Behind the Walls of the World’s Psychiatric Hospitals

Dec 01 2024 77 ep. 39 mins 39
Behind the Walls of the World’s Psychiatric Hospitals Podcast artwork

This podcast examines the history of now-defunct or abandoned psychiatric hospitals. Listen every week to learn about the history of mental health care and the true stories of the people who lived and worked behind the walls.

  True Crime  History  Health & Fitness
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Ep. 77: History of Volterra Lunatic Asylum, Part 2 (1912-1948)

Dec 01 2024 41 mins  
Send us a textThis week's episode covers a particularly turbulent time in Italian history: from WWI to WWII and the birth of the Republic. Find out how Volterra Lunatic Asylum fared during wartime and why it began to help feed the surrounding city of Volterra. Learn why the hospital superintendent was forced to retire after 34 years on the job. Discover how Fascism infiltrated ever

Ep. 76: Volterra Lunatic Asylum, Part 1 (1888-1912)

Nov 24 2024 43 mins  
Send us a textIn this week's episode, we head to Tuscany, Italy, to the hilltop town of Volterra. Learn about the early history of the Volterra Lunatic Asylum, the political climate of Italy at the time, and the controversial treatments of the first asylum director, Dr. Luigi Scabia. Finally, hear the stories of two artists who were sent to Volterra later in their lives.The main so

Ep. 75: Legends and Lore of Rolling Hills Asylum

Oct 28 2024 38 mins  
Send us a textThis week's episode is perfectly-timed for Halloween! Learn about Rolling Hills Asylum as a haunted attraction and what draws people to the site. Find out about the staff and patients who lived at the poor farm and whose spirits are said to roam the halls still. Discover what is so creepy about the "Christmas Room" and what happens to visitors when they lie down on th

Ep. 74: History of Rolling Hills Asylum

Oct 20 2024 37 mins  
Send us a textThis week we discuss the history of Rolling Hills Asylum, which was known as the Genesee County Poor Farm while it was in operation. Learn about the historical context that shows why poorhouses started in New York. Find out about the doctor that exposed the horrific conditions that poor and mentally ill folks were living in. Finally, discover when and why the Genesee

Ep. 73: People of Ireland's Magdalen Asylums

Oct 06 2024 30 mins  
Send us a textThis week's episode tells the stories of six survivors of Ireland's Magdalen laundries and orphanages. Learn what their typical work day was like, what punishments they experienced, and what the long-term consequences were of incarceration at the laundries.My main sources for this episode include the 1998 documentary Sex in a Cold Climate and a 2013 BBC article entitl

Ep. 72: History of Ireland's Magdalen Asylums

Sep 29 2024 42 mins  
Send us a textThis week's episode discusses the history of Magdalen Asylums (also called Magdalen Laundries) in England and Ireland. Focus lies primarily on the history of these laundries in Ireland. Find out how and why these asylums started, how many there were of them in England and Ireland, and what finally brought them to a close.My primary source for this episode is the book

Ep. 71: People of Goodna Mental Hospital, Part 2 (Tammy)

Sep 22 2024 55 mins  
Send us a textThis week's episode features the story of "Tammy," a survivor of Goodna/Wolston Park Mental Hospital, in her own words. The focus of her story lies in the aftermath of her time spent in institutions and how her hospitalization has affected the rest of her life.Trigger warnings for this episode include the use of explicit, outdated, and ableist language; mention of sui

Ep. 70: People of Goodna Mental Hospital, Part 1 (Jean/Erin)

Sep 15 2024 33 mins  
Send us a textThis week's episode tells the story of Jean, who later went by Erin, and her experience at multiple adolescent treatment facilities in Queensland, including Goodna/Wolston Park Mental Hospital. She also discusses the lasting effects her childhood had on her life.Trigger warnings for this episode include mention of sexual abuse, physical abuse, psychological abuse, dru

Ep. 69: History of Goodna Mental Hospital, Part 2 (1937-2001)

Sep 11 2024 36 mins  
Send us a textThis week's episode examines the history of Goodna Mental Hospital, which also went by Brisbane Mental Hospital, Brisbane Special Hospital, and Wolston Park Mental Hospital during the years between 1937 and its closure in 2001. Find out what controversial treatments were used there and why the treatments took an almost 10 year hiatus. Learn what led to the deinstituti

Ep. 68: History of Goodna Mental Hospital, Part 1 (1865-1936)

Sep 02 2024 37 mins  
Send us a textThis week's episode discusses the early history of Woogaroo Lunatic Asylum/Goodna Hospital for the Insane. Find out why the asylum had to be moved and rebuilt several times during its early years. Learn about the superintendents that were crucial to shaping the future of the hospital. Discover what "treatments" were offered to returning veterans of WWI.All sources wil