A hundred years ago, being ‘different’ could land you in a lunatic asylum—places of abuse, neglect, and forgotten souls. In this episode of Weird History, we uncover the dark past of America’s psychiatric institutions, from Nellie Bly’s daring undercover exposé at Blackwell’s Island to the horrors of lobotomies and modern-day abuses in ‘troubled teen’ facilities. History’s ghosts aren’t as far away as we think.
OOOH, also check out this apartment (the one we talk about in this episode): THE OCTAGON! https://octagonnyc.com/
If You Suspect Abuse / National Resources & Hotlines (U.S.)
***In an emergency, call 911 if someone is in immediate danger.***
Elder Abuse (including in nursing homes or care facilities)
Eldercare Locator (U.S. Administration on Aging)
1‑800‑677‑1116
https://eldercare.acl.gov
Connects you to local Adult Protective Services or Long-Term Care Ombudsman.
National Center on Elder Abuse
https://ncea.acl.gov
Child Abuse or Neglect
Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline
1‑800‑4-A-CHILD (1‑800‑422‑4453)
Text: “CHILDHELP” to 1‑800‑422‑4453
https://childhelphotline.org
Confidential help available 24/7 in 170+ languages.
Abuse of People with Disabilities
National Disability Rights Network
https://www.ndrn.org
Finds your state’s Protection & Advocacy (P&A) office.
Mental Health & Psychiatric Facility Abuse
SAMHSA Treatment Referral Helpline
1‑800‑662‑HELP (4357)
https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline
The Joint Commission (To Report a Behavioral Health Facility)
https://www.jointcommission.org/report_a_complaint.aspx
Domestic Violence / Intimate Partner Abuse
The Hotline
1‑800‑799‑SAFE (7233)
Text: "START" to 88788
https://www.thehotline.org
24/7 confidential support for victims and concerned loved ones.
Troubled Teen Industry / Institutional Abuse
Breaking Code Silence (Survivor Advocacy) https://www.breakingcodesilence.org
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.