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5 Things I Learned in a Psych Hospital
What is it even like in there, anyway?
Earlier this year, I spent a long time in a psych hospital near Boston because I wanted to end my life. When I arrived at the ER in Boston, I expected to be admitted for two or three days. I knew that I was unwell, and I understood that I needed some kind of treatment. After being involuntarily ‘sectioned’ (under Section 12 in Massachusetts), I was transferred to a famous psychiatric hospital called McLean (the inspiration for Sylvia Plath’s famous work, the Bell Jar). My anticipated 2 or 3 days quickly became 6 or 7, and I would ultimately spend a haunting 110 days there. I was wheeled into the hospital in the February snow, and I eventually walked out of the hospital in the baking June sun, missing the entire season of Spring. Today, my recovery journey continues, and I am hoping to finish my graduate studies this winter. My mind continues to ebb and flow, and I often feel like the psych hospital is shadowing me — but I haven’t been back since!
My time in the psych hospital was profoundly affecting. It was my first time in any real contact with the mental health system, and I had no idea what to expect beyond horror stories. In my experience and existence in the secure psychiatric unit, I found important, unignorable lessons about myself, life, and the system. I am excited to share 5 of these with you today, and…
