I remember a lot of things about ESSH, faces, good times & bad, the layout of the place, even meeting with the doctors a few times, but I can't for the life of me remember any regular therapy sessions! Once I first arrived, I had meetings what seemed like everyday with somebody, but I think that was more or less to gage my baseline and whether it was safe to take me off my meds! (I came from North Western Institute, and almost everybody was on medicine there) They finally decided to take me off my medicine and I was fine, I remember the doctors and staff asking me over and over through my first month how I felt due to the medication order being cancelled! Anyway, I would think because of the name ie: hospital, that would mean therapy of some sort! What I do remember, is cottage meetings where after school we sat in the living room and went around in a circle to talk about our day or about anything bothering us! (I guess that could be classified as therapy to a degree) I remember being outside playing ball or even at school being told to go back to your cottage for therapy, 99% of the time the session went like this, How's your week going Michael, good, any trouble sleeping or thoughts of suicide, no I'm fine, every once in a while I would go off on a tangent about how I was on restriction and I was right and the staff were wrong and how I didn't do anything (but I did), the shrink would just sit there writing things down and when I stopped he would say something like, well Michael I think you need to work on your people skills, you are very smart and your inability to deal with people is holding you back.....Anyway, these sessions lasted maybe 20m, and some of them were literally, (I feel good doc, can I go back outside to play?).......I can't speak for everybody who went to ESSH or even for the other patients in my cottage, because I know for a fact some of the kids had meetings more often that I did! But, a lot of us had very little if any!
I look forward to any thoughts on the above, and if you don't want to post it thats ok to, just e-mail me if you like...
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I was at ESSH during the late 80's, actually my admission date was Jan 24th, 1988. I, too, remember my first day VERY well; I was terrified. I was placed on Unit 8-the girls' admission unit. Fortunately, the first few nights, I was in a single room. Approximately, 3-4 weeks later, I was transferred to Unit 1. Over the summer months, we were moved to a cottage, so they could carpet our unit. Therapy at ESSH? outside of seeing one of the PhD candidates for individual therapy, I don't ever remember any type of therapy. I never could understand that we, the patients, were sent to this "facility" because we were in need of long-term psychiatric help, yet there were no groups of any kind. It was one of the many dicatomous policies at ESSH. I feel very fortunate that my psychiatrist took a vested interest in me, as well as the rest of the girls in our unit. I do think that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania should have had a much more extensive screening process regarding child care workers. Quite a few of them had NO business around kids. I would be interested to hear other people's experience with some of the child care workers they encountered.
ReplyDeleteI was in the cottages and after I went off and staff could not control me. I ended up beating the one staff really bad they took him in a ambulance he grabbed me by the neck and I lost it.I'm not even sure he returned to work.than I was sent to the Main on the JFU floor let me tell you at first I didn't adapt I was fighting with peers all the time and always in restraints and that dam bed.than I close to two staff members Keith. And T they took care of me as a year went by some stupid kid tried to jump Keith and being I was close to this staff I took that kid apart I was bigger than ever I was lifting and got ripped my body structure was even more deadly then I already was I was a fighter and I stood up to anyone even doctors as they took me in room to try to keep me longer just say they had to call state police cause I had that doc by his neck and was ready to break it.being there has turned me into a monster and in 1992 I was discharged after all these years I took my wife to go see it and I find it not to be there a newer building was instead since a kid I grew up at age 19 I enlisted in the marine corps I served 4 tours deployed 3 times. And my wife has cheated on me
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DeleteI was in essh from 89-92.i started out in Eddington cottage then moved on up 2 unit 4. Some of the ppl i was in there with were troy, brian, Diego, josh (rip), randy. The list goes on. Sum of the staff like lance " the darkman" were kool. But there were others i hated they had no business being there but all n all i formed a bond with many ppl. Ppl who would have hated me just cuz i was Puerto Rican, in the outside but got respect inside essh.
ReplyDeleteHello Friend, I remember you well. If I rember you correctly we ran away and broke into the abandoned trailer park across the street? you had to turn yourself in because the med withdraw made you sick> sorry if not lol I asked you to teach me Spanish most cures words .. if my memory is off I apologise. I remember all you listed as friends I miss all of you brothers! shoot me an email lupold@gmail.com
DeleteAngel, did you ever meet a puerto rican by the name Juan Manuel M.? I'm trying to locate him, his my half brother, didn't find out i had one until recently. i know he was there cause I have the Social Workers letter of his admittance day.
Deletenessa if i remember was he there between 90-95 i knew a guy name juan manuel he was on eddington cottage also.
DeleteIm look for kim and Josh and candy we was there in 83 to 89
DeleteAngel,
ReplyDeleteI remember an Angel when I was there, but he left before I did and I left in 89. He was in Fallsington with me...I'm sure there was more than enough hazing going on when I left, but from what I recall, race wasn't an issue there. We had plenty of other reasons to be pissed off.... :-)
Denise,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you 100%, however there were some really caring staff there too! Some of the staff would get me going and tell me I wasn't going to the canteen because I turned around in the cafeteria when I was told not to! I'm thinking to myself, is this lady F**** serious?
I could give you 1,000 examples and I'm sure we have the same ones! :-)
My name is Jeannie..I was in essh from 87-89..returned in 90..again in 91.. ran away n was never found..
ReplyDeleteWhere did you go?
DeleteMy name angel santos my twin was there 2 with me I was there from 82 all d way 2 1989 babie
DeleteWhat's u last name
Deletesorry for the re-post google hates me.
ReplyDeleteI was at ESSH from mid/late 8o's to 91 I think. Spent times on many units, seen the top floor transformed into the forensic unit, I was admitted to unit 7 *top floor then.
the first night there freaked me out with the nurse coming in to spread the cheeks to check for god knows what lmao.
Seclusion was a fav past time, many friends I miss too many to list.
I was a lunch time short order cook in the canteen with harry heck as a friend and boss.
the point system was a joke and was denied canteen rights on Thursday nights for stupid reasons.
I was transferred to an adult state hospital at age 18 and spent years there as well. I am 40 now, time flys by but ESSH was the best times I had as a kid. Friends became brothers and most staff became parents. I guess I owe a lot of thanks to all for helping out this skinny 14 year old white boy from a small town Lancaster county amish community with parents who didn't give a F*^k. shoot me a email at lupold@outlook.com.
Harry Heck finally a name I recognize. I was there around 1993 till 1995, not sure of the exact date. Jamison cottage I believe. I remember staff like Ms. Rosa and Ms. Flossy. My first name is Nora. I am African American.
DeleteI was never in this place but I've heard about it & plus I've watched a doccumentary on YouTube called Children of Darkness based on the Eastern State School & Hospital but the show was made 30something years ago b'cuz I do remember when they've interviewed a redhead teenager named Denice who was once a resident there b'cuz she was trying to commit suicide several times b'cuz her mother had died & her dad walked out on her & it hurts her to that point over the minutes I've watched show I learned that Denice had ranawy from the facility later on before her 18th. Birthday & even today her family or the facility staff don't know her whereabouts or the fate of the teen girl but I hope she's still alive & doin' fine out there but decades later when I ridden the bus through there I do remember seeing the school itself after the facility had closed but it did bring back lots of memories to many people who'd lived & worked there.
ReplyDeleteI remember watching a video on YouTube called Children of Darkness based on the residents & staff of the former Eastern State School & Hospital & it shows the rare faces of these young people who once lived here plus I do remember a redhead teen named Denice who once lived there but later ranaway from there she was a cool girl being interviewed without shyness but others had their faces showned but they could've used aliases to protect them in the future but I was never a resident or part of its staff back 30something years ago b'cuz I had no knowledge of this place then.
ReplyDeleteHello my name is chet, I am a 17 year old girl who was diagnosed with mental illnesses. I am writing a paper on mental illness from 1983 to 2014 and how it has changed and how it hasn't changed. I am doing research on this school from when it was still open. Among with residential home, inpatient facilities, and programs that are used in the modern day. I cant seem to find that much about this place. I would like to know more about this place and the treatment and how the safe patient relationship was
ReplyDeleteHow did your paper turn out?
DeleteI was there in 89-92 it was pure hell I started off in the cottages.till one day I got into a huge fight and put three boys in the hospital and two staff members.i was restrained and tied to a metal bed for five days.then I was transferred to the JFU on the 3rd floor of main hospital I fit in really good the staff took to me great I trained lifting and won the dead lifting comp and bench press my sixth month there I got into another fight w a kid from Pittsburgh PA.he hit a staff member who I was close to being there so I unloaded on him broke his nose and smashed his head off the steel screen on the window in the day room.they had to roll him by ambulance out of there I lost my mind because then they called staff from all over the hospital and I went off because I knew I was going in restraints so I started throwing chairs at them and they rushed me held me down to give me a shot the restraints were so tight that it cut into my arms
Deletecall or text me 856 625-6103 i was there from 1990-1995 im art
Deletehi I would like to know more about this place and how they treated the kids that went .. please email at lena.rodriguez67@gmail.com .. thanks
ReplyDeletei was there from 1990-1995 i was treated pretty good my girlfriend was yvonne farmer from there to staff treated our relationship good.
ReplyDelete