tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post111857285412049711..comments2024-03-18T03:28:36.581-04:00Comments on Shrink Rap: Leave Me Alone: The Science Of Solitary ConfinementUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-73619713983577103082013-08-09T20:06:45.648-04:002013-08-09T20:06:45.648-04:00Yes, there's been something new published. It&...Yes, there's been something new published. It's the best (only) controlled study of the effects of longterm segregation. I reviewed it here:<br /><br />http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/shrink-rap-today/201108/solitary-confinement-rumor-and-reality<br /><br />I also wrote a column about the dilemma of teasing out serious mental illness (for the purpose of barring transfer to solitary) from serious personality pathology here:<br /><br />http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/views/shrink-rap-news/blog/solitary-confinement-round-three/b94a14771243922b89238bd105de7a13.htmlClinkShrinkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13316134491751195651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-64434918627720877732013-08-08T14:02:19.982-04:002013-08-08T14:02:19.982-04:00Just came across this thread - I'm a prosecuto...Just came across this thread - I'm a prosecutor and currently have a case with a prison inmate who is representing himself as to a charge of assaulting prison staff. I Googled "SHU syndrome", the acronym for the defense he is attempting to pursue, and found these postings. <br /><br />Wondering whether there is any additional research that has been done in the past years? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-22371367736520923352008-06-11T23:15:00.000-04:002008-06-11T23:15:00.000-04:00Soon you'll have fellows and residents. One of th...Soon you'll have fellows and residents. One of them will surely show an interest in helping you finish off that chapter.Royhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08735111026336537653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-42795551821234572832008-06-11T19:03:00.000-04:002008-06-11T19:03:00.000-04:00Mrs. Cake: Thank you for your thoughtful comment. ...Mrs. Cake: Thank you for your thoughtful comment. Back in the dark ages I spent quite a bit of time researching the topic for a chapter I was writing. Real life intruded, the chapter never got written, but I still have the draft and I refer back to it periodically. In addition to the search I did for this blog post (and it's interesting to see only a few more studies have been done in the last five years on this topic), in the past I included search terms related to social isolation, sensory deprivation and others. The results are pretty much the same.ClinkShrinkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13316134491751195651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-80429083064799067202008-06-11T10:21:00.000-04:002008-06-11T10:21:00.000-04:00I'd like to step in here and defend the 20 referen...I'd like to step in here and defend the 20 references at the end. One of the beauties of the Internet is that you can lard in all this supplementary material for future reference, without taking up any extra space or tiring anyone out -- a list of references like it is easy to skip over until wanted later.<BR/><BR/>As far as solitary confinement, I was very glad to read this posting. But also extremely surprised that there is so little research on the topic, considering how common the practice is. Obviously, prison authorities know that solitary confinement is painful, or they wouldn't use it or find it effective as a punishment.<BR/><BR/>Do you think it might help to look for research using search terms like isolation, loneliness, reclusive, and similar things? I know that there are people who seek out isolation or who are very comfortable in the absence of other people -- however, I don't know if this effect would persist if the isolation was being enforced by other people that we patient sees as being indifferent or hostile to their well-being.CanadaHollyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07273756221221662231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-71288605495668524762008-06-10T21:27:00.000-04:002008-06-10T21:27:00.000-04:00Anon: I know exactly what you mean about the media...Anon: I know exactly what you mean about the media being selective about the events they cover. After several years working in public facilities I know that events happen which never draw public (or media) attention, and I've also seen media reports of events that have no resemblance to what actually occurred. It slants both ways. Thus, when it comes to news reports I maintain an open mind (call it skepticism if you will), ask a lot of questions and consider the information I get in return.<BR/><BR/>Zoe: You raise a good point. Reaction to confinement is shaped by personality and personal interests. I once did an informal poll of forensic patients at our local hospital. Of all the patients who had experienced both prison and hospital, the results were divided when I asked them which type of facility they'd rather be in. The patient who were introverted or had negative symptoms preferred prison, where they wouldn't be required to participate in groups or occupational therapy. The extroverts and manic patients preferred hospitals because they COULD participate in things. It was interesting, and it was a good reminder to me that you can't make assumptions about the quality or nature of an experience based on one's own preferences.ClinkShrinkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13316134491751195651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-9195057976139657262008-06-10T17:14:00.000-04:002008-06-10T17:14:00.000-04:00I worked with an awesome psychiatrist who told me ...I worked with an awesome psychiatrist who told me that he hoped in 30 years people thought what he did was barbaric. He acknowledged that Doctors do bad things. He acknowledged that he probably does bad things, and that hopefully in 30 years treatments will be so much better, that this will look like hell. Which is perhaps what it is for people. <BR/><BR/>I can't even begin to imagine solitary confinement. I can't even stand spending 24 hours alone in my house with the internet, phone, dvd player etc... <BR/><BR/><BR/>My sister inpatient at child/adolescent psych right now and when i took her on a pass she told me about the "quiet room" that comes complete with physical and chemical restraints, and how it petrified her. One of her friends on the ward was put in there and my sister freaked. And now she's so scared that if she lets her feelings out, she'll wind up out of control and in there too. It's interesting.Awake and Dreaminghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13257495492315814077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-11604936885055651212008-06-10T12:26:00.000-04:002008-06-10T12:26:00.000-04:00Lee, can't say I am surprised at all. Sorry for ...Lee, can't say I am surprised at all. Sorry for being so cynical. <BR/><BR/>Clink, there alots of cases of abuse or that don't even make the media. Hymes reported on her blog about someone who was tasered at a local psychiatric hospital that wasn't reported by the media.<BR/><BR/>I also did volunteer work on a case in which I couldn't even get the alternative media to cover. <BR/><BR/>The fact that an organization like the Richmond Times covered this Western State Hospital Case means it is pretty outrageous.<BR/><BR/>And with all due respect, I think Hymes raises a good point about psychiatrists and actually doctors in generally not wanting to accept that other doctors do bad things to patients.<BR/><BR/>Several years ago, there was a story about a local psychiatrist that did make the paper who committed such horrific malpractice that a mom died and the kids were scarred for life. But what struck me in the article was that so many doctors knew what was going on and said nothing. They feared if they spoke out that they would suffer professional retaliation.<BR/><BR/>Also, here is a link from Hymes site that points out the dangers in thinking there is always a side to every story:<BR/><BR/>http://tinyurl.com/6e5fxc<BR/><BR/>According to patients at ASH, the incident (murder) could have been avoided if their complaints about McKee hadn't been ignored.<BR/><BR/>Patient John Parrish says he has complained about McKee before.<BR/><BR/>"We all did - we told staff that this man is going to get violent and he's going to hurt somebody. We knew. We knew. They knew," said Parrish.<BR/><BR/>Sorry for getting off topic but I felt you made some points that needed to be addressed.<BR/><BR/>AAAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-76152964348205990472008-06-10T11:04:00.000-04:002008-06-10T11:04:00.000-04:00Anonymous: What's crazier is that it happened at w...Anonymous: What's crazier is that it happened at what' supposed to e a top hospital, new york presbyterian.<BR/>When I got to the normal hospital part all the staff I spoke with about it acknowledged that the psych ER has problems but that doesn't fix it.Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16481885122469175198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-87954872496222860662008-06-10T07:18:00.000-04:002008-06-10T07:18:00.000-04:00Give me a selection of books, or better, a web con...Give me a selection of books, or better, a web connection, and I'd be as happy as larry in solitary for days or even months. Even if I didn't see another human being.<BR/><BR/>But take away all stimulation, and I'd go very psychotic very quickly.Zoe Brainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13712045376060102538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-31667690922533661072008-06-10T05:48:00.000-04:002008-06-10T05:48:00.000-04:00It really isn't all that different from psychiatri...It really isn't all that different from psychiatric seclusion except for the length of time for some guys.<BR/><BR/>It's over a 1000 words because it's a topic that's been nagging at the back of my mind for a while. I started writing and it just happened, what can I say? I figured I'd need to include the references or no one would believe me how scant the data actually are.<BR/><BR/>The guys who go into control unit prisons are difficult and dangerous, and they require two-to-one or sometimes even four-to-one sitters (officers) to keep them safe when they come out, which is why I get concerned when a judge orders that they be moved out of solitary just because they've been given an Axis I diagnosis, based on grossly incomplete research findings. I thought that was a pretty important and bloggable topic.<BR/><BR/>Yeah, it's long. Kudos to you and anyone else who made it through the whole thing.ClinkShrinkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13316134491751195651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-76738594069872120802008-06-09T23:17:00.000-04:002008-06-09T23:17:00.000-04:00This was incredibly long. YOu had 20 references f...This was incredibly long. YOu had 20 references for a blog post//??? This is supposed to be FUN, not "writing term papers 101."<BR/><BR/>Okay, so I had some trouble with the issue of likening Solitary Confinement to Hospital Seclusion.<BR/><BR/>In my limited inpatient world from years ago, most of the people in seclusion were very agitated, disruptive, dangerous, and as soon as they chilled, they came out, even if it meant having them with a one-on-one sitter to keep them safe. It's an extreme measure, usually seemed necessary to keep everyone safe.<BR/><BR/>Solitary Confinement inside your walls--- well, as punishment, it's just not the same, and even by- request for the prisoners safety, it's a different phenomena from psychiatric seclusion.<BR/><BR/>I would go nuts, I'm sure of it.<BR/>And Roy...can you imagine Roy going more than an hour unplugged from his devices. He'd get worse, I'm sure.Dinahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09227988351623862689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-55365710504892270112008-06-09T22:30:00.000-04:002008-06-09T22:30:00.000-04:00If I had the energy I could find the Department of...If I had the energy I could find the Department of Justice letter to the Governor of Virginia that includes reference to Mr. C./C.C. in the '90's, I have it somewhere but probably in a file or on my old computer and I'm tired. If I find it later I'll post the link. This situation is exactly as the media has represented it sadly. Time for bed for 11% kidney functioned me though.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-84271310168666401752008-06-09T22:14:00.000-04:002008-06-09T22:14:00.000-04:00Hymes: No I wasn't joking and no I don't automatic...Hymes: No I wasn't joking and no I don't automatically believe the media's representation of events. You have to admit this is a pretty extreme case that would raise questions about the total picture.<BR/><BR/>In correctional facilities we do have inmates who actually want to be in segregation because they really do want to be alone. It's not outside the realm of possibility, particularly if a public facility is crowded and has only public multiple-bed wards.<BR/><BR/>Obviously I'm not familiar with this case and I'm just speculating. Thanks for the link to the hearing report.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-91729149680626721902008-06-09T21:23:00.000-04:002008-06-09T21:23:00.000-04:00No, it wasn't and isn't voluntary, no it is not a ...No, it wasn't and isn't voluntary, no it is not a way of giving a patient a single room (were you jokoing?). The full opinion of the human rights committee is on my blog, not the media account, read that one if you don't trust the newspaper accounts for some reason, maybe i'ts hard for you to accept that psychiatrists can do bad things to patients? You might want to work on that issue.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-33781057569057097542008-06-09T20:44:00.000-04:002008-06-09T20:44:00.000-04:00Romeo: In the facilities I've worked in, when ment...Romeo: In the facilities I've worked in, when mental health put someone in segregation is was done voluntarily with the informed consent of the inmate. Usually it was because the inmate was upset and needed to stay in a private place where he could cry away from other inmates, sometimes it was to protect a vulnerable inmate. I think it can be therapeutic to have a relatively safe, protected environment for some people.<BR/><BR/>Anonymous: Fascinating case. I'd love to know more details separate from what's presented in the media. Presumably the patient would go back into the seclusion room voluntarily after returning from the family day pass? Was it a locked seclusion room? Was it just another way of giving a patient a single room? I'm sure there's more to this than meets the eye.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-30219527023165738312008-06-09T16:23:00.000-04:002008-06-09T16:23:00.000-04:00Lee,This boggles my mind that they do this to peop...Lee,<BR/><BR/>This boggles my mind that they do this to people who were in your situation. I would love for the staff who do this to be in the same situation. Let's see how they like it.<BR/>Boy, that makes me so mad and I was never in your situation fortunately.<BR/><BR/>Geez, I went crazy waiting in regular ER for a relative to be taken to a regular hospital room. I thought 8 hours was insanity.<BR/><BR/>Clink, you might be familiar with this story, http://tinyurl.com/65j3y2, about a patient who was held in seclusion in Virginia Western State Hospital for 20 years. <BR/><BR/>The feds told the hospital in 99 to change his treatment but nothing was done. Now, the oversight committee has ruled his rights were violated.<BR/><BR/>Interestingly, the hospital felt it was safe to allow the patient and the family out of hospital visits to places like Walmart.<BR/><BR/>Totally mind boggling.<BR/><BR/>AAAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-75525788784933026522008-06-09T16:22:00.000-04:002008-06-09T16:22:00.000-04:00Segregation can be used for a lot of reasons but t...Segregation can be used for a lot of reasons but treatment isn't one of them. Mentally ill inmates are often kept there for their own protection but it is not a healthy environment by any means. Unfortunately, there's usually no place else for them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26666124.post-70098622089908606712008-06-09T13:43:00.000-04:002008-06-09T13:43:00.000-04:00In my first psych hospitalization I spent 24 hours...In my first psych hospitalization I spent 24 hours-ish in the psych ER waiting for a bed in the real hospital part. I was in a room by myself. All my stuff was taken away so I had no new stimulation. I could go down the hallway to shower and go to the bathroom but they got mad if you talked with any of the people in the neighboring rooms. So all I had was a couple of brief doctor visits and nurses stepping in to take vitals.<BR/>This wasn't due to any specific clinical reason, they did this for everyone in the Psych ER there.<BR/>I hadn't come in in very good shape obviously. But after a day of that I was definitely a lot crazier that I'd been when I'd come in.<BR/><BR/>The others I've been to since have been better because they have had someone 'babysitting' me who I could talk to.Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16481885122469175198noreply@blogger.com