Perth Show's Bedlam Sanatorium is a ride that needs to end

[Jack_Heath]

Hope that SANE's work to close the Bethlem Sanatorium ride at the Perth show is successful.  You'd think that people would understand how offensive something like this is to the many of us living with mental illness as well as our carers  http://www.sane.org/news-comment-2014/1346-letter-to-the-royal-agricultural-society-of-wa-close-the-...

[Neb]

Goodness, how extraordinary that such a " show" made it thus far. Yes, it is incredibly offensive, to my mind.

[NikNik]

Did anybody see this development today?

Win!

[Alessandra1992]

Did the Perth Show close down the exhibit? Hell, you would have to wonder why they just didn't approach a peak consumer group and ask first..

[Neb]

I am a keen video game player, and a recent game called " Bioshock Infinite " which has beautiful graphics has a mildly controversial storyline, a sort of alternate American pre Civil War culture, of slavery etc, the story also has an asylum which is very well done. I am glad my recovery allowed me to play this without being too disturbed, but it is confronting. I wonder if this " attraction" had some similarity to the game? It would have appealed to a younger audience in that case, in my humble opinion.

[Alessandra1992]

I visited Aradale Asylum in Victoria and J Ward...sad sad places and lacking much perspective from any of past patients. Volunteer guides keen to sensationalise J Ward, unnecessarily graphic.
I would have liked to see video stories or audio recordings of what it was like from patients view.

[Neb]

Sandy, I agree with you there, but I would not want to see such a film. Here, where I live, down the road a bit is the notorious Lake Alice sanatorium. I believe it was a mental health institution, but my mind just slides away from any other info. It is rather forlorn to see it mouldering, I guess if I was a photographer it would be a good essay on abandonment....in so many ways!

[Alessandra1992]

I think sometimes those old buildings could be used for amazing retreats as the scale of the lands and buildings are very stately.. Also gives them an entirely different energy..
The other point is the first recovery story I learned of was Jean-Baptiste ...who became the superintendent I think of the Paris asylum back in 1680's I think. It is told on mad history on YouTube..and taught in Uni nowadays.. Jean-baptiste was an inmate..so even back then, recovery was happening...

[Neb]

I am a fan of Georgette Heyer's regency books. The man of fashion that was a trend leader was Brummell, I read a fascinating biography of him. He died in France after falling from grace ( he insulted Prinny and had enormous betting debts). He was in a Catholic sanitarium with tertiary syphillis, and the conditions were very humane which surprised me. This was in the 1800 s.

[kristin]

Great news they changed it!

Horrible some of the ignorant online comments posted with the article about the change. Heartening seeing the supportive ones though! 

Cheers, K