New York’s Abandoned Hudson River State Hospital! Do Not Enter!
Hudson River State Hospital experienced quite an untoward overhaul in its medical practices and treatment methods. Initially, the hospital aimed to offer patients a serene and healing space with curative sessions such as hydropathy, occupational therapy, and music therapy. Yet, as the years wore on, the growing number of patients damaged the hospital’s ability to provide such care, redirecting their goal toward custodial provisions. During the antiquated era, patients grappling with mental health issues were cast into disarray, subject to brutal therapies like lobotomies and electroshock therapy. These methods were ubiquitous due to the societal outlook on mental well-being, primarily characterized by unfounded apprehension and a lack of comprehension.
Since its closure in 2003, the Hudson River State Hospital has been left to decay. However, the stories of former patients offer a fascinating glimpse into the societal norms surrounding mental health treatment during the facility’s operating years. Observing how such individuals’ treatment has transformed over time in conjunction with our changing attitudes toward mental wellness is intriguing. Amid the torrent of flak the Hudson River State Hospital receives for its brutal practices and swarming population, it is a wake-up call to the pressing necessity of delivering empathetic and solid mental health care. The overarching shift towards focusing on evidence-based systems and compassion has amplified the merit of assisting people bearing the brunt of mental disorders. This facility gives us a much-needed nudge to keep raising awareness about mental illness and eradicating social prejudices conjoined with it.
Located in Poughkeepsie, NY, the Hudson River State Hospital operated for over a century before closing its doors in 2003. During the late 1800s, the hospital emerged during a noteworthy period of mental hygiene known as the “moral treatment” era, which championed empathetic care and patient recovery. Staff at the facility would conduct rigorous evaluations of patients’ physical and mental health, creating customized treatment plans that would frequently involve therapies such as occupational and recreational activities. However, prevailing perspectives on mental health evidently influenced the hospital’s operations, impacting patient care quality.
Living situations for patients within the walls of Hudson River State Hospital meant communal wards with scarce privacy and little leisure time outdoors. Rigid routines dictated their days, with strict meal times, prescribed medication schedules, and therapy sessions. Unfortunately, patients were regularly put through harsh treatments like electroshock therapy and lobotomies under the assumption these treatments would cure their mental illnesses. However, later evidence found these procedures to be ineffective and damaging. Although the hospital attempted to provide compassionate patient care, limited staff and subpar resources meant neglect and mistreatment were depressingly familiar.
The Hudson River State Hospital was affected by its period and society’s general outlook on mental health. Many people thought of mental illnesses as reasons to fear and shun patients because they were considered dangerous or morally weak. These obstacles proved impossible for the hospital, which promptly resorted to cramping its patients together as a social preventative tactic. In the aftermath of the 20th century, several psychiatric hospitals were shut down due to the deinstitutionalization initiative, including the Hudson River State Hospital. The hospital’s current state comprises a mixture of development, but its historical residues signify the importance of sustained encouragement and enlightenment towards matters related to mental health.
References
1. Hudson River State Hospital: Fourteen Decades of Mental …. (n.d.) Retrieved September 3, 2023, from sometimes-interesting.com 2. Poughkeepsie’s Abandoned Hudson River State Hospital. (n.d.) Retrieved September 3, 2023, from www.abandonedamerica.us/hudson-river-state-hospital 3. Hudson River State Hospital — Minsky’s Abandoned. (n.d.) Retrieved September 3, 2023, from minskysabandoned.com/2015/07/02/hudson-river-state-hospital/ 4. New York’s Abandoned Hudson River State Hospital! Do …. (n.d.) Retrieved September 3, 2023, from q1057.com 5. Hudson River State Hospital — Poughkeepsie, New York. (n.d.) Retrieved September 3, 2023, from www.atlasobscura.com/places/hudson-river-state-hospital 6. Inside the Abandoned Hudson River State Hospital in …. (n.d.) Retrieved September 3, 2023, from untappedcities.com 7. Hudson River State Hospital — Abandoned. (n.d.) Retrieved September 3, 2023, from abandonedonline.net/location/hudson-river-state-hospital/
Originally published at https://www.newsbreak.com.
