Psychiatric hospital

cena

Have you ever been in one of these places?

I went into one once to see my dad and I really couldn't go back onto it. It just creeped me out.

wazky

I was in one for years.

But I was 'released' in the middle of the night and left through a unlocked window.

My name is URL

wazky wrote: »

I was in one for years.

But I was 'released' in the middle of the night and left through a unlocked window.

Was there a large Native American with you at the time?

wazky

My name is URL wrote: »

Was there a large Native American with you at the time?

No a huge red dragon called George, he opened the window.

Cantremember

Fail.

hfallada

My teacher used to tell us stories about his mother working in one. That all the patients just smoke and are given free cigarettes to keep them Calm and it's the only place not covered by the smoking ban.

But the photos of the old hospitals creep me the **** out. Metal beds, walls with peeling paint and cracked floors. But the most disturbing thing is that Ireland had twice as many people in pyschartic hospitals per capita than the next highest country which was Russia. It's disgusting to think more Irish people were in those hospitals than the USSR with its abuse and messed up policies

I was, and yes they are extremely scary places.

Stained Class

Yes. Many a time.

Not as a patient, just visiting mad relatives.

Years ago, a lot of alcoholics were in the same wards drying out.

In later years, I saw more people in there with MI issues brought on by recreational drugs.

Saw lots of people in there that I never thought would ever need psychiatric help.

Surprising stuff.

tim3000

I think I was in one before, or something like a day hospital for patients and referrals. A family member was going through some rough times. I expected one of those brown therapist couches where a man with a large forehead would write intently in a notepad. Instead I was treated to a very uncomfortable experience listening to things that I had no business being privy to. Staff were very friendly and sympathetic though.

SimonQuinlank

Yeah,been a patient in one of the main ones in Dublin (briefly) and have visited relatives in quite a few.My family on both sides are predisposed to mental illness unfortunately.

Always found staff and facilities decent enough.Just troubling seeing people in various states of distress or highly medicated and unable to sit still,or doped out of their minds in a drooling stupor.Still had a smoking room in the hospital I was a patient in.

Been a patient in day hospitals too,which were fine for the most part.

Davarus Walrus

No one wants to end up 'down in Ballinasloe'.

finix

I assume you have never visited the 5 star St Patricks Hospital Then ? Where was your dad ? St Ita's in Portrane ? Vast difference ! I think you relived your experience from a movie. What did you see ? Padded rooms ? White coats a plenty ? Were they all screaming while spit was flowing from their mouths ?
Maybe you should just go out more !

Sir Arthur Daley

Davarus Walrus wrote: »

No one wants to end up 'down in Ballinasloe'.

It has a great horse fair though.

cena

Davarus Walrus wrote: »

No one wants to end up 'down in Ballinasloe'.

It is a scary looking place when driving past it. It looks like it could be hunted

123balltv

Yes with my Mam took me with her when visiting her Sister even tough I stayed in the reception I could feel a tense, scary atmosphere I was only 9 I'll never forget it.

dharn

A lot of very stupid stereotypical opinions being expressed here, think of people young and old that need psychiatric help at present,

My name is URL

cena wrote: »

It is a scary looking place when driving past it. It looks like it could be hunted

Everything in Ballinasloe can be hunted.

cena

finix wrote: »

I assume you have never visited the 5 star St Patricks Hospital Then ? Where was your dad ? St Ita's in Portrane ? Vast difference ! I think you relived your experience from a movie. What did you see ? Padded rooms ? White coats a plenty ? Were they all screaming while spit was flowing from their mouths ?
Maybe you should just go out more !

Some place in Dublin.

oak5548

Psychiatric hospitals are for the most part, the exact same as normal hospitals.

I think what a lot of people are referring to are the psychiatric units for people with SEVERE mental disabilities and issues that cant be solved in their lifetime.

cena

My name is URL wrote: »

Everything in Ballinasloe can be hunted.

It is a weird town

Nonoperational

Many times, and despite the after hours thirst for scandal, they are not half as bad as you would think. Mostly just a group of people who have a few issues and are working through them. And they don't get free cigarettes either!

B.A._Baracus

I visted someone in "Unit 9" of James Connolly Hospital few years ago. It is not a nice place to visit, let alone be placed within.
Like I am not talking about the standard of care and anything like that. Just the nature of the ward.

Gremlinertia

Been to loman's in Mullingar to visit a friend, scary place. Worked in ballinasloe on and off. Not as scary inside as it looks from outside.

finix

finix wrote: »

I assume you have never visited the 5 star St Patricks Hospital Then ? Where was your dad ? St Ita's in Portrane ? Vast difference ! I think you relived your experience from a movie. What did you see ? Padded rooms ? White coats a plenty ? Were they all screaming while spit was flowing from their mouths ?
Maybe you should just go out more !

even the '5 star St Pats' has a padded room

_Whimsical_

I went to visit a friend from college there a few times. It seemed ok. Everybody seemed in strangely fantastic form. People were playing snooker, board games were being loudly enjoyed, other people watching tv and there seemed to be a constant flow of tea. It was a kind of recreation area we were in I think.Maybe it was different in the more "hospitally" side.

It's the only place where I was ever wolf whistled at
Sad but true.

Sir Arthur Daley

One should appreciate ones mental health and well being.

Chattastrophe!

cena wrote: »

Have you ever been in one of these places?

I went into one once to see my dad and I really couldn't go back onto it. It just creeped me out.

I remember being in an isolation ward with my father when he was receiving stem cell treatment for multiple myeloma (a terminal form of cancer.)

Jesus it was f*cking horrible. Some of my worst nightmares stem from being in that place with him.

But I was there with him at the very lowest point of his life. He got through it. (It's still a terminal disease, no changing that, but he has a good quality of life for now.)

I was there with him in St James for his heart attack as well, when he was whisked up there by ambulance from the other side of the country.

I was there by his side in Galway as he received treatment for prostate cancer (we live in Sligo, they don't have the necessary services there, so he had to travel to Galway for his daily radiation treatment.)

I'm not looking for any sort of award for any of this. It's normal. It's natural. It's what you do for someone you love.

Saying you're creeped out by it ... god ... do you not think he's creeped out by it?! Whether his illness is physical or mental isn't really relevant. His own child staying away from him is hardly going to help.

the_syco

hfallada wrote: »

It's disgusting to think more Irish people were in those hospitals than the USSR with its abuse and messed up policies

Once such policy was putting the "unclean" women into the asylums, as unlike prison, there is no "get out" date. I'm sure the USSRs policies were just as bad.

cena

Chattastrophe! wrote: »

I remember being in an isolation ward with my father when he was receiving stem cell treatment for multiple myeloma (a terminal disease.)

Jesus it was f*cking horrible. Some of my worst nightmares stem from being in that place with him.

But I was there with him at the very lowest point of his life. He got through it. (It's still a terminal disease, no changing that, but he has a good quality of life for now.)

I was there with him in St James for his heart attack as well, when he was whisked up there by ambulance from the other side of the country.

I was there by his side in Galway as he received treatment for prostate cancer (we live in Sligo, they don't have the necessary services there, so he had to travel to Galway for his daily radiation treatment.)

I'm not looking for any sort of award for any of this. It's normal. It's natural. It's what you do for someone you love.

Saying you're creeped out by it ... god ... do you not think he's creeped out by it?! Whether his illness is physical or mental isn't really relevant. His own child staying away from him is hardly going to help.

He didn't know I was their. He has alzheimer's and dementia

Photo-Sniper

Did a photography project on St Kevins in Cork... Creepy creepy place. Completely derelict and ilegal to trespass on, but the Security are friendly and if they see you are there for a reason they usually let you have a snoop. The place is completely untouched inside...still old documents, desks etc... Terrifying yet remarkable gaff.

whirlpool

Photo-Sniper wrote: »

Did a photography project on St Kevins in Cork... Creepy creepy place. Completely derelict and ilegal to trespass on, but the Security are friendly and if they see you are there for a reason they usually let you have a snoop. The place is completely untouched inside...still old documents, desks etc... Terrifying yet remarkable gaff.

Why does a completely derelict place have security?

thegreatgonzo

Davarus Walrus wrote: »

No one wants to end up 'down in Ballinasloe'.

Well you couldn't even if you wanted to now.

finix

Jake1 wrote: »

even the '5 star St Pats' has a padded room

Indeed they do but its far removed from the coffee shop ! I lived in Summerhill for a year, No bars there, all running free !:eek:

whirlpool

A few of you are saying you found the places creepy, but you're not describing why. Was there a boogeyman? Naked aul wans chasing ya? Explain yerselves!

degausserxo

I visited my uncle in Pat's when I was a teenager and thought the place was awful.. wasn't until I spent some time in the psych unit in Tallaght hospital last year that I realised how nice that place is in comparison.

Chattastrophe!

cena wrote: »

He didn't know I was their. He has alzheimer's and dementia

Fair enough.

I love my father to bits. He has done so much for me; there's nothing in the world he wouldn't do for me. And there is nothing I wouldn't do for him. If he was suffering, I would always be there at his side. Without hesitation. Whether he knew I was there or not would be completely irrelevant.

That's just me, though.

Gremlinertia

whirlpool wrote: »

A few of you are saying you found the places creepy, but you're not describing why. Was there a boogeyman? Naked aul wans chasing ya? Explain yerselves!

Mullingar - visited a friend there, despite warm day and cherry blossoms along the canal outside, directly inside was freezing and dark, the contrast between the beauty outside and the cold, echoing way it was inside felt strange. Went back to visit him a few times but that contrast remained..

The patients and staff were all in pretty good form i must say, just a dark weird building..

Stained Class

whirlpool wrote: »

Why does a completely derelict place have security?

To stop Pikeys from stripping the place of all kinds of metal, such as Radiators, Fireplaces, wiring, pretty much anything of value.

Also if Mr Pikey injures himself pulling a fireplace from a wall, who on earth will pay for his injuries if 'God forbid' he has an accident?

Photo-Sniper

whirlpool wrote: »

Why does a completely derelict place have security?

Its next to an old Magdalene laundry that recently got converted into apartments. The building itself is falling apart and i'd say at least 10 people a day visit the place as its pretty well known. They just look after the place and the area. I guess for health and safety reasons overall.

Femme_Fatale

Photo-Sniper wrote: »

Did a photography project on St Kevins in Cork... Creepy creepy place. Completely derelict and ilegal to trespass on, but the Security are friendly and if they see you are there for a reason they usually let you have a snoop. The place is completely untouched inside...still old documents, desks etc... Terrifying yet remarkable gaff.

Is that the children's part of St Anne's? Because I know a lot of people have used that place for photography and art and whatnot over the years and it's supposed to be haunting all right; children's drawings and the like.

St Stephen's in Cork is supposed to be a sh1t-hole - little dignity for the patients apparently (from speaking to a former patient there/people who used to work there).

I accompanied a friend to the out-patient part of the Mercy Hospital psychiatric wing once. It seemed ok. It's probably moreso the wards that are the not nice parts.

finix

degausserxo wrote: »

I visited my uncle in Pat's when I was a teenager and thought the place was awful.. wasn't until I spent some time in the psych unit in Tallaght hospital last year that I realised how nice that place is in comparison.

So, People are not as mad as they used to be ? Are you ok now ?

Electric Sheep

finix wrote: »

I assume you have never visited the 5 star St Patricks Hospital Then ? Where was your dad ? St Ita's in Portrane ? Vast difference ! I think you relived your experience from a movie. What did you see ? Padded rooms ? White coats a plenty ? Were they all screaming while spit was flowing from their mouths ?
Maybe you should just go out more !

Even St Pats has some of the serious wards where you do see patients like that. It's not all 5 star.

Photo-Sniper

Femme_Fatale wrote: »

Is that the children's part of St Anne's? Because I know a lot of people have used that place for photography and art and whatnot over the years and it's supposed to be haunting all right; children's drawings and the like.

St Stephen's in Cork is supposed to be a sh1t-hole - little dignity for the patients apparently (from speaking to a former patient there/people who used to work there).

I accompanied a friend to the out-patient part of the Mercy Hospital psychiatric wing once. It seemed ok. It's probably moreso the wards that are the not nice parts.

Yep.

Its a very very chilling place.

Interesting article and photos here : http://www.abandonedireland.com/skv_3.html

bobwilliams

cena wrote: »

Have you ever been in one of these places?

I went into one once to see my dad and I really couldn't go back onto it. It just creeped me out.

my sis was a patient for a while,all I can say is they're great if you need them but my sis had an OD and really this place just made her worse.

Some patients were soo out of it I was actually really freaked out at the time.

Loking back it was a very sad place,it's amazing how the brain can go,one chap I remember well was used to stay at the window all day long shouting his fathers name(his dad was dead)non stop until bedtime.
Real eye opener tbh and I really respect people who are dealing with mental illness on a daily basis.

SimonQuinlank

Garden in St.Pats is lovely,my uncle used to walk about a thousand laps of it every time I visited him.

Photo-Sniper

Photo-Sniper wrote: »

Yep.

Its a very very chilling place.

Interesting article and photos here : http://www.abandonedireland.com/skv_3.html

Interesting after I just mentioning the security of the place: according to that site its costing close to 6000 euro a week for security.

vermin99

In st canices in kilkenny they used to have kind of a farm that would supply the food for the hospital along with the patients getting out feeding cattle , sowing veg etc etc, the farm itself was closed in the 90s unfortunately as it was seen as "cheap labour" .now in fairnous it was a terrible decision to close it cause especielly if your going to be in there for a while and your not physically sick, you cant beat the fresh air, well thats just the way the countries gone.decision came from a office in dublin who didnt have a clue that the patients actually liked working on the farm, still pisses me off to this day

Lightbulb Sun

Electric Sheep wrote: »

Even St Pats has some of the serious wards where you do see patients like that. It's not all 5 star.

I think it's just the one, the Dean Swift Ward. I've no idea how things are run there but that's where the most critical patients stay. Other wards seemed perfectly calm most of the time. I stayed in one for 3/4 months.

Bipolar Joe

I was in one for a while. I think the creepy feeling you all had was because you expected it to be creepy. If there was a show like Scrubs, only in a mental facility, you'd just think of that instead. Your only other reference is things like Silence of the Lambs, where every body knows your name, and can smell your cunt.

Femme_Fatale

Bipolar Joe wrote: »

I was in one for a while. I think the creepy feeling you all had was because you expected it to be creepy. If there was a show like Scrubs, only in a mental facility, you'd just think of that instead. Your only other reference is things like Silence of the Lambs, where every body knows your name, and can smell your cunt.

Nah as I said the Mercy Hospital Cork psychiatric wing was grand when I went there with my friend; not creepy at all. She went for an assessment and consultation and said all of that was fine, and she felt much more at ease afterwards.
The CUH psychiatric wards are supposed to be fine too. It's just St Stephen's that's supposed to be a kip, and St Anne's is derelict and from a time when psychiatric hospitals were horrible places, so that's bound to evoke unease.
I've heard St Pat's is nice enough too. I suppose they can all have very sad, despairing pockets... like any hospital.

Galwayguy35

Was in the one in Ballinasloe visiting various family members over the years, one cousin spent all his adult life there and his brother was in and out as well for most of his life.

Twas a bleak looking place all right.