What is a mental hospital?

Answer 1

== == I prefer to call them "Psychiatric Facilities" to banish the terrible label of "mental." The word "Mental" or "Mental State" has been kept as a hidden secret for many years if a family should have one or more of their family in one of these facilities. It was fear of others thinking there was "bad blood" in the family blood-line. Up until the 50s they were terrible places to be in and basically patients were used as human guinea pigs by injecting them with larger doses of insulin to put them into convulsions and also shock treatment. They still give shock treatments today, but it's done under anesthetic and in a humane fashion. Scientists are making great strides in studying the brain (the least studied of the human body until recently.) Psychiatric Facilities (private ones) treat their patients very well (there are a few that take the money and give poor service, but thankfully they are few and far between.) They offer psychological counseling by a Psychiatrist or Psychologist and the Psychiatrist (only one that can prescribe drugs or your family doctor) may prescribe medications depending on what the person's mental state is. Most patients are expected to do some chores, keep their rooms neat and clean, have visitors and those who are not seriously ill can even go shopping (sign out of course and be back at a certain time) or walk the grounds of that facility. Some patients are allowed to go home for visits and return. The Psychiatric Ward in most hospitals are over-run, not enough staff or beds, so it's well known that the more difficult patients are heavily sedated so as not to disrupt the other patients. It's not a nice place to be in, but no one is out to hurt any patient. Psychiatrists or Psychologists in the Psychiatric Wards of general hospitals are also over-loaded with patients so a patient is lucky to see one once a week. If the patient is considered of no harm to themselves or anyone else they are put on medications and released.

Answer 2

I have heard that mental hospitals can be very helpful to people who are hurting themselves or who have other things. I think that they serve as a start to a better life for that person that they are helping. I have never been to one, so I don't know what they look like, but I imagine them very calming.