Psychiatric hospitals treat mental disorders that have not responded to therapy or medication. They can be private or public, and have specialized medical personnel. Patients can be voluntarily or involuntarily admitted, and common ailments treated include depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, personality disorders, and schizophrenia. Modern mental hospitals grew out of asylums, but the Kirkbride Plan changed perceptions of the mentally ill and treatment options.
A psychiatric hospital is a medical facility for people with mental disorders who have not responded to less drastic treatments such as therapy and medication. Also known as a mental hospital, psychiatric facility, or mental institution, it is staffed by specialists trained in the treatment of mental illnesses. Some patients are voluntarily admitted to psychiatric hospitals to address and treat ailments. Others are committed involuntarily on the advice of medical professionals or by a court of law. Common ailments addressed in a mental hospital include depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety issues, personality disorders, and schizophrenia.
A psychiatric hospital can be run by private individuals or by a public institution. The layout is usually reminiscent of other types of hospitals, with patient rooms, doctor’s offices and a nurses station. There is more security in a psychiatric hospital, with doors and gates and grates over the windows to keep patients from leaving.
Specialized medical personnel work in psychiatric hospitals. Most facilities have multiple psychiatrists and psychologists on staff to treat patients. Nurses are probably specially trained to help patients with mental disorders. Similar to other hospitals, there is also a support staff consisting of nursing assistants, orderlies, administrators and janitors.
People with mental illnesses sometimes choose to check into a psychiatric hospital for treatment. Some patients are in crisis such as experiencing suicidal thoughts. Others need to adjust their medications in a controlled environment. Psychiatric hospitals also house involuntarily committed patients, that is, those sent there by order of the justice system. This occurs when the mentally ill person refuses treatment, but causes harm to themselves or others.
Most psychiatric hospitals treat a broad spectrum of illnesses. Some of the more common ailments involve mood issues – such as depression and bipolar diagnoses – and anxiety or panic issues. Patients with these diseases usually have short-term stays in psychiatric hospitals to control the condition, with follow-up treatment taking place on an outpatient basis. Those with a serious illness, such as schizophrenia or dissociative disorders, sometimes have to stay in a mental hospital for longer periods or even permanently.
Modern mental hospitals grew out of what used to be known as asylums. The mentally ill were confined to asylums and treated like prisoners, with very little privilege and no treatment. Asylums were usually dark and dingy, with no facilities.
The idea of treating the mentally ill began to change in the mid-19th century with the Kirkbride Plan. Conceived by psychiatrist Thomas Story Kirkbride, the plan provided for state-of-the-art facilities to treat people with mental illness. Kirkbride believed that the asylum facility was integral to the treatment of mental disorders and designed buildings with patient comfort in mind. Usually built on large grounds in private estates, Kirkbride Asylums have helped change perceptions of the mentally ill and treatment options. Though his grand schemes have fallen out of favor, Kirkbride’s idea that the facility setting helps heal patients extends to many mental hospital approaches today.
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