1,320 Comments for Undercliff State Hospital

Maybe the lower one is an emergency light that comes on in the event of a power outage? Or it could be a soap dispenser--you know how many germs there are from all those hands touching the railing.

It isn't so much that "they" wouldn't think about entertaining people with mental illnesses on this scale today, as it is the price of such entertainment. Most patients have very limited incomes, with even less money available for entertainment. They cannot afford to go out very often, even to the movies. We sometimes received free tickets to events, or were able to make arrangements for our patients to get in for student rates. Staff salaries are so low that it is hard for staff to come up with the money needed for their own tickets so they can accompany the patients. Most patients enjoyed movies, pretty much the same type of movies anybody else does (with some common sense, such as no pornography or slasher films). In general, everyone's behavior was socially appropriate. Doing normal things in normal settings seems to bring out normal behavior (what a novel thought--you get what you expect!)

A few notes on what it's like to work in a mental hospital:
--every day is different
--there's always more to learn
--don't take anything too personally
--every patient is first of all a person with a unique story and unique needs and gifts
--humor goes a *long* way
--tons of rules, and tons of paper work!

Are there really UNmental people?? What are they like? Where can I go to see them?

I wonder how many people with mental illness--the so-called "crazy" "insane" people-- a person who makes comments like this has known in real life.

I've seen plenty of "normal" people break things in anger. Tables tipped over, cupboard doors dented, cars kicked, telephones thrown, books ripped up, vases knocked down, even one or two television screens kicked in and numerous golf clubs smashed into the ground.

One Christmas in the early 70s stands out because my brother got an Atari game set with "Pong." We thought that was really something! We played it in the family room in the basement (freshly remodeled with dark wood panelling and shag carpet) on our parents' old black and white tv. Another aspect of the remodeling had been the purchase of the family's first color television. The first television I owned personally was a 10" black and white bought at a garage sale, for my first home outside the college dorm--a single rented room with shared bath down the hall.

The summer I moved there I took one summer session class. I selected it mainly because it was held in the afternoons in the computer building, one of the few campus buildings that had air conditioning back then. The mainframes took up an entire room. All printing was also done there, no matter where the computer you used was located on campus. You sent your file to the printer, then walked to the computer center, where there was a giant clock showing the "turnaround time"--how long it would take for your document to be printed after you sent it to the printer.

The first personal computer I used was a Tandy 1000. My husband got it via one of those "30-day free trial" offers. I used it to type his final project for his master's degree, then he returned it to the store because we had a new baby and couldn't afford to keep the computer.

Another present my brother got the same year as "Pong" was one of the first hand-held calculators. It was the size of a small notepad, did nothing other than add, subtract, multiply, and divide, and cost about $85.

How times have changed! I think about all the advances of technology I have seen in my life, but even those are nothing compared to what my grandmother saw. She was born in the days of the horse and buggy, when telephones, electricity, and indoor plumbing were novel luxuries. Airplanes, television, even radio were unheard of. When she died, we had been to the moon and back, had supersonic jets, satellite phones, nuclear power and weapons, organ transplants, 24-hour television and shopping, computers and the Internet...

what a load of shit.

btw Perkins, Thank u

yeah, that one and one in Tulsa is the only ones I have heard of. There is one in OKlahoma City I have thought about visiting since I live about an hr from there, but it is infiltrated with live camera feeds from "ghosthunters." So I imagine it is impossible to not get caught in that one. The one in Guthrie I would luv to visit, and I probably will, but I wonder how many blocks away I would have to park to go unseen, as I would most likely have to go during the day.. (I would be too chickenshit to go at night :P) I think it is close to town...

The blue in this picture really catches my eyes. My daughter has the exact same shade of blue in her eyes

I think Uncle Fester cut his mouth performing his lightbulb trick

Ah Silva, Oregon Trail, I lived for those days. I graduated 5 years ago, and still remember the anticipation and excitement of Oregon Trail day in school

lil t,

The old Guthrie Hospital is great to visit :)

maybe u should look at it another way about the HIPAA laws Lynne.. the records aren't merely kept away from "curious" everyday Joes, but mainly from companies who would could exploit or discriminate their employees or possible employees, or from medical groups that have sold ppls personal info to make $$, etc.. If someone found my records, mental or other, I would personally care less. What defines "normal" anyway? I would HATE to be normal..that's boring...... I can betchya most ppl could care less what is actually in those records, except for the sick and twisted sect, such as ourselves.. =8-o

wow..*sigh* I live in Oklahoma and there is NOTHING this interesting here to explore. You ppl from the east (seems like where all these bldgs are located) are freakin lucky wishI had a place even remotely as cool as these to look at.. <another sigh>

makes you wonder if there's a lot of toxic material still in there the bird came into contact with....