The Indelible Institution
In the depths of madness, shadows danced like demons on the walls.
In the darkness of Central State Hospital, where shattered dreams echoed off the peeling wall.
The inferno layered each other, going from one next level to the next.
Chairs flew as they tried to make an impact on me.
I fled, not knowing why I was being targeted.
In line, I bent over, and next thing you know, a fist met my head.
A simple tap on the shoulder led to a tooth flying from my mouth.
“Don’t touch me!” he shouted.
Baffled, I crawled away into my room.
This was my life in a mental hospital.
Central State Hospital was the most indelible institution I stayed in.
It was a madhouse, with people screaming, fighting, and trying to escape.
It took every part of me not to retaliate.
They were understaffed and overstretched.
The bathtub was my solace.
The water enveloped me, protecting me from the chaos.
I baptized myself, making a vow to God.
My good friend and mentor, Chris Gerhardt, was my savior and advocated for my release.
I was getting worse the longer I stayed there.
By grace, I was released a week and a half later.
It was a week from hell.
Never have I experienced such oppression and voiceless cries than being in that hospital.
I wasn't treated with respect or dignity.
It was scary, and I never want to go back.
In my experience, mental hospitals need to be reformed.
I don’t know how, but they need to be better.
To give perspective on mental health:
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), 57.8 million US adults, or more than one in five, were living with a mental illness in 2021.
That’s something to think about.
Happy reading! I hope this was food for thought.