I agree with all the posts who say
that this video is literally painful to watch. As one asserted in their
post, it seems like overall we have the best interest of the comfort of
the population at large at interest, not that of the mentally ill that
we wrongfully incarcerate. By that, I mean stripping these individuals
of their rights, their dignity, treating them as less then animals. In
this video, inmates were intentionally terrified, forced out of their
own comfort zones, all for having conditions that are no fault of their
own.
Locking the mentally ill up in prisons designed for those who have committed serious offenses, and doing it simply out of convenience, due to the fact that we decided to do away with asylums some years back, is hurting, not helping them. In some ways I almost believe that our society, in some extremely sick, twisted way, enjoys seeing those who do not completely fit into our societal expectations of "normal" suffer and hurt because of it. For example, I've been in programs where autistic kids were forced to communicate and socialize with each other, forced into group activities, forced into loud situations, be implied to that not being loud and hyper is some sort of sacrilege in this society, the more introverted group members were often publically shamed...some people are naturally reserved and calm! Who are they hurting by it?!! I watched as they all walked away more socially awkward and anxious than they walked in. That isn't how you do it with that population, and incarcerating the mentally ill isn't how you do it either. Again, this system is hurting, not helping them. The one man with self-inflicted scars on his arm was almost a trigger for me. I know all too well what it feels like to self-harm and hardly be able to help it. How do we help people like him? The way they do it certainly isn't helping-it's making it worse!
I could see that there were mentally ill individuals who actually did feel safer incarcerated. In this case, it doesn't hurt to keep doing what you're doing. I do agree that we should receive funding to build true mental health facilities-not insane asylums, etc. but places where these individuals can receive the care and treatment that they need. Specially train people to work with them-perhaps even ones that have recovered from mental illness themselves!
The way we're doing it now, however for the most part is hurting, not helping.
I thought that it would tie in well. You can view the video "The New Asylum" at the Frontline PBS site but just be warned, it is disturbing and can be a trigger for some. Sad...we still have so far to go.
Locking the mentally ill up in prisons designed for those who have committed serious offenses, and doing it simply out of convenience, due to the fact that we decided to do away with asylums some years back, is hurting, not helping them. In some ways I almost believe that our society, in some extremely sick, twisted way, enjoys seeing those who do not completely fit into our societal expectations of "normal" suffer and hurt because of it. For example, I've been in programs where autistic kids were forced to communicate and socialize with each other, forced into group activities, forced into loud situations, be implied to that not being loud and hyper is some sort of sacrilege in this society, the more introverted group members were often publically shamed...some people are naturally reserved and calm! Who are they hurting by it?!! I watched as they all walked away more socially awkward and anxious than they walked in. That isn't how you do it with that population, and incarcerating the mentally ill isn't how you do it either. Again, this system is hurting, not helping them. The one man with self-inflicted scars on his arm was almost a trigger for me. I know all too well what it feels like to self-harm and hardly be able to help it. How do we help people like him? The way they do it certainly isn't helping-it's making it worse!
I could see that there were mentally ill individuals who actually did feel safer incarcerated. In this case, it doesn't hurt to keep doing what you're doing. I do agree that we should receive funding to build true mental health facilities-not insane asylums, etc. but places where these individuals can receive the care and treatment that they need. Specially train people to work with them-perhaps even ones that have recovered from mental illness themselves!
The way we're doing it now, however for the most part is hurting, not helping.
I thought that it would tie in well. You can view the video "The New Asylum" at the Frontline PBS site but just be warned, it is disturbing and can be a trigger for some. Sad...we still have so far to go.
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