Have you ever visited a facility for mentally challenged people ?

[Tender Branson]

Or people with severe psychological problems ?

This weekend I visited one, but not because I have any problems, but because an old friend of my father lives there and the people there hardly get any visits. This friend of him has some kind of Trisomy, but he's actually pretty cool, playing music and everything.

There are about 200 or 300 people with very different mental or psychologoical problems there, some of them really extreme, like having epilepsy seizures every few minutes. But you don't actually see them, as they are mostly in their rooms. If you didn't study medicine or psychiatrics and you visit these facilities, it can be quite strange.

Especially, considering that this building was subject to massive eutanasia during WW2, when the Nazis transported about 200 "inmates" into KZs for gassing. Some of them tried to flee ahead of the transports, but were hunted with dogs and shot when they were found by the SS people.

I really felt kind of strange in this old building that was once a middle age castle, where people got executed and tortured even before the Nazis, because they were witches, red-haired etc. -> similar to scenes in Game of Thrones.

I couldn't really imagine working there, and I mostly saw care personnel from Slovakia or Eastern Europe and the Philippines.

So, what about you ? Have you ever visited such a building too ?

[Tender Branson]

BTW, the Atlas Forum does not count ...

[Joe Republic]

I've been to Florida, if that counts.

[dead0man]

My hometown has a couple of such places.  One state run facility, part of it is used for the criminally insane (though it doesn't seem to anymore).  I only went once, when I was a wee lad.  The other is a private non-profit place where people would send their "special" kids.  I spent a lot of time there.  Several people at my church worked there, my oldest sister spent a couple of summers working there.  They did fireworks there every July 4th and I went most years.  My best friend growing up had a retarded older brother.  My middle sister worked as a special ed teacher for many years before getting burned out.  So I've spent a lot of time around the mentally challenged.  Not so oddly, they are just like "regular" people, some are cool, most aren't.  Some are assholes, most aren't.  I could never work with them, I lack the patience needed.  The people that do work with them should get paid much more than they are currently.

As for the places themselves, I find them generally depressing.  On the other hand, most of the people there seem pretty happy (maybe the drugs?) so it's kind of uplifting at the same time.

[minionofmidas]

Does the Alzheimer tract of a nursing home count?

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

I've been to Florida, if that counts.

Surely you feel at home.

[Hash]

I've passed through rural eastern Ontario, yeah.

[Donerail]

I've been to Florida, if that counts.

The only part of Florida that counts as mentally challenged is a couple blocks along Monroe Street near where it connects with the Apalachee Parkway.

[CLARENCE 2015!]

I've been to Florida, if that counts.

The only part of Florida that counts as mentally challenged is a couple blocks along Monroe Street near where it connects with the Apalachee Parkway.

Nicely done...

Tender Branson- I've visited such facilities and I agree with you that they are very sad to visit, but I've found the employees to be extremely professional and committed to giving the patients the best quality of life possible

[Tender Branson]

I've been to Florida, if that counts.

The only part of Florida that counts as mentally challenged is a couple blocks along Monroe Street near where it connects with the Apalachee Parkway.

Nicely done...

Tender Branson- I've visited such facilities and I agree with you that they are very sad to visit, but I've found the employees to be extremely professional and committed to giving the patients the best quality of life possible

That's true indeed.

BTW Clarence, do you already have a few pictures to post from your Europe trip ?

[Torie]

Yes, I have spent time with psychotics in facilities, mostly with schizophrenia. They tended to enjoy spending time with me, and a couple of women wanted to take me to bed. Most were quite gentle, I guess because they were on their meds.

[Simfan34]

Yes, I have spent time with psychotics in facilities, mostly with schizophrenia. They tended to enjoy spending time with me, and a couple of women wanted to take me to bed. Most were quite gentle, I guess because they were on their meds.

I love you, bro.

[opebo]

[dead0man]

Yes, I have spent time with psychotics in facilities, mostly with schizophrenia. They tended to enjoy spending time with me, and a couple of women wanted to take me to bed. Most were quite gentle, I guess because they were on their meds.

.....were they gentle in general, or during the "bedding"?  Your post isn't clear.

[Torie]

Yes, I have spent time with psychotics in facilities, mostly with schizophrenia. They tended to enjoy spending time with me, and a couple of women wanted to take me to bed. Most were quite gentle, I guess because they were on their meds.

.....were they gentle in general, or during the "bedding"?  Your post isn't clear.

Haha.  The term "most" however does not go well with "two," so that gives you a hint as to the meaning of the text.

[Simfan34]

Yes, I have spent time with psychotics in facilities, mostly with schizophrenia. They tended to enjoy spending time with me, and a couple of women wanted to take me to bed. Most were quite gentle, I guess because they were on their meds.

.....were they gentle in general, or during the "bedding"?  Your post isn't clear.

Haha.  The term "most" however does not go well with "two," so that gives you a hint as to the meaning of the text.

Oh when shall the morality censors come for you, Torie?

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Yes.  Several.  The largest typically handles around 540 mentally challenged people and is located atop a hill that has a commanding view of its surroundings and plenty of green space for the inmates to take advantage of it they wish.



More seriously, yes.  Had a family member who was in one for a couple of weeks because of side effects from some new medicine they tried to avoid some other side effects.  Got better as soon the docs went back to the old medicine, but it was still several weeks before discharge.

[MaxQue]

My high school had a wing for people with big difficulties of learning and people which are mentally challenged but able to live by themselves (they learn basic French, English, Maths, cooking and are doing internships in jobs to integrate in a job).

As the school was a bit too small, regular courses were given in their wing.
Some girl there decided to fell in love with me and follow me everywhere. It was awful.

[opebo]

The Lawns and Drives there really do look like the Toyota symbol.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

I once took part in a study of "mentally different" people. Needless to say, I was not a fan. Interesting what happened to Max also happened to me. Never had been so glad when a girl decided to finally leave my alone in all my life.

[anvi]

I volunteered to work with high functioning people who were having difficulties for several years during the summers at the end of high school and beginning of college.  I've also visited a friend way back who temporarily checked himself into a psychiatric unit in the hospital and got to know some of the other people there during my visits.  Some were more difficult to deal with than others during the volunteer work, and seeing some people struggling in the hospital unit was difficult.  But these experiences were valuable for me, and some of the people were wonderfully kind and even fun to be around.  Lots of funny senses of humor.  And it also helped me gain a lot of perspective.  I have a relatively minor visual disability, but I've never felt badly about it per se, because, compared to what so many other people are struggling with, I've got lots of blessings to count, and none to take for granted.

[Jackson]

I volunteered for one to fulfill my community service requirement in high school.