Motivational Coping & Healing

Hello, my name is Crystal. If you are new to this blog, welcome, and I hope you find valuable insight on this website. I am excited to share with you that I was selected to present at the Mid-Eastern Honors Association (MEHA). My proposal to raise awareness of combining computer science and psychology was accepted.

I am in college, pursuing a Ph.D. in psychology and a master’s in computer science. My goal is to create virtual reality simulations of mental health illnesses for doctors, therapists, researchers, and the general public, aiming to increase compassion, understanding, and ultimately better treatment for people struggling with their mental health. While my main focus is individuals who have been institutionalized, this idea can be applied virtually anywhere to anyone.

Additionally, I want to help create programs that better prepare individuals who wish to work in institutional settings. Caregiver burnout is real, and healthcare professionals need access to programs and resources, too. There is a significant need for improvement within hospitals and institutions. I spent five years in facilities, and the amount of trauma both staff and patients give one another is a growing concern.

The picture below is of Hillcrest Behavioral Health Hospital, one hospital where I resided for over two years. In the picture, you see a staff member (wearing blue) who appears to be restraining a rowdy patient. However, if you watch the video, you can clearly see the staff member abusing a teen who was on crutches, dragging him to his room twice where there were no cameras for long periods. The staff member became violent and beat the teen for over 30 minutes. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5073807/Shocking-video-shows-staff-viciously-abusing-patients.html

These things happen, unfortunately, every day in institutional settings. There is no telling how many times a staff member got a “lick in” while restraining me. The first time I had to be restrained was when I did not move out of a chair that was not my assigned seat. My friend was having a full-blown panic attack because one of her family members had died, so I sat beside her to comfort her. The nurse did not like that, and when I tried to explain, she took it as me being defiant and called a code R (restraint) on me. 3-4 staff members held me down and gave me a sedative called a PRN. I got elbowed in the face a couple of times by “accident.” It was humiliating, shocking, and traumatic.

Understandably, staff get tired of coming to work and having to work with violent, disrespectful, rowdy patients. However, it does not excuse them from abusing patients, but I do understand why it has been a common problem throughout history. More resources and training are needed for people who want to work in healthcare settings, especially working in institutions, which is why I am on the career path I have chosen. There has to be a better way, the abuse in the health care system has got to stop.

The blog will shift more into research and personal findings as I document my own findings and experiences. I am excited to participate in MEHA and see other people present their proposals, too.