One common element is the sense of isolation. Patients are often cut off from the outside world, which can be really terrifying. Another is the inhumane treatment by some of the staff. For example, using excessive force or ignoring the basic needs of the patients.
There was a case in a certain psychiatric asylum where a patient claimed to be seeing ghosts. The staff dismissed it as hallucinations, but strange things started to happen. Doors would open and close on their own, and cold drafts would sweep through the halls. The patient became more and more terrified, but no one really listened to him. Eventually, he stopped talking altogether. It was as if the asylum itself had a malevolent presence.
Well, it depends on how you define 'common'. In the big picture, there are thousands of psychiatric hospitals around the world and the vast majority operate smoothly. But every now and then, a story surfaces about abuse or neglect in a hospital. It could be due to a single bad apple among the staff or problems with the hospital's funding and resources. So, while not common, it's not unheard of either.
The loss of one's own identity. In many psychiatric horror stories, patients seem to lose touch with who they really are. For example, a person may suddenly start believing they are someone else entirely, like a serial killer from a past era. This is scary because it makes us wonder about the fragility of our own sense of self.
It's hard to say for sure which ones are true. Some stories might be exaggerated over time. But considering the history of some psychiatric institutions, it's possible that there were real issues at the Kalamazoo Psychiatric Hospital. For example, lack of proper funding could lead to poor conditions and patient mistreatment, which could be the basis for some of these horror stories.
There are rumors of inhumane treatment in the past at Rockland Psychiatric Center. Some stories talk about overcrowded wards where patients didn't get proper care. For example, patients might have been left without adequate medical attention for long periods.
One horror story could be about patients being left alone for long periods in a cold and dirty room. It's a place that should be for care but instead, they were neglected. The staff was understaffed and couldn't attend to the patients properly, leading to a sense of abandonment among the patients.
One horror story is about a patient who was constantly left alone in a cold, dark room. The nurses rarely checked on them, and they felt abandoned and terrified. It was like being in a prison rather than a place for treatment.
One horror story is about patients being left in isolation for long periods. They were locked away with little to no human interaction, which led to severe mental deterioration. Another story involves mistreatment by some of the staff. They were said to be rough and unkind, adding to the patients' distress.
One horror story could be about patients being mistreated by the staff. There might have been cases of neglect, like patients not getting proper medical attention or basic care. Maybe they were left in dirty rooms or not given enough food.