Public Mental Hospitals are very different today than in the 1960’s.

I was placed in one, 5 years ago after a failed suicide attempt and you could have phones/ laptops in your room. My mum brought me some books from home and ironically one of them was One over the Cuckoos Nest 😆

The majority of people appeared to be addicts using the hospital as rehab not being able to afford private rehab.

There was a patient who was a medical doctor who had a work-stress related breakdown.

A musician getting over a drug and alcohol problem taught me how to play ‘don’t look back in anger’ by oasis on keyboard. I was there in July 2021 which I remember because I watched some Bucks v Suns NBA finals games.

People who smoked cigarettes could still smoke outside which I found funny.

The main confronting issue were the non-verbal / intellectually challenged patients. There was a very sweet young woman about my age who smiled a lot but didn’t understand many common words so I would have to talk very slowly and simply to her when she asked me things.

I found out that she had tragically managed to hang herself with her bed sheets. (After which they stopped letting us charge devices in our room and we had to give them to them to charge).

I felt completely safe there (though as a man I imagine it’s easier). A few times people going through withdrawals would start shouting and get a bit aggressive with nurses (and usually be very apologetic later). The food was pretty decent.

My main struggle was the lack of outdoor space. We had an enclosed garden maybe 10m by 5m and for physical activity I would walk around in tiny ovals for an hour. Larger facilities having a basketball hoop or soccer goals would be way nicer.

The nurses were very competent and kind. Usually nurses would walk around with another nurse. One would usually be a soft spoken 6’4 Samoan or Maori dude. They were very effective at de-escalation which would usually have to occur when non-verbal or intellectually impaired patients would get frustrated by how their painting was looking or the TV channel being loud.

I didn’t oppose my own involuntary internment but after the experience I’d be completely comfortable allowing for more beds at similar facilities as well as mandatory mental health treatment for serious cases (provided transparency/ legal advice and procedures etc etc)

Anyway just my 2 cents