Monthly Archives: March 2011
Ativan, Sleep Apnea, and Bad Craziness
N.B.: Ativan is addictive but is not a narcotic. Someone searched my blog for Ativan with sleep apnea: DO NOT TAKE ATIVAN IF YOU HAVE SLEEP APNEA. It could kill you. Ativan, also known as Lorazepam and Temesta, is a … Continue reading
Exercise or Naps for Depression?
What good did hospitalization do me? What it did for me was give me rest. It wasn’t supposed to. I was supposed to get up and get dressed; go to breakfast; participate in groups; meet with my psychiatrist; stay out of … Continue reading
Cause of Death: Physician Prejudice
Physicians are so blinded by psychiatric diagnoses that they cease to be able to function as competent diagnosticians. In the eyes of physicians, if you have a psychiatric diagnosis then that is the cause of all your problems. Your body no longer … Continue reading
Men, Women and Doctors
The sun has risen on a skiff of snow covering the houses and hills outside my window. My home and I are quiet this morning. James Taylor’s “You’ve Got a Friend” accompanies tea. Rainbows are dancing off the prism … Continue reading
Is Hospital Therapy Any Good?
Did all those fifty-plus hospitalizations for depression do me any good? Almost a decade removed from my last hospitalization, I look back and say “yes,” but not in any way you’d imagine. In hospital, I was exposed to every … Continue reading
“Laughter in mental health inpatient units”: Answer to Question
I spent about three years locked down on inpatient psychiatry and the word “laughter” only conjures up three images. The first is of Gary, who works as an entry-level counselor. He is extraordinarily intelligent, middle-aged, and has a master’s … Continue reading
The Big Question (Part III)
Another reason I kept going back to inpatient psychiatry was because they kept drugging me. One of the dominant effects of all the antidepressants was that they prevented me from developing any self-respect. I do not know the reason; I … Continue reading
The Big Question (Part II)
The New York State Office of Mental Health requires that you have telephone access to the rest of the world. That doesn’t mean your hospital will let you. At Hutchings Psychiatric Center, there was one phone for about … Continue reading
The Big Question (Part I)
What would happen if I checked in for inpatient mental health? That’s a good question, and I’m glad you had the presence of mind to ask in advance. First, let me tell you what won’t happen. You will … Continue reading
Inpatient passes & gowns, and Joslin: Answers to Questions
Pass forms for inpatient going out on pass In November 1999, I went out on pass from St. Joseph’s inpatient psychiatric unit. At home, I crashed and burned. If I had had my car, I would have driven myself … Continue reading
Behind the Locked Doors of Inpatient Psychiatry 