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Topics - iamartsy

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16
Psych Hospitals / Texas Psychiatric Abuses
« on: November 25, 2008, 12:29:08 AM »
Well I know I am not the only one who witnessed abuse in a psychiatric hospital. I have long felt like the only one on fornits. Awhile back I posted a newsgroup piece by a fellow inmate from the renowned Dallas psychiatric hospital where we both resided. I keep looking for other people who survived the psychiatric hospital abuses that I witnessed in the 1980s and 1990s. If you have witnessed them please post. What I saw I would not wish on anyone. I saw people left in leather 5 point restraints for weeks at a time. Once they were let out, they had lost the muscle tone to walk. Their bathroom had been a bedpan for all those weeks. There was also a form of isolation they called "room therapy". You stared at a wall in your room for 16 hours a day, with bathroom breaks every 2 hours, and dinner in your room staring at the wall. Room therapy would go on for about 9 months at a time or more.

Obviously, I lived in a state of fear. What would the next flashlight beam in my eyes mean? Would I get room therapy due to my insomnia? The reason for these "therapeutic dealings" were never rational. Say you went home on a visit and saw an old friend and came back to group and the told the group. Suddenly you would get "chair therapy" for not asking to speak to friend on the outside as a privilege. With the help of Che, I found some good articles about the abuses of that time:
http://www.psychcrime.org/ (mother of all psych crimes database)
http://www.psychcrime.org/articles/Univ ... ients.html
http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qs ... 5001400578
(interesting article from the preview) can't get the rest.
The infamous JCAHO question http://www.uow.edu.au/arts/sts/bmartin/ ... ation.html
Here is the best book I have found about the abuses of the 1980s and early 1990s: http://www.amazon.com/Bedlam-Profiteeri ... 397&sr=1-6

While I will never know for certain if someone got kickbacks for my multiple hospitalizations, I feel rather certain that at least two people did. It was well known that Bob Meehan's counselors got kickbacks for referring to either Deer Park Hospital and Medical Arts Hospital in Houston. So the kickbacks were a given. No wonder I got a Christmas card from my shrink while away at my long term lock up in Dallas.

17
CAN ~ Collective Action Network / Outside World or Real World
« on: November 07, 2008, 06:03:59 PM »
I am just wondering how many of you heard, "when you get into the outside world..." when you were in treatment? Since I was in a highly secure facility, we all used to just look at each other and laugh quietly. We could not even see the outside world, much less worry about it. We sometimes saw it on TV, but we could not see the outside world. I remain agoraphobic to this day.

We were all too busy hoping not to get punished, for something we had no idea was punishable. There was no real rule book, so people would get punished when revealing some newly made up sin. We all know about that. The outside world thing still brings up that cynical laugh in me. We all knew we were there until insurance ran out, which was usually 2-3 years.

18
The Troubled Teen Industry / A Different Version-Twelve Steps-Bob Meehan
« on: October 31, 2008, 11:39:07 AM »
Somehow Bob Meehan goes untouched all the time. I don't get it. Look at the difference in the steps. It is interesting. I was in one of his programs in the early 80's, and the group often tried to keep you from moving on with you life. Moving on was not easy for me or anyone else I have spoken to. We went through serious depression when we finally broke away. I want you guys to form your own opinions and respond.

http://www.thecornerstoneprogram.com/gr ... elve_steps

http://www.thepathwaydrugabuseprogram.com/

Now compare it to this: http://www.pdaphouston.org/HOUPDAP.html

Please note the similarities of all his programs, down to the logo.

19
Open Free for All / Families Post Program
« on: October 20, 2008, 05:22:09 AM »
Who here still has to deal with family members treating them like they are "stupid", "dumb" , or otherwise impaired since their release from program. I have a sister who is in "Landmark" or "The Forum", and she decided to remind me of that the other day. It was brought on because i would not stop and fix the wireless router where she is staying.

This brought forth other family members reminding me that I am "stupid". I have a truly lovely family. Can you see that they like cults? They cling to their every word and then use them when necessary. When not necessary they talk down to me to tell me of my full "potential".

I have been program free since 1986, except when the family tried to get me to attend Landmark for more "repair" in 1996. They thought it could help me in my career. I don't know how. I was quite outspoken and turned them down. Anyone who tries to sell me a load of crap that is not understandable can take that crap and shove it. My days of locked rooms, people telling me I am shit unless I act as they do, and being told when I can go to the bathroom are way over. I am not sure what to do with my family though. I love my mom, but the rest are questionable.

20
Feed Your Head / Hurricane Ike - Update
« on: September 18, 2008, 10:20:08 PM »
Update 09_16_2008:

We now have periodic phone service. I am still at my parents and it is still not a good situation. I went to my apartment and took pictures today. They have started cleanup but have not started to reassemble my A/C unit. Electricity remains out for most of complex. There are shingle everywhere you step. I went to remove the drop cloths and towels I used to keep water from getting into the apartment and discovered they were drenched. I immediately retaped the drop cloths over the windows and left the towels in place. I emptied the fridge and turned it off for fear of mold. It stinks in from emptying out the fridge. There are lots of branches and tree limbs everywhere. The few living there are partying the day away. They are on the bottom floor so they don't have to worry about roof leaks like I do. I had mold from Rita and it will worsen now due to the heat in the apartment. Our management off is not present for my section. I have to go to another section to report problems.

Trying to find a new place to live or get into FEMA hotel for awhile. Starting that next online. This sucks. Those of you who think I am a mooch can take a hike. I stayed here to care for elderly parents in their 80's who refused to leave. Now I am stuck here until I can find a hotel to go to. If you guys have advice please let me know. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am very depressed at this point. Living with parents that never liked you much to begin with is not easy.

 Iamartsy

21
Open Free for All / Hurricane Ike-Houston Please Read
« on: September 15, 2008, 06:20:37 PM »
Hey you guys,

I am in Houston. If any of of you are in Texas and can help me relocate once it becomes possible please message me. My Apartment is in bad shape. Hoping FEMA will reimburse me for what insurance won't pay. I will probably have to find new place. I think my apt was hit by a few tornadoes and don't know what will happen to it. I am at my parents for now and that is not a good situation. Psy can explain more if you need. Thanks for any help. Those of you who think we are assholes for living on a coast please shut up. I was in a jam with elderly parents. At this point there needs are okay, and I feel I can leave. For now trying to find shelter. Iamartsy.

22
Straight, Inc. and Derivatives / Florida Straight 1986
« on: September 04, 2008, 02:58:37 AM »
Did anyone here know Cathy (looked like Molly Ringwald) from Dallas. She was sent to Florida Straight from Timberlawn. I know she got out 9 months later but was not in good shape. I was wondering what became of her.  I knew her before she left Timberlawn. She was actually looking forward to Straight, Inc. It is sad to think about now that I know what I know.

23
Psych Hospitals / Hospitals of the 70s, 80s, and early 90s
« on: September 01, 2008, 02:34:10 PM »
Were you treated in a "hospital" in the 70s,80s, or early 90s. that has been closed down or not (my tormentor is still open for business)? If so, where were you? Were they big on 5 point restraints for extended periods of time, and isolation techniques? Did you ever wonder what the hell they did in their team meetings.

I used to be scared to death of what would come out of the team meetings. I remember that was where they would decide who went on chair or room therapy or who could come off of it. When that door opened you knew there could be something awful around the corner.

I have often wondered what happened to the other alumni. Are they alive or dead. If you are out there then please speak up. I was in Texas where Devereaux, Brown, and hospitals were the places to send your loved one who needed "mending". I thing Texas was the worst of the breeding grounds for these places at that time. Am I right? You could go in as an innocent person and come out 1-2 years later very knowledgeable about how best to commit suicide, or how best to cheek meds, what drugs provided the most fun. How to have sex in supervised places. You definitely knew what sleep deprivation felt like since there were 15 minute bed checks. Someone was always shining a flashlight in your eye.  Did you study ways to get out of your window, and find none.

I was at three hospitals in the Houston area that were not too bad as far as abuse went.  Then there was Dallas, the mecca for all things bad. There were lots of hospitals there if I recall correctly. People would start at a short term one and get transferred by a "staff" physician to another hospital he was at that was longer term (like a year or two or three).

iamartsy

24
Psych Hospitals / Timberlawn Hospital - mid 80's
« on: August 24, 2008, 05:58:56 PM »
I was in Timberlawn Hospital from 1985-1986 for nine months. I still have nightmares about it. Is there anyone else out there from that period? I was on a really skanky unit with a nurse from HELL. We called her Nurse Wratchett. People never believe what I saw.
iamartsy

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