Have you ever hung out at a mental hospital?

[Lo_Lyfe]

Or a psych ward, or such?

It's pretty odd. Very much like the one in Exorcist, I often dealt with throngs of old women rushing me. And that's pretty much the only time women have ever approached me like that. (n)

[Yeti]

The closest I have been is the Family Album in Sure Shots.

[Yorkshire~Rose]

I work at a Psychiatric Hospital (not nursing, i work in IT) and have to vist wards on a daily basis.

People are usually friendly. One man likes to rush up to me and offer me a sip of whatever he's drinking. He's quite forceful.

Another time an elderly woman grabbed my arm as i was leaving (it was a locked ward) and squeezed so hard, her eyes pleading with me to let her leave. That was sad. :( And she had one hell of a grip.

That scene in The Exorcist? Do you mean the one in Exorcist III where the woman is on the ceiling? That spooked me.

[Lo_Lyfe]

I work at a Psychiatric Hospital (not nursing, i work in IT) and have to vist wards on a daily basis.

People are usually friendly. One man likes to rush up to me and offer me a sip of whatever he's drinking. He's quite forceful.

Another time an elderly woman grabbed my arm as i was leaving (it was a locked ward) and squeezed so hard, her eyes pleading with me to let her leave. That was sad. :( And she had one hell of a grip.

That scene in The Exorcist? Do you mean the one in Exorcist III where the woman is on the ceiling? That spooked me.
When Damien has to go see his mum.

I remember one woman howling and yowling every time I was there. And watching cricket. I watched a lot of cricket whenever I visited. That was as I was pretending (entertaining delusions) to be peoples Grandson.

[Nivvie]

I used to nurse in a secure psychiatric unit, and also in a psyc hospital.

The hospital is far easier as you don't get the 'celebrities' (sick criminals that the public know are in there so you are asked about constantly) and the atmosphere has a lot less fear, and there's a lot more in the way of holistic therapy (that makes you feel like you are making a difference) and less drugs (some people are so permanently sedated they may as well be dead).

The key to survival is confidence. The stronger you feel the less likely you are to be attacked, and the more training you have in restraining patients the more confident you feel. I once went for about a year without being hit at all, and have never been seriously assulted since that time, although I have worked in other places. Nothing makes a patient attack more than old bruises on show, or an excess of bravado that's badly masking nerves.

A cool, calm but firm voice is the most valuable thing. Also standing up straight when people approach you. I work with autistic people now and there's this nurse I work with who is always being punched as she sits down too much. We keep telling her, but she's lazy, and about 250lbs and won't get up.

[Pres Zount]

The key to survival is confidence.
And full shotgun ammo.

I once broke into a sanitarium. I think that is about it.

[paul jones]

Beastie General ,yes

[zorra_chiflada]

only really the waiting room of a psychiatrist's office. everyone was pretty sane actually. there were a few people that would sit in the corner rocking, but that's about it

[-T-]

One summer back in the day I went with a Friend to spend a few days at his grandma's house somewhere in Chicago area. His grandpa has some crazy Friend who used to always come into his barbershop. His name was Richard. He calls every night to talk. He's one of those crazy dudes who was probably to smart for his own being. Now hes just crazy. We went to visit him in an old crazy people hospital. There was no mad crazy people but crazy enough for me. I cannot remember much about Richard. All I remember is he is a neat freak, keeps everything in EXACT order. I was warned not to mess anything up because he freaks out. He also collects T-shirts from various places. We sneaked a big mac in and it made his day. ha ha Thats all I got.

[bobaratt]

Yes...my brother thought he was Jesus for a couple of weeks.

[HOTWIFE]

no but i pressed the wrong flr # in an elevator at the hospital once and ended up on the top floor ie. the psych ward. i was greeted by some sort of psych ward greeter person like they have at walmart, right when the elevator door opened. i could hear the patients screaming and such. yeah.

[Bob]

no, but i used to volunteer at an alzheimer's center, that was not unlike a mental hospital

they were in varying degrees of mental decay, but for the most part they were basically zombies, only instead of eating brains, they ate quiche every goddamn day