Behind the Walls of the World’s Psychiatric Hospitals

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In this episode, we discuss the history of the North Wales Hospital from approximately 1945 until its closure in 1995. Then, learn what happened to the property and the buildings after the hospital closed and what the plans are for it today.

Most information is drawn from Clwyd Wynne's book _The North Wales Hospital: Denbigh (1842-1995)_. All other sources are listed in the episode transcript.

Check out the Facebook page (Behind the Walls Podcast) and Instagram page (@behindthewallspod) for photos and more information. Send me an email at [email protected]

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Episode 31 discusses the history of Denbigh Asylum (later North Wales Hospital) from 1905 to 1945. Learn about "shell shock," psychiatric capacity, and what treatments were used in Denbigh at this time.

Most information for this episode was drawn from the book _The North Wales Hospital: Denbigh (1842-1995)_ by Clwyd Wynne. All other sources are listed in the episode transcript.

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Episode 30 is the first part of the history of Denbigh Asylum (later known as the North Wales Hospital) in Denbighshire, Wales, UK, from approximately 1842-1905.

Most information for this episode was drawn from the book _The North Wales Hospital: Denbigh (1842-1995)_ by Clwyd Wynne. This and all other sources are listed in the transcript of this episode.

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Episode 29 discusses the ghost stories and paranormal experiences that people have reported at Willard State Hospital. Find out about the televised paranormal investigations that have happened at the hospital, and why 4,000 people flocked to Willard in a day in 2015. Also, learn about 19th century "asylum tourism" and what drew people to visit these facilities.

All source material and links listed at the end of the episode transcript.

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Episode 28 discusses the lives and hospitalizations of Rodrigo Lagon, an immigrant from a wealthy Filipino family, and Ethel Smalls, New York native who divorced her abusive husband in 1930.

Most of the information for this week's episode comes from the book "The Lives They Left Behind" by Darby Penney and Peter Stastny. All other sources cited in the episode transcript.

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Episode 27 discusses the life of Margaret Dunleavy, a Scottish immigrant to the United States and nurse, who later became a long-time patient at Willard State Hospital. Find out why Margaret was committed to Willard and what remained in her suitcases.

Sources included in the episode transcript.

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Episode 26 discusses the treasure found in the attic after Willard Psychiatric Center closed in 1995. Find out what researchers discovered that led them to learn more about the life of former patient Lawrence Marek.

All sources cited in the transcript. Main source used is "The Lives They Left Behind" by Penney Darby and Peter Stastny.

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This episode outlines the history of Willard State Hospital, from approximately 1905 until its closure in 1995. Learn about the treatments offered at Willard, as well as the rise and decline of the patient population, including what led the once-largest asylum in the U.S. to close for good.

All sources are cited at the end of the transcript, available on the Buzzfeed page.

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Episode 24 begins the history of Willard State Hospital, originally The Willard Asylum for the Chronically Insane. Learn about the treatment of the mentally ill in New York state prior to the opening of the asylum. We'll discuss the steep rise in the patient population just in the first 20 years that the asylum was open and the various types of treatments that were offered there. Since there is a lot of information to cover, this episode will only go over information from the 1800s until 1904.

For source information and links to my "Hot Topics" interviews, please check out the transcript.  

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This final episode on Ionia State Hospital traces the history of mental health treatment for Black folx in the U.S., starting around 1850. Learn about the prejudices that Black activists faced during the Civil Rights Movement and how some ended up being hospitalized for schizophrenia as a result.

Information and photos drawn from The Protest Psychosis by Jonathan M. Metzl.

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