NOTE: this is not the experience of ALL psych ward patients. many have found them pleasant and extremely beneficial. please watch the full video before jumping to any conclusions. come back next week for *I spent a day with DOMINATRIXES* ≡ ▸ open.spotify.com/show/5aOLuPenneHbhLh05fmkeu  ▸ podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/i-spent-a-day-with/id1550213250

Imagine an SA victim becomes suicidal and goes to a mental hospital, just to be held down by multiple men after being stripped naked. You should never be stripped naked, that is a complete violation.

The scary part about some mental hospitals isn’t even the patients, it’s the staff

Her poem and the way she read it was exactly like how I experienced my psych ward admissions.

Anita: she/her Laura: she/they David: David

That woman deserves multiple awards for that poem

“Because sometimes existing is exhausting” - Anthony Padillia 2021

People who strip SA victims down and strap them down like that deserve the death penalty like how does that help someone? You’re putting them through the same trauma they’re being admitted for, don’t take clothes off people! Like wtf

I work in a hospital with a ward but we call it behavioral health. It’s scary because the staff has a rule to not trust the patient and I’ve talked to some of them, and one of them cried because she said she just wanted to go home. She said she was she came in for PPD but she felt fine after realizing she missed her hubby and new family. But no one will listen to her😔

I went voluntarily to a mental hospital because I was extremely depressed. I was raped by an orderly. I was suddenly described as autistic according to my medical records because I started avoiding eye contact with the male staff. In my medical records, the autism was supported by the fact that I had asked a doctor for a hearing test 10 years earlier and they now decided what I really meant is that I don't understand people, and also that I'm an engineer and enjoy sci-fi as a female which is apparently an autism symptom? They changed my stay to involuntary to observe me for this "autism" but did not inform me of the reason (I only found out from my medical records later). Then they also suddenly determined me to have "paranoia" because I didn't want to take their anti-depressants and "calming" medications anymore and because I put my arms across my chest to prevent a male doctor from putting his hand down my shirt to check my heart. A week later I saw the head doctor. All he wanted to talk about was whether I would go to the police. I assured him that I wouldn't, and I was immediately released. He wrote in my medical record that I had suffered a breakdown after being dumped, which was a complete fabrication. Two separate nurses told me they had heard from several patients that they had "slept with" staff (like we have a choice when we're trapped in a room with staff who can do whatever they want with us). These two nurses seemed to find this mildly concerning, but they mostly seemed to accept it as just what happens in psychiatric hospitals. I want to ask the world to stop giving mental health professionals the power to lock people up, rape them, and then use psychiatric diagnoses to cover it up.

That poem was accurate. I lost my sister after she had a long battle with mental health. I truly think the hospitals she was in made her worse. A different one every time.

our mental health system is fucked and needs to be fixed. these people need help and to be heard not terrified and antagonized.

Psych wards can turn people who are normal into crazy people because of how much the doctors gas light you into thinking youre ill. The first girl's poem described it so accurate.

*the poem was SOOO powerful. It should be in a movie or sth.*

Anita's poem was extremely powerful. She's very talented!

Her poem really summed up my stay as well. If someone mentioned wanting to die they would immediately send you to the isolation room. Which was your mattress (that they dragged from your room) and one thin blanket on the floor. They didn’t even treat us like human beings, I felt like a dog being trained to be good.

Anita's poem made me tear up and gave me chills. I felt that. So wonderfully written. You're not alone. I've been in many psychiatric hospitals. I was 12 the first time I was placed in one for being defiant. During restraining a 7 year old, they murdered that child. I saw it. I heard him scream, cry, and moan until the silence. Then all the staff freaking out. I was placed in so many psych wards as a pre-teen and teenager. I've been in 3 times for suicide attempts as an adult. There's no shame in getting help. I do believe many people experience more harm in many institutions. We see you and you matter.

As someone who's been in a psych ward for kids and teenagers being restrained at 10 years old is the most terrifying experience I've ever had. Being pinned down by several adult men and even though I'm screaming for someone to help me because I don't know what's going on no one gives it a second thought. I didnt even know what the meds I was being given were and to this day I've never been told. I'm 15 now and I've been admitted a total of 7 times, all against my will because they never helped me, they traumatized me. Thankyou Anthony for handling such a sensitive topic so well, you're amazing Edit: I'm doing far better than I have been. Thankyou for all your words of support kind internet people. I still deal with the memory of what happened there but I'm beginning to recover

her poem was SO POWERFUL. literally i just got the strongest chills

I ended up being severely traumatized from a mental hospital. The place that was supposed to help me ending up scarring me for life. To this day it makes it hard for me to ask for help out of fear they’ll send me back.

When I was 13 I was put into a psych ward hospital, it was very traumatizing for me. I still get uneasy about a simple trip to the hospital. I remember screaming and crying to my mother for her to help me, only to see her look down on me in shame. I remember the loneliness I felt and how cold my bed was when I went to sleep. I remember sobbing and sobbing, begging to go home. I remember how uneasy I felt around the nurses, I remember them shoving pills in my face. I remember faking how I felt so I could leave early. I remember how much I hurt from it. Her poem hit so close to home. But after I left, my mother treated me like I’m crazy. My whole world crumbled into pieces after I left, the psych ward did not help me, it made me feel worse.

Her poem is deep as hell and her emotions she put into it. On how a psych ward is actually build to make you crazy then help you

It is so crazy to me that what would be considered sexual assault in every other setting is okay at institutions like this??? (talking about the stripping)

I was in the psych ward when I was 15. I was SAed and harassed by nurses. The system needs improvement,

The strip search was the hardest part for me. I just remember crying and being forced into a corner trying to cover myself with my hands. In a room with no doors. All the other patients could see. I laid on my plastic mattress for the whole first day just crying. This was only a year ago. It's still really fresh in my mind. Next time I wont let anyone know.

that poem was INCREDIBLE. the delivery, the pacing, the rawness, wow.

jesus that poem gave me goosebumps. she's incredible

I was in a psych ward recently. It’s an oxymoron. You go there to prevent yourself from ending your life, But end up wanting to end your life even more the longer youre there.

I am absolutely shocked by some of these stories, and I’ve been admitted to these places multiple times it was horrifying and traumatizing, but not to this extent. In the facilities I got better it was in the emergency room where I was really traumatized and treated like an animal.

I really appreciate how accepting Anthony is with everyone and he doesn't make them uncomfortable

The poem is scary accurate. Everyone was given diazapam to keep us emotionless and I barely saw the doctor.

"We didnt cause your social anxiety. We only heightened what was already there." I havent been in a mental institution myself, but i need to say, this line is making me cry. i dont know, this hits a really big cord with me; maybe i had past trauma or im feeling for everyone who had to go through this. thank you

I’ve been put in a psych ward twice when I was younger. Once when I was 10, and another time when I was 12. I was not happy there. There’s a lot of trauma I accumulated from my time there. The intake process was terrifying. Asking me for details about the abuse I endured as a kid was horrible. Then the whole strip search was even worse. They checked every inch of my body and screamed at me when I tried to cover myself up. It was horrifying. It’s scary being there. It’s a lot like prison. It’s not a place for children especially children like me who were just misunderstood and depressed. Edit: I feel so bad for everybody who has a bad experience in a psych ward. Just know you’re not alone

Wow...the bit in Anita's poem about 'this is one of the GOOD psych wards' really hit home. I was in one summer 2020 (voluntary. I bailed after 4 hours; even getting out as a voluntary patient is difficult, slow, & dependant on having a safe home/people to live with. It's very Cuckoo's Nest - I could've gone in voluntary and never made it out...), & while the place was AWFUL, no psychiatric care provided at all, women screaming and sobbing all over the place (usually it was patients tending to other distressed patients, not the staff!), there was this one beautiful young-ish girl there (most women were in their 40s) who came up and said to me, 'You'll be ok here, it's one of the good ones'. She was very clear and coherent, but you could see in her eyes that she was either over-medicated or somewhat dissociated, & I just thought...shit, what are the other wards round here like?! What've you been through? But I just wanted to get out - I didn't chat with her. I would love now to have heard her stories... Overall it left me with a terror of ever, ever being in a crisis state again, because I know I can't hack those places - if I stayed I would've been driven legitimately crazy and never gotten out, I truly believe that. Huge sympathies to these people & all other psych ward survivors...

* Lauren’s camera quality is better than my eyes*

so anyone wondering, ECT is when shocks are administered to your brain as an attempt to help you, but it has a small chance of wiping out large chucks of memory and you can even forget who people are like your friends or parents.

I spent 6 weeks at a psych ward when I was 13 or 14, and the only saving grace was the fact that I was in a children’s ward where I met some incredible people who were also suffering. But I will forever be haunted by some of those past experiences

I’m a psychiatric nurse and the way these people were treated breaks my heart. I’m in Australia so it might be different in my hospital but I hope that I never make anyone feel this way

I was admitted to a psych ward by force over a panic attack in a therapy session. It was only made worse when the police threatened to arrest me if I fought back. I was 16, off my medication at the moment, sleep deprived, and genuinely terrified. I witnessed horrible things in the ward. I made a friend, just to watch her get into physical fights with the nurses because they didn’t properly help her with her feelings. She was told to “stop it” and “behave, or we’ll give you the shot”. She always got the shot. I had another friend, who was sexually assaulted when they put a young man in our group. They blamed her, and moved him to the guy’s group.

My dad actually studied to be a psychiatric nurse, he said once he saw how bad the conditions were he quit and became a teacher trainer for developing counties. Hes been to Kazakhstan, spent 4 months in Bangladesh extra

That poem was incredible, such raw emotion in her voice, deserves an Oscar 🏆

It's REALLY scary. You can have all the "normal" responses of a person, but once they label you as "crazy", all your actions become a motif. It's insane. It's like there is always a closed path for all the possible solutions you can think of.

I love how respectful he is no matter the guest and no matter the topic

I could recite her poem when i was in a psych ward myself, translated it into german and the other patients used it to get a voice for themselves. It was a psych ward for kids in the age range from 10 to 17 and it was exactky the same as the movies. I was in there for over three months, there were others that were there for 4 years and they all became dull, i had friends that were there too. And they all came back changed, we talked about all of that, no one got therapy, most of the things they did back then became worse. The hospital kitchen gave us all tape worms but nothing happened, if they didn't wanted to deal with you, they used that to throw you out with the explanation "we dont have any solidary rooms." I was in a room with six other people that just came in that week while i was in "quarantine" for two weeks bc of the tape worms. Nurses made fun about us. One had bulemia in my room, so the bathroom was locked at all times. There was a guest bathroom down the hall but we werent alloed to use it, so they let me sit there for two weeks without a bathroom or a shower. I cant be with more than one person, if its more i often pass out bc of the panic, can't go with much noises, cant be too bright.. never had a minute for myself in those three and a half months. Tbh all of the stuff that i had before coming there just got worse, plus they got me more problems. I was there for so long and multiple times, but they never diagnosed me with anything. But a therapist that a youtuber put me through diagnosed me with several things in just six weeks of talking on the phone. So psych wards, mental hospitals.. they dont want to help you, they dont want to give you a diagnosis, they dont want to give you things to make it easier for you. They just dont give a damn.

Reading all the comments and watching the video, i just want to say to all the victims who've been admitted and traumatized: I'm so sorry. I cry reading and/or hearing about your stories. You should have never been treated as cruely as you were. I hope you will at least somewhat recover, if you can't ever fully do that. I just want you to know you are loved. You are important and don't let them treat you bad.

I wanted to be a psychiatric doctor for a long time. But after meeting my late step mom, I realized how much I didn’t want to. She was a paranoid schizophrenic, she was the most gorgeous woman on the planet. She would never hurt anyone. Before I met her, she had already gone to a psychiatric hospital and absolutely never wanted to go back. After she started getting really bad, talking about people in the walls, talking about “eyes” following her, getting paranoid that the cops were following her, we realized she was not longer taking her meds. After we talked to her about the medication, she got extremely paranoid about being sent back to the ward. It didn’t help that her daughters were threatening to send her back. She took matters into her own hands and took her life. I will never stop thinking about the fact that she would rather die than go back.

That poem was fantastic. You can hear the pain and power in her voice. She’s amazing.

Watching this in the psych ward currently. I’m grateful my experience isn’t like this. Although someone in the room next to me is currently screaming

That woman’s poem was AMAZING! If anyone who was in this video or anyone who has been admitted into a Psychiatric Hospital in their life is reading this, I can’t even begin to describe how STRONG and BRAVE you are. You deserve so much love and support for what you have gone through! Thank you Anthony for making videos like this, it’s great to see people talking about their struggles in front of millions of people to spread awareness and help others feel more accepted ❤

Her poem was incrediable also you can tell how strongly she feels about this in her voice

Hey Anthony, maybe you could do “I spent a day with Deaf and Hard of Hearing people”, so they could tell us about what it’s like to be a deaf person, and talk about the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community.

I've heard the poem before, it always gives me chills. I've been in 3 different psych units 7 times. this is excruciatingly accurate. especially the weekends not counting as days spent in the hospital.

The poem was ON POINT. Honeestly i felt less safe in psych wards. Went in for ptsd and suicidal ideation... Some dude tried to kill me. Ended up having the worst panic attack of my life and screaming and kicking at people. Staff needs to be a lot better. There are some amazing staff but so many who let so many bad things happen to mentally vulnerable people.

Honestly, it's so heartbreaking and scary to hear these stories of these survivors- there really needs to be a reevaluation of patient advocacy, and understanding of mental health- the biggest thing that all these stories had was a lack of sympathy from the staff which in turn can make some mental illnesses worst as my anxiety rised just hearing about it so I couldn't imagine dealing with it first hand was like. There is not enough thanks I can give to the guests on today's episode for being so courageous and brave to talk about their experiences while also keeping an open mind that not everyone endured the same treatment they did

"Reach your full potential as a patient" I... no. that gave me chills

These psych ward stories that I've heard everywhere sound like the most torturous and unpleasant experience someone can have. It makes me really want to avoid taking therapy or talking out about the things that are inside of my brain. If I wasn't already scared enough because of anxiety, just the thought of being trapped in a jail type of setting really tilts that tower over the last bit.

I had a pleasant experience and they had a bunch of therapy classes, some patients were worse then others so they had to make it safe for the other patients that weren't so hostile. They only put the active suicidal/homicidal people in padded rooms and if they freak out they get a much needed sedative. It saved my life!

Anita: She/ Her Lauren: She/They David: No gender, only David Edit: the chaos that this caused, 😭

That Poem had me SPEECHLESS. Her delivery hit me like a boulder. Jesus.

When I was locked in a psychward I remember thinking how lucky I was that I wasn't actually experiencing any mental distress, because you have to be extremely mentally strong to endure the psychological torture they put you through. I can't imagine going through that and being extremely mentally distressed at the same time. Just awful.

Omgoodness, the poem! 100%… the chills I got hearing it 💔 the accuracy is disturbing

Her poem literally embodies everything I’ve ever wanted to say ! When she was done, I felt relief

as a psych ward survivor myself, i can’t wait to watch. never considered myself a ‘survivor’ though

I’ve never cried so hard after hearing a poem holy shit it’s like she was there with me when I was wrongfully admitted against my will What I really don’t understand is why our society is pushing mental health awareness and telling people to reach out for help but then when you do you are treated like a literal criminal

4:40 I have about 10 types of anxiety, and are close to being put in a ward, this poem is giving me serious chills. Good job!

As someone who’s been admitted to a pysch ward, I’m so shocked about these experiences! Maybe every ward is different but for me staying there, I felt the best I had in a long time and I was connected with a free professional support team post discharge. I live in Australia btw. It’s horrible that these people were treated like that. I feel like I would leave even more traumatised 😥

my psych ward that i went to was amazing. i just got discharged yesterday, and i finally feel somewhat mentally stable for the first time since 7th grade. it felt like a huge weight that i was holding on my shoulders for multiple years was just lifted

I was put in a psych ward due to a psychotic episode, not only was my episode an emergency but staff were horrible. I was forced to sign saying I'm responsible for billing- they legally can't do that if you're no stable enough to even pay for your treatment. Some staff would intentionally scare me. I don't know what they saw me as, or the patients. Fr. They only worsened my issues at the time.

that poem was beautiful. i got chills.

Anita's poem, specifically the verse surrounding "we didn't cause your social anxiety. We only heightened what was already there," reminds me a lot of the Wraith episode from Supernatural, which ironically happened in a psych ward. Except the wraith didn't feed on social anxiety, it fed on fear and made you go crazy

Being at a psych ward was probably one of the most traumatic things I’ve experienced because of the staff but the patients the patients really helped

wow, david has sure been through alot, my heart goes out to him, and the other guests on this wonderful and insightful episode. I really hope David has a happy and peaceful future and is showed love and kindness by the people around him, i hope this for every guest. I have been sectioned { put into a pshyc ward } in the u.k and it was a unpleasent experiance, extremely lonely and iscolating, i am getting better now and i hope anyone dealing with depression or any other mental health gets the help they need to find their peace and remembers, nothing last forever, things do and will get better, but you have to put some of the work in too, meditation helps alot.

I just subscribed. The way this guy does this is so heart warming. Actually listening to people giving them an voice for other to hear. I wish more people gave others an voice just like Anthony. Best wishes from Scotland.

I was put in a psych ward when I was 13 which was 2 years ago. They still do all these things even to the kids. I left 10x more suicidal than I was before. We got asked the same questions over and over. One of the doctors full on body shamed me when I said I was insecure. There was barely any therapy at all instead me and the other patients relied on each other for ranting and opening up. They were extremely transphobic- they told all the trans people it was just a phase and they would force them to go to the day room of the gender they were born as (there was a male and female day room). If you harmed yourself even if it was an obvious accident they would put you on 24/7 watch. They would watch you sleep, use the bathroom, and even watch you shower. If you refused to take your meds or refused to behave they would give you booty juice (yes ik the name is weird). It was mentioned in this video. It made you woozy and then they would force the pill down your throat while you were in the woozy state or passed out.

Anita: she/her Lauren: she/them David.

That poem and the delivery of it was just amazing absolutely on point

I was in a psych ward when I was about 10 years old for a su1c1d3 attempt, and I am very grateful for how nice and caring the staff were. I live in Iowa, and the hospitals and clinics here are some of the best in the USA, but I have complete sympathy for those who aren't able to get the help they truly need, and instead are faced by people who look down on them and treat them as monsters.

I was admitted to a psych ward when I was 13 for severe depression and anxiety, and that poem hit hard. I was woken up before sunrise every morning by a doctor sitting beside my bed, shining a light in my face, and questioning me over and over on how I felt and if I still wanted to kill myself. My windows were locked and sealed yet the door to my room was a curtain that other patients I didn't even know regularly wandered through to talk to me. They took away the sentimental rounded, dull necklace I wore as a reminder to be strong "in case I tried to cut my wrists with it", yet left posters in my room hung by tacs and nails, and gave me papers with sharp metal clips on them. I asked for my necklace over and over which only earned me punishments, such as being placed in a room where one of the walls was completely glass for them to watch through. They withheld shampoo, toothbrushes, soap, and denied me basic hygiene rights. I had my period and bled in my underwear, yet I was offered no new undergarments or nor tampons/pads for my entire stay. The pajamas they gave me to wear had dried blood all down the legs and arms before I even put them on, like they were stained or unwashed from the previous patient. I was told if I didn't get better fast enough, I would be flown to a different city and put in an asylum. They cut me off from my best friend and family, put me in solitary confinement with nothing but a pen and notepad, and told me to "work it out" by myself.

David seems like such a fun and interesting person to talk to! And Anita's poem was just so impressive.

That poem was phenomenal 👏🏾 I definitely wanted to hear more about her experience.

This video finally made me feel heard and valued as a survivor thank you💕 I was emitted by force when I was 12 for an attempt and I spent 3 years in the Psych ward till I was 16 I went through so much terrible trauma I went through everything described in this video and I am so appreciative of people speaking up about this and sharing there story’s💖 currently I’m 17 and doing alright but everything this video said was true and it was even worse being a minor I will never truly recover but it honestly makes me hopeful for my future seeing other survivors doing well and feeling recovered, I hope one day to share my story💖

I was first placed in a children's psyche ward in Pembroke, MA in the 80's when I was 11. I was actually suicidal, but placing a child in a locked ward, putting them in restraints and medicating them to the point where they can barely stay awake is not help. I too only saw my doctor once a week, and I spent the rest trying to stay awake and participate in the schedule they made us go through every day- which had little to do with actual help. Sleeping in the outfield did nothing for me except give me a sunburn- especially with the medication they had me on: Thorazine and Stelazine. It took months to wean off that shit when I got out after the weeklong stay that turned into months. Being in a psyche ward taught me that there are things I can't say to certain authority figures.

Anthony: "use the closed captions" *turns on closed captions and they are auto generated* come on...

Nice to see Lauren on here, she's a wonderfully genuine person, always has been ❤

ive been to a handful of wards (all but once involuntary) and how some of these stories parallel my own experiences terrify me. especially with how the hotline failure (i tried so many hotlines growing up to no avail the condescending attitude and just lack of sensitivity is so strong within some of those people lol) so much lack of compassion exists when it comes to these facilities. my last stay (was voluntary 72hr hold that turned to a week and a half of forced stay lol) was somehow one of the worsts because the second i signed the forms my ideation filled delusion crumbled and i realized how much of a mistake it was to be there. i denied medications and i was told the quickest way to leave was to be cooperative. it shouldnt have to be a backhanded do as we say environment. they want you there as much as you dont want to and they always make it known. theyd rather sedated zombies than to help in most cases lol.

Anita's story was spot on. I struggle with PTSD, anxiety, and severe depression. I have been involuntarily hospitalized twice. The first time I was feeling suicidal and reached out for help. I was placed under a 72hr hold against my will receiving ZERO mental health care & was ignored by staff. I attempted to explain my situation to several nurses & techs and that I was just seeking outpatient care for suicidal thoughts and was being held against my will. Every single one of them either flat out ignored me or just told me the doctor would be there to see me in 3 days. They even took away my phone privilege's (which all patients are supposed to have) and wouldn't let me call my mom. It was the only time I've ever pulled a "karen" and demanded they let me talk to my mom under the threat of suing. ... But yeah, legal kidnapping is what this is. The 2nd time I was hospitalized was an actual attempt to take my own life. This time the staff were a lot nicer, however, I still received ZERO mental health care. There's also nothing to do in the psych ward aside from laying in bed, coloring, or joining group "therapy" sessions which mostly consisted of playing board games with the other patients and not actually receiving any therapy. Also, one of the nurses did threaten that if I didn't attend the group sessions that they would keep me there longer. To get out you really do have to act the right kind of way & be the right amount of social despite how you may be feeling. (I also have severe social anxiety so the group sessions were a nightmare especially when all of the attention was on me). And once they decide you are going to be admitted you can forget seeing any friends/ family/ any emotional & mental support you may have in your life for at least a few days if not weeks. Aside from phone calls to my emergency contact (my mom) I was not allowed to contact anyone. They strip you of all your electronics & personal items (including shoes). I also wore the same outfit for 3 days because I had no one available to bring me a change of clothes. If you have responsibilities (school, work, children, pets) to take care of.. they will not contact anyone to let them know you are hospitalized. If you don't have anyone in your life that can take care of these things for you then you just have to pray that your prof will let you retake that exam, that you won't be fired for missing work without notice, that your children won't be taken away from you, or that Fluffy won't die of starvation. Our system here in the U.S. is truly awful & mental health continues to be ignored and mishandled. P.S. This psych ward was one of the good ones

i hope one day, schools possibly would be able to use these interviews as a way to make people aware and have little quizzes at the end. i would pay attention a lot more.

The poem was amazing. As someone who’s been to a mental hospital TWICE this poem made me remember my experience, it perfectly describes my stay there.

I’ve been forcefully taken to a. Psyche hospital and there’s nothing more dehumanizing than that. The forceful nature of all of it made me PISSED. Just because someone suspected you to be a threat you immediately lose your rights.

David seems like such a cool guy, hope he's doing well

This is why one of my DREAM jobs is a psych ward. I want to make a difference. I want to help people...I'm not super stable myself but Def. Have become stable enough to know I'd like this for someone else, for someone to reach a point where they too feel at least okay:)

The poem was so powerful. The way she read that too! Incredible

“sometimes existing is exhausting” is so relatable and i love it

Being forced to do ANYTHING when you're in an emotionally vulnerable place is traumatizing. I can't even imagine being restrained and injected with something even if I wasn't emotionally vulnerable. That's terrifying to think about.

I am 28 and have been hospitalized over 30 times since I was 13. Some of the experiences were like what they said, but some of them really saved my life and I wouldn’t be here today if I wasn’t there. Some places abuse their ability to restrain people but that place was shut down. Most places only do that if someone is being violent and it’s absolutely necessary. If you need help and you’re thinking of going to a psych ward, try talking to the staff other than the doctors because they can listen and be helpful. Also talking to the other patients can give you a sense you’re not alone although take everything they say with a grain of salt. Make a list of what you want to say to the doctor. These places can be scary but if you need help, I would go

THAT. POEM. So well composed, and so so accurate.

That poem has a lot of emotion in it, that was amazing

I went to a psych ward earlier this year for the first time because I was suicidal. They told me they would help me, but they put me in the disabled ward because there wasn’t any other beds, drugged me to make me sleep all day, and the one “therapy” session I had was a group church lecture to make me feel bad for being depressed. Finally they left me with a 10,000 bill for a 5 day stay were I was forced with pills down my throat, little food, and other patients who tried to harm me because I was a new comer.

11:43 she is so right. when you’re in that situation and you show any normal human emotional response you’re seen as “crazy” and “in need of help.” i remember crying until like physically had no tears left at a psychiatric ward waiting to be transferred to another and regular patients were walking by and many nurses looked at me as though i was crazy when i was just a 14 year old alone in a psych unit on christmas eve.

Her poem is so powerful. I’ve seen it spoken by many teens and adults across the world on tik tok and other social media. I’m so glad this video helped me find the original writer and her story. It’s very powerful and speaks many truths and words. ❤❤❤