Weyburn mental hospital stories books

The stories are just amazing so insightful both in terms of mental illness and the stigma, but as well in terms of the lsd and the significance of the weyburn hospital. The weyburn mental hospital opened in 1921 and quickly became one of canadas most notorious psychiatric institutions. We look at conditions for patients during the first three decades as the mental hospital became an important economic driver in the local. Weyburn mental hospital, saskatchewan hospital, souris valley extended care whatever name you call it this hospital was a large mental institution. Essays on the social situation of mental patients and other inmates. The book made me wonder if mental health treatment was better 60 years ago than it is today, at least for patients deemed treatable at hospitals like the weyburn. At 93, kay parley looks back on a psychedelic life of. The weyburn mental hospital is rich in history, unfortunately most of it is not positive. Author writes about growing up in shadow of mental hospital. Most people that checked into the hospital never left and many people were left unclaimed when they passed away. The book is divided into the provinces and states, and the weyburn mental hospital, also known as saskatchewan hospital and the souris. Her book covers her institutionalization at weyburn mental hospital in saskatchewan the mental after a 1948 breakdown as well as her work there from the mid1950s and through the 1960s. Weyburn mental hospital opened on december 29th, 1921, the facility had a capacity of 900 patients, 60 nurses and 60 attendants. Weyburn mental hospital and the transformation of psychiatric care.

She was there in the 1960s when the controversial use of lsd to treat patients was being conducted. Originally called the saskatchewan hospital when opened in 1921, the weyburn mental hospital was the largest building in the british commonwealth and the most expensive building erected in saskatchewan at that time. It was the site of lobotomies, electric shock therapy, and some of canadas controversial lsd experiments. Weyburnnative matthew nimegeers is in weyburn to release his newest book, squatters and friends of the souris valley, a biography about his childhood growing up in the shadow of the souris valley mental hospital. A few years later, the addition of a second wing made room for 3,000 patients and staff, but the hospital was nearly always over capacity. Having viewed the weyburn mental hospital from a unique perspective as both patient and nurse, kay brings a sense of compassion to her book, inside the mental, treating those in the hospital as people, not patients. Built in the kirkbride architecture style this building was one of the largest in the commonwealth. Ghost story collection includes weyburn mental hospital weyburn. Historical association recognizes book on weyburn mental hospital. Author and journalist kay parley spent years in a mental institution, first as a patient and then as a psychiatric nurse. Many things went on at the weyburn mental hospital. In remembrance of the history and the people who worked, were educated and lived at the weyburn mental hospital souris valley in weyburn, saskatchewan from 19212005.

The saskatchewan mental hospital at weyburn has played a significant role in the history of psychiatric services, mental health research, and community care in canada. I would encourage those who work in psychiatry to read this book. Nimegeers said the book is a coming of age story featuring many of his childhood friends and family. Before she became a psychiatric nurse at the mental in the 1950. Her new book covers her institutionalization at weyburn mental hospital in. Wmh was not only one of the largest facilities of its kind in the.