Elmira Psychiatric Center

“Circling the hallways back 2008 just to keep me from going insane inside there. I was very numb. Rooms had a window the size of a letter mailbox. Privileges were earned and if you expressed too much emotion you were stuck. During that time the only way out was to be well even when you were not.”

“Was here for 2 weeks, got paperwork mixed, blamed my homesickness on anxiety to keep me there, drugged me up so bad I barely remember it. I still have nightmares and I’ve been out for 5 months. Staff were nice, doctors tried to force me to admit I had an eating disorder when I never have just because I’m naturally underweight. It was living hell”

“I was a patient in this facility in 2006 and 2007 in their children's wing, and they had extremely abusive tendencies. They ended up giving me a dose of thorazine because it was "easier than dealing with me" and ended up giving me dental work that permanently ruined my teeth, causing me immense pain. One of the fellow patients assaulted me during one of my two stays, each of which lasted two to three months despite being completely under control and sane by that point.”

“My son was released from the center at 18. He received his high school diploma when he was 27. He is very independant and self sufficient. Society thinks he is a normal person and does not think anything is wrong with him when they meet him. He still depends on me for housing, transportation, and financial. But they are his choices that he feels safe with. He is a pleasure to have in the house and very helpful in multiple ways. The biggest issue I had was lack of bathing. Which should be set up on a schedule. Laundry wasn't being washed. He spent 2 years in there and its quite obvious where the neglect issues are. But society has to care enough to make the difference. As a whole there is mostly ignorance which leads to anger which leads to abuse and neglect of our most innocent victims. In the end most could live a normal and productive life like my son. But the majority of them don't. If you have an ear let them hear. The schools sytems choose!!!!not to educate these children. Which is a major factor in their disability and there abilities to communicate with the doctors. It scares me how much of the disability is education labeled under mental disorder. Society can only blame themselves for their woes.”