While at Duke Health, half of the psychiatric floor was closed off.
Why?
For ONE PERSON.
Yes.
Welcome to solitary confinement.
Now, yes, I’ll admit: this person was a bit ‘off’.
He was offensive, loud, rude… interesting, unique, intriguing…
Naturally, others fixated on the negatives.
Complaints from others may have been the reason for his isolation.
Isolation.
What a cruel concept.
When interaction with the other patients was the best, most therapeutic aspect of the facility, how dare they strip him of the right to interact with others, the right to FEEL BETTER.
That is cruel, indeed.
Would YOU feel better if you were confined to four walls without the ability to communicate to anyone besides annoyed nurses and staff?
My guess would be: NO. NOT. AT. ALL.
So, if a person is NOT a danger to himself or others moreso than the average patient, why the need for isolation.
How does that make anything BETTER?
Doesn’t that just make them feel further isolated from others?
From kindness,
compassion,
and love?
Doesn’t that just intensify pain and the symptoms of anxiety and depression?
It is proven that depression worsens with isolation…
How is that TREATMENT?
How is that BETTER?
How is that FAIR?
The Calculating Mind 