Communicating to escape: A look at involuntary hospitalization

Rosenhan (1973) conducted a study in which he put pseudopatients (that is—individuals who were research subjects and had not markedly been diagnosed with a mental illness) into mental institutions by having them admit themselves. The purpose of the study was to try to examine how the research subjects interacted with actual patients, and also to try to find how long it would take the subjects to leave the mental institution.

Over the course of my time in the hospital Laurie and I developed a friendship, but I watched her recovery take more from her physically and mentally, as she was increasingly administered more medication.

It should be made clear here that I was going through cognitive behavioral therapy for panic disorder. My therapist’s receptionist called to schedule my next appointment. I thought it was my doctor calling and I answered because I was working through a panic attack and hoping she could help. The receptionist was alarmed by the panic and asked if I needed help. Thinking she would call my doctor, I said yes. She told me to wait for a phone call, which I received letting me know that the police had been dispatched. The receptionist at the clinic was the one to call in the Baker Act and my therapist was not alerted until after I had already been admitted to the hospital.