I don't know why I even bothered reading this article, but this stuck out to me. It's true, but also severely fucked up.
"But staff members also knew how to set a resident off just enough for a doctor to order seclusion. So if someone started getting on our nerves on a Friday afternoon, we could get under their skin in turn, make them respond, and report the incident. They'd get ordered into seclusion until Monday because the doctor wanted to spend all weekend playing Xbox without interruption."
"I''m not proud of it, but sometimes we did it because we knew the resident was on the verge of assaulting someone. And other times, they got locked up because they were annoying us. We're still human, and sometimes humans suck."
The source admits it's wrong but it's written in such a blase attitude, like yeah well they're annoying and we're underpaid so fuck it. I'm in Florida, and have been in two of our mental facilities. My sister has been to a third one, multiple times. This sort of dangerous attitude is not restricted to just the max security prisoner mental facilities. The first hospital I went to was fine, and extremely helpful. There was a nice group of other patients I had the good fortune to meet and learn about their life struggles. Hell, a social worker was admitted there and helped me to realize that even the smartest of us can land in that situation, etc. The staff were super friendly, even after dealing with a woman who uh pissed herself because she wanted to stay on the phone longer, then threw herself down in her mess and was screaming. NO ISOLATION or abuse.
With the stress of college and just a whole bunch of other shit, I ended up in a second one. We had the more extreme/dangerous patients separated, but honestly? It was the staff I was more afraid of. The doctor who admitted me thought I was being a smart-ass while answering their initial admittance questions, and said if I cop an attitude he can keep me their as long as they want. So that's just a scary prospect in itself. You also have to sign off on any drugs you will be given before hand. I ONLY signed off on anti anxiety meds, if they're deemed necessary. But later that day they were giving me multiple pills, and only after came into my room to get me to sign further release forms for them. I couldn't argue with them when they were first giving me the pills because I didn't want to be trapped their longer than the 72 hour mandate.
Staff also took pleasure in torturing some of the patients (psychologically of course, wouldn't want any evidence of misconduct.) There was another patient their who was a nice enough guy to talk to. I repeatedly heard staff members saying he could go home every day I was their, and each day when he'd get ready they'd tell him oh no sorry you're staying, but you'll get out tomorrow! Another tactic was threatening ANY patient with saying they'll take away their visitor rights (which is just beyond fucked up, especially when those visitors are trying to bring you clothing you're allowed to wear.)
Anyway, I just had beef with this because it seems that the article serves to justify the fucked up mental health system we have in this state. And I find it highly unlikely they had a PS2 for the guy to attack with. Even us who aren't deemed threats to others don't get to have shoelaces, and at most had a tv, some books, and magazines. It just read like most of the articles nowadays do, take the most extreme and messed up stance on things and try to shift the blame to the ones being abused.