had it and was a freaking genius.
How easily things could've turned out negatively for him.
Thank you chelsea88 for your response. We deal with losses but retain the lovely memories, especially the ones where we laughed a lot. Funnily enough although my husband is thought of as slightly eccentric, or opinionated, he is socially adept as most of my family and friends love him! So there you go. Understanding is the key. By the way I was so emersed in the photos I forgot to look at the graphics of any kind. Now looked and through the smut there is some bright sparks. Stay well.