Children of Darkness: The MOST disturbing mental illness documentary (EXTENDED)

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11 ай бұрын

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Children of Darkness is an Oscar nominated documentary film produced and written by Richard Kotuk and Ara Chekmayan. It explored the topic of juvenile psychiatry-an acute lack of mental health care in America for seriously emotionally disturbed youth.
It is about mentally ill and emotionally troubled children and young adults living in various private and public residences, state institutions, such as the Eastern State School in Pennsylvania, the Elan School in Poland, Maine, Sagamore Children's Center, a Long Island (state run) institution and South Beach in New York psychiatric hospital. It contains interviews with various parents, including ones whose children died under suspicious circumstances while in custody.
Many children in these institutions were simply warehoused and the common basic form of therapy was drugs, which didn't really help the kids but merely controlled them.
The film not only uncovered the mistreatments in mental institutions but it also captured the cold realization that mental illness can happen to anyone. Public mental institutions were not just for the poor. Children from middle class families and upper middle class families often ended up there due to inadequate insurance money and dwindled savings. Children of Darkness is scarier than many horror films we've ever seen, possibly one of the most disturbing and upsetting documentaries out there. The real life tragedies and dramas viewed in this film are a depressive tour-de-force into the corridors of psychiatric institutions dedicated to children and teenagers who early in life are put up against the most difficult of problems.
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@RealWomenRealStories 11 ай бұрын

ALL: *Please tap the "Thanks" button under this video or join our Patreon for bonus content and more: www.patreon.com/realwomenrealstories

@sonyagraske376 9 ай бұрын

When was this documentary (year,) done? Thankyou. By the way, I really learn so much from your channel.

@RealWomenRealStories 9 ай бұрын

Thank you so much!!!@@sonyagraske376

@I_am_UpsideDown 9 ай бұрын

to answer ur question,1983 and after getting a huge leg up from Oprah, Dr Phil is still supporting ''ranches''... speaks volumes@@sonyagraske376 very scary times.

@Mrs.LadeyBug 9 ай бұрын

What year was this documentary filmed?

@RealWomenRealStories 9 ай бұрын

@@Mrs.LadeyBug 1983.

@fiphuket2010 10 ай бұрын

That poor lad with the muscle dystrophy 😢 how his parents could be so cruel. He seems like such a lovely boy too 😢

@chrisbobbitt1182 9 ай бұрын

His parents are soulless and don’t deserve him.

@jen9774 9 ай бұрын

This is is absolutely heart- breaking. I just want to put my arms around him and hug him so tight.

@Snookyboo 9 ай бұрын

In 2023, there are people who disown their children because they are the soft and sensitive ones. They don't even need to have a physical or mental disability. They just need to be the ones who are constantly told to toughen up and act like their older sibling. So don't be surprised. People are savages pretending to be human.

@Imaseeker13 9 ай бұрын

I agree very sad for him

@erikfreezer6282 9 ай бұрын

@@Imaseeker13 Whats THAT for a heartless comment ❓️YOU his parents❓️ how dare YOU leave your child so neglected ❓️😪

@KMarr07 10 ай бұрын

Brian is lucky to have such a wonderful dad and friend.

@TheChef470 10 ай бұрын

Brian’s Dad breaks my heart. He loves that boy so much.

@mariapap8962 10 ай бұрын

Indeed! Such a lovely person despite all the torment and blows that life gave him.

@Muhmawmehmaw 9 ай бұрын

Him and his Dad is the most wholesome thing ever

@clairegibson6417 9 ай бұрын

God bless Brian and his dad ❤

@nickdyber7644 9 ай бұрын

Yeah I’m team Brian

@Lifeworthliving425 9 ай бұрын

I’m from Philadelphia I’m almost sure I’ve seen them in my area.

@Jewls1000 9 ай бұрын

Brian's 'girlfriend' is so sweet. I bet ppl make fun of her too just for being his friend. She's really special & cares for him. The Dad is amazing.

@reginamatos7021 7 ай бұрын

I agree but I also think she’s in it for the money.

@sublimeblush 7 ай бұрын

Why so? @@reginamatos7021

@PlayerToBeNamedLater1973 23 күн бұрын

@@reginamatos7021you believe that , or say you do , because she is doing something selfless that you know you would not do.

@katiix 9 ай бұрын

I cried listening to Brians father talk about what is going to happen when he dies and who will show love to Brian and take him out every weekend.

@southernfoods7302 6 ай бұрын

Me too😢

@aaronrodriguez6978 Ай бұрын

Is Brian still alive??

@millions2nette 10 ай бұрын

@2:50 , this child sounds and speaks completely sane and sensible. His muscular distrophe just affects, his speech a little, that's all. His comments were completely sensible and understandable. Such horrible parents.

@DA-ib1ii 10 ай бұрын

I know soul crushingly sad😢 I hope this guy has since been able to make a life for himself outside the institution and has found some kind of peace despite his awful “parents”

@beckery2 10 ай бұрын

That made me cry bc I worked at a group home about 7 yrs ago and this one young male resident has a similar story. He was non verbal but he understood when you spoke to him and his condition was severe but he could still get around well enough he'd run you ragged. Such a sweet guy always happy and loved to laugh so I could never understand why his parents just ditched him there years before and never came back. I thought it was so cool that his initials were TGIF and I was under the impression it was intentional so HOW can someone put such thought into something like that just to throw it all away?!

@jennajoseph893 10 ай бұрын

Absolutely heartbreaking. 💔💔💔💔💔💔 Brings tears to my eyes. 😭😭😭😭😭 I'm much younger than him, since this was made long ago; but I still would want to adopt him. 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

@arlenesusanarivera7809 10 ай бұрын

Yes. Totally. I have 14 year old teen with autism and he cannot speak like this. I would not drop him off anywhere. I am taking care of him and keeping him safe.

@pita3908 10 ай бұрын

poor baby is better without those horrible parents, they dont deserve him, this kid is still mental alert, God blessing with love and prosperity.

@paulamarshall3810 10 ай бұрын

This 1983 documentary is sad and upsetting but what is shocking is that not much has changed in 40 years! There are still places like these. Patients are still dying in “mysterious” circumstances and people are still treating those with mental health conditions as social pariahs. 😢😢

@RealWomenRealStories 10 ай бұрын

SPOT ON! THANK YOU!

@Jessica-oe2ss 10 ай бұрын

My brother found dead in his room residential mental care he never harmed anyone 😢rip pez

@RealWomenRealStories 10 ай бұрын

@@Jessica-oe2ss SO SORRY JESSICA!

@denap21 10 ай бұрын

@@Jessica-oe2ssPEZ from PA? I Had a friend back around 2005 named PEZ I don't know where he went. Would he be in his 40s right now?

@DemmyChan 10 ай бұрын

over 4 years ago, i used to work at a pet store and I can't tell you how many times I saw an unmarked vehicle dump a person at the parking lot and it turns out that was the state dumping mental ill people who aged out of the system. Alot of homeless schizophrenics would be seen returning to the pet store. The animals give them comfort. Its really sad.

@mcqueendroid 5 ай бұрын

This hit me like a ton of bricks. I’m tearing up so much. I complain about my life sometimes. Then I see this, and think to myself how dare I complain. These kids are true warriors. They deserve respect, love, understanding, compassion,and respect.

@katiix 9 ай бұрын

omg 2:45 He's completely aware of his parents dropping him off and not wanting him anymore. Due to his muscular dystrophy he struggles with his speech but other then that there's nothing wrong with him. I have a neighbor that has it as well and he lives alone. This is so heartbreaking. 💔

@westofthewicky2960 10 ай бұрын

Brian’s dad and friend are two amazing people ❤

@leslieludwick1321 9 ай бұрын

She started the whole situation because the dad told him he could go, and she immediately spoiled it, letting him know he couldn’t. And then they cornered him. Of course, he became hysterical. More importantly, the woman started it.

@SuburbanSavage 5 ай бұрын

I am eternally grateful that my parents hid my autism diagnosis because they knew what would happen to me if I went into the system. It wasn't easy for me, I really struggled sometimes, but it was worth it.

@leeannjuday 5 ай бұрын

❤

@goudagirl6095 5 ай бұрын

Now that I think about it, there were probably many more kids on the autism and Asberger's spectrum that we knew about, but they were just the "odd ducks" in school, and were integrated into regular classes.

@SuburbanSavage 5 ай бұрын

@@goudagirl6095 it probably wasn't as obvious to you when you were younger, but at around middle school age is really when the schisms start as far as cliques go. That's when you start pairing down to hanging out with the people that you want, not the kids that your parents force you to interact with. I bet that you can name one or two kids from school who were just not quite on the same page as everyone else. I'm not talking about the obvious stuff, like skin color, size, economics, etc., but it was almost like you were speaking to someone who still spoke in Old English; you recognize that they're speaking familiar words, but not in the way that you understand. That's autism. Even I could recognize it as kid!

@pierrotcrow 27 күн бұрын

@@goudagirl6095 I was definitely one of those "odd ducks". I never understood why I struggled so much in social settings, why I've always been "overly sensitive", why I felt so overwhelmed by life sometimes, etc. until I found out in my late teens that I'm autistic, and suddenly my life made so much more sense. apparently my parents had wondered if I was on the spectrum when I was very young, but didn't do anything about it because it wasn't impacting me academically. part of me is glad that I wasn't diagnosed as a child because it could have kept me from being able to have the same opportunities as everyone else, but on the other hand it's incredibly difficult to grow up feeling so isolated from your peers and not knowing why everything is so much more complicated for you.

@kimberlybailey6696 10 ай бұрын

I worked in a residential treatment center in Oklahoma for a short time. Although they didn’t physically abuse their patients, the emotional abuse was very similar to Elon. I didn’t know this type of thing existed in the United States. After I had worked there a few months I broke my ankle while at home mowing the lawn. A few days after I returned to work the director accused me of stealing a clients medications, the exact same medication I had a prescription for. She fired me, and within a year the place closed and she was arrested for driving while under the influence of-you guessed it-the same medication she accused me of stealing. The people who are in charge of these places are not who they pretend to be.

@mrsshahid5117 9 ай бұрын

This is a nightmare

@danaposton3649 7 ай бұрын

I knew a girl that was a registered nurse, she was working on a cancer floor, and she was stealing the patients medicines for pain and whatever she wanted. She ended up getting caught, losing her job, but upon completion of drug court, she is was reinstated as a RN, and allowed to practice again. A few years later, her son was diagnosed with cancer. Very sad that her son ended up with cancer, seems like bad karma to me. Very sad for him.

@TraceyBillsHomes 6 ай бұрын

Let Brian go to the canteen...telling him he doesn't have money. Pry all he has to look forward to. 😢 a d the things he says, he's heard...so some serious trauma when he was small and it seems to continue currently.

@crystaldonison Ай бұрын

I agree with you that the people in charge put on a show but are different behind closed doors.

@marilynnmcgrath132 10 ай бұрын

As much as my heart goes out to all these dear children it actually breaks for parents like Brian’s Dad. We should all be grateful for our healthy children and always remember how blessed we are ❤️

@kattail1429 10 ай бұрын

My thoughts too. Some of us have it very hard on this planet. If only we could help each other better.

@jennifers.3818 10 ай бұрын

The state COULD pay for an in home care taker for kids like Brian. But then these facilities wouldn't be earning all the money from state and feds. Its all about money

@LeniDell 10 ай бұрын

Lmao you obviously don’t understand the expenses involved for PERMANENT lifelong mental health care. We can’t have social and medical safety nets and expect not to fund it through taxes. It was tuff in the 80s because Reagan shut down mental health facilities left and right. This film is right when that was happening. It was hard then. It’s 5x MORE expensive NOW.

@JoyceKephart-tc9jg 9 ай бұрын

@@LeniDell TV

@dominos6576 9 ай бұрын

Brian unfortunately died a few years ago. He was in his 50s I think.

@MollyMoleComedy 10 ай бұрын

The boy who painted and wrote poetry. Who died. My daughter is like that she’s high functioning autistic and she’s wonderful. She needs a little bit of extra love and care. She’s clever and sensitive and beautiful and she loves animals. I’m crying now.

@jax993 10 ай бұрын

🫠 virtual hug ❤

@annewilson4404 9 ай бұрын

I'm crying as well God bless you x

@clairegibson6417 9 ай бұрын

Sending a hug ❤

@dabo357 9 ай бұрын

Yes, so very sad.

@streaming5332 9 ай бұрын

All children need love and care

@silasthornblood9038 9 ай бұрын

I feel so sorry for Brian, you can see how much he hates the institution.

@streaming5332 9 ай бұрын

Where else could they get 24hr care..

@heatheroriordan5800 7 ай бұрын

I felt so bad when the worker said "Brian is mildly retarded" but he said "I'm not retarded... am I?"

@doctorposting 6 ай бұрын

@@streaming5332home…

@metalmike570 5 ай бұрын

Yet he's smart enough to accept it.

@misskatniss11 10 ай бұрын

..but he will want love and affection, But where is he gonna get it?" This is the core issue not just in this documentary but within mental health treatment in general.These kids are NOT walking disabilities they are humans with thought and feelings who also have mental disabilities.

@bluegypsydoll 10 ай бұрын

This place lived on until 2011. Absolute horror for all those poor kids.

@JenSumma 10 ай бұрын

There are plenty of inpatient behavioral hospitals like these throughout America. I trained at one in med school

@AlexWatson-ii7ol 5 ай бұрын

No way 😳

@metalmike570 5 ай бұрын

It's still better than nothing though.

@JCGible 4 ай бұрын

Absolutely 😒

@fioregiallo 10 ай бұрын

This was not a treatment center. It was a torture center.

@mariadiamond6311 8 ай бұрын

I feel the Same! IT IS a Horror house!

@heatheroriordan5800 7 ай бұрын

@@mariadiamond6311the so called confrontation "therapy" around 1:11:39 (starts a little bit before that) with making the girl wear the dunce cap as the other (much older) children degraded her... horrible. And they made them "confront" her in this way or wlse theyd be punished. How the staff in these places could see this abuse as "therapy" is beyond me. And I have heard this kind of "therapy" was done into rhe 2000s

@anactualalpaca7016 5 ай бұрын

@@heatheroriordan5800 there was a children's care center in upstate NY that would put shock vests on children up until 2012

@JCGible 4 ай бұрын

Fnn right it was.

@sharynwithawhy1851 10 ай бұрын

I read that Brian died in 2016 at age 53. He was found dead in his group home. He’d moved at 18 to a group home only 4 blocks from his dads home. But sadly, his dad had passed away in 1984, so about a year after this documentary. His girlfriend from the doc did continue to visit and care for him for years after this documentary. I think she must’ve moved on because his girlfriend close to the time of his death had a different name. 😢

@jennybyrd2818 10 ай бұрын

😢

@AccentYouLovingheart 10 ай бұрын

😢😢😢😢😢😢

@latrishabledsoe7766 10 ай бұрын

😢

@FloridaIsOneHellOfADrug 10 ай бұрын

Thank you for sharing this news with us. I felt so moved by Brian, his kind and loving father, and also his sweet girl friend! 🥺

@charden64 10 ай бұрын

Thank you Sharyn!!

@Michelle-ee6we 10 ай бұрын

Imagine being so desperate to help your child you pay and send them to a place like Elan. You think it’s going to help but the ‘treatment’ methods are like emotional abuse. I’d come out with more problems than I had going in.😢

@NicoletaBivolaru-zu3ip 10 ай бұрын

😢

@alphaomega1351 10 ай бұрын

Imagine praying 🙏 to some god deity to solve these problems. 😶

@bonniebrown6960 10 ай бұрын

It is abuse. These people are just making money off of these poor kids illnesses. It's so sad to watch. I was hoping there was going to be s better out come, but obviously not.

@dietlindvonhohenwald448 10 ай бұрын

Yeah, if parents made their kid live in a full trash can with guards, that would be abuse and they would be charged and arrested. But it is done to kids with mental issues “as treatment” ?!?!🤷🏻‍♀️ How does a thing like that help?

@sterntaler64 10 ай бұрын

@@bonniebrown6960 As far as I understood, the kids at Elan weren't mentally ill, but "bad", doing stupid things. They had been more lucky ending up in jail...less horror there.

@ashleysaad1724 10 ай бұрын

I have a ten year old son with autism and I could never drop him off somewhere and just go live my life… how heartbreaking… I just want to give all these kids love ….

@BiGuy19 9 ай бұрын

Youre a good mother !

@AlianaRegos 9 ай бұрын

Very old doco, more knowledge available/support now at least in NZ

@chickapeas5646 9 ай бұрын

My child is severely Autistic and 9 years old. I made myself watch this because, I think I need to do something for children like this. I could never imagine my husband or I leaving our baby behind anywhere. Loving, kissing, and hugging is everything in our child’s life. He can not speak and still in diapers but, he is the happiest child. I pray with the love of Jesus, we can always give him a life full of love. I can’t imagine what would happen to him, if not for constant love and acceptance. I could see him easily falling into disconnection from the world. This country’s Autism rates are off the chart from when these videos were made. In my opinion it’s the symptoms of a falling world. Growing in darkness.

@user-nu8tr2uh7b 9 ай бұрын

Yes ma'am!!!

@ThouSwell-zx3fd 9 ай бұрын

I have a daughter with special needs and she's the light of my life

@Cuban_Mala 10 ай бұрын

3 minutes in and I'm in tears..Please protect the unwanted and unseen

@Jodidub 9 ай бұрын

Jim is such a good father and Brian’s old neighbor is an angel too 😭

@chillhouse6968 5 ай бұрын

Brian's father is an excellent example of how all us should be. KInd, caring and compassionate. Kudos to Brian's father. 💯💯💯💯💯💯💯

@annepatton8727 9 ай бұрын

Jerry, the boy at 3:00 always broke my heart. This isn't the 1st time I bump into this documentary and every time I see it I can't help but to bawl. He looked so sweet. He needed love from his parents.

@clairegibson6417 9 ай бұрын

Same 😞

@magnuskallas 9 ай бұрын

I too noticed him. In all honesty, the way he words his sentences is on at least average level, sounds like he didn't have a serious mental disability.

@annepatton8727 9 ай бұрын

@@magnuskallas they just didn't want him. Too bad, he sounded very sweet and smart.

@heatheroriordan5800 7 ай бұрын

@@magnuskallasmuscular dystrophy. muscle weakness makes it difficult to form the words with the mouth and throat muscles, and also can eventually make walking difficult or impossible. but there's no intellectual disability at all it is a physical one. He did not belong there at all. Very sad.

@jindeetuffrey6946 6 ай бұрын

I wonder if he got a job and has a good life which I wish for him...

@DimpleDumple787 5 ай бұрын

Can I just say, for all the terrible things seen in this documentary, the teacher in the autism school, I appreciate him so much. He seems to genuinely care and love the kids he teaches. That is incredibly rare.

@lpronovost84 10 ай бұрын

Brian's dad is an amazing man.

@AlaskanAndie 10 ай бұрын

The boy was in a great mood... Shame on that male nurse for forcing him to lay down... It wasn't necessary to do any of that!! No human likes to be forced to do anything!!! No wonder these kids lose it so much!!! Going about these kids/people all wrong!!!

@shayrodriguez6237 9 ай бұрын

At least they didn't give him a pill to calm him....

@sandysmedley737 8 ай бұрын

...the one Dr gave him a shot though

@metalmike570 5 ай бұрын

He would have been better off going out for a walk.

@mechellewinslow65 10 ай бұрын

This is very sad. 😢 my daughter is 22 and has had schizophrenia since 14 years old and thank god for medicine we have today!!!! This is very upsetting

@boredweegie553 10 ай бұрын

shizophrenia isn't a mental health problem, its a neurological problem,, the same way, autism, dementia etc are neurological and not a mental illness

@beanj580 9 ай бұрын

Neurological problems are also mental health problems

@merileopardisaksassa7030 10 ай бұрын

We need to treat our fellow humans better. Recently a young mentally disabled woman who was living in a care group home in my city gave birth and left the baby outside in a field. The child survived, but quite a few people went on a crusade against her. Turns out one of the carers was sexually abusing her and as she was unable to speak or otherwise express herself very well she just shut down when she accidently gavceebirth too early outside and left the kid there. The home & her parents were aware she was pregnant but no one investigated what was done to her before she became 'a criminal'. The child was fine thankfully, but they put that woman through so much police investigation. She was sitting in the station and telling the translator in limited sign language that she wants to have her crayons and continue coloring her book... she didn't understand at all what she did.

@Lisa-Peter7875 10 ай бұрын

😢😢 absolutely heartbreaking 💔

@jennifers.3818 10 ай бұрын

Absolutely horrific. Thats anorher issue in this county, is the judicial system. Someone who truly is suffering frm mental illness will get the same treatment as a neurotypical person. Its not right and many fall through the cracks

@74blondegirl 5 ай бұрын

@@jennifers.3818Yep and the prison system is the new mental hospital. It’s a vicious cycle.

@SculptExpress-gv8jp 5 ай бұрын

I love Brian’s father. So sweet and profoundly worried about his son in this cruel land. It shouldn’t be that way!!!

@jankasza5538 10 ай бұрын

God Bless Brian’s dad!💕

@madiola1234 10 ай бұрын

well if there is a god...then he's made this happen...think about it!!!

@constancejohnson6841 10 ай бұрын

I believe these are children that are starving for the affection of their parents and what they did here is absolutely absurd

@hopesanchez3501 10 ай бұрын

Definitely physical and verbal abuse. Anyone would go crazy in that place !!!!!!

@artslife3876 10 ай бұрын

It was like experimental abuse, nothing surprising, but absolutely horrendous. That would drive anybody completely off their head. I wonder what happened to these souls 😔💔💜

@schoomzer 10 ай бұрын

This is the type of "treatment" that Paris Hilton and many others endured. It explains her instability and hyper-sexuality in her youth.

@artslife3876 10 ай бұрын

@@schoomzer yeah, I know. Shocking.

@sharonwilliams1981 10 ай бұрын

I work in mental health and watching this was horrific

@MiMiDixon-np8wm 9 ай бұрын

Have you ever seen this kind of abuse??

@sharonwilliams1981 9 ай бұрын

@@MiMiDixon-np8wmno I haven't thankfully

@serenitynow288 10 ай бұрын

Brian is such a beautiful child and so are all these children. I feel so bad for those abandoned especially the young man in the wheelchair. 😢❤

@stephenn8366 10 ай бұрын

It's been proven these tactics don't work.

@davinagreen3875 9 ай бұрын

My goodness! The doctors and so called "experts" come over as far more mentally disturbed!

@tammyd398 5 ай бұрын

Brian's dad needed Brian just as much as Brian needed his dad. This is a heartbreaking doc 💔

@felicityfourie1785 9 ай бұрын

Muscular dystrophy, despite the inability to control muscles, are 100% mentally normal. How awful that he is housed with others who have various forms of psychosis.

@jamesnicholson2503 10 ай бұрын

Mental illness is a terrible, terrible thing,see never judge the book by the cover.My late dad used to tell me that.

@ecuadorexpat8558 10 ай бұрын

Poor babies !!!! How utterly heartbreaking !!!

@hannazyra9908 9 ай бұрын

How fortunate for him to have such a loving father

@KathyJensen-vh2yk 11 ай бұрын

Behavioral health needs a serious improvement. Psychiatrist don't evaluate and diagnose correctly at times . True about therapy, they don't help just give you pills that may not be right for you , it confuses and and makes it easy for control. People might want to take class on Mental health first aid and also learn how to identify.

@kimcummings6904 11 ай бұрын

Many times Psychiatrists will just prescribe pills without a full examination of the possible ailments

@KathyJensen-vh2yk 11 ай бұрын

@@kimcummings6904 true , they say trial and error. Keep prescribing pills for wrong diagnosis. I have witnessed sexual abuse , physical abuse, and giving patience shots in ass just to shut them up .

@pamrussell2808 10 ай бұрын

@Tryshaah 10 ай бұрын

exactly they pump my son with thorazine to control him hes like a zombie

@Muhmawmehmaw 9 ай бұрын

Psychology is very different from other medical specialties. We know very little about how some medication works and some do not. Which is why they monitor their patients side effects carefully.

@kimp.e.8171 5 ай бұрын

It's all so sad. Jerry's story is the one that broke my heart the most. He can carry on an intelligent conversation, and yet, his parents felt he wasn't worthy enough to finish raising. I wonder how his life ended up?

@Gurl-5150 10 ай бұрын

Poor Jerry. My poor heart couldn't go any further than Jerry. Hope his parents had a nice long multi-year stay in a facility far worse than this one day, then straight to Hades after.

@101boertjie 10 ай бұрын

This doccie is a serious eye-opener to what goes on in a world that many of us do not know much or anything about.

@RobinSpeer 10 ай бұрын

This was disturbing to watch but such the mindset in the 1980's. Strange that the Elan staff wasn't dolling out the punishments but the other "residents"...that is sick! I wonder how these people are doing now that they are 60+ years old. I wonder how many crashed and burned due to the mistreatment they received.

@NicoletaBivolaru-zu3ip 10 ай бұрын

That place IT is a living hell 😢

@BiGuy19 9 ай бұрын

Those poor children !

@MiCasayYo7 10 ай бұрын

My friend use to work in a house with 4 mental men. And he notice that some of the medicine there were gettin was making them worse.

@MrIgnitos 10 ай бұрын

Being on toxic medication can also give people stranger personalities / body language, etc.

@trixiec4880 10 ай бұрын

It was very popular in the 80s for parents to dump their "problem" kids in these residential "schools" as broken homes where on the rise, mothers out working and wanting a life for themselves outside of the home. So many of these "schools" were horrifically abusive as the staff knew these kids were basically written off by their parents.

@jennifers.3818 10 ай бұрын

True. Now even famous celebrities are speaking out about their experiences. Seems it waa alot of parents with money and status They needed their kids to fall in line and not make them look bad. Easiest thing was ship them off, hide them

@Shannonbarnesdr1 9 ай бұрын

it was just as bad in the 70s, 60s and decades before, this was not a new thing,it had been going on for many many years sadly, but at the same time, what else do you do with someone who needs round the clock care, its one thing to do it to someone who is at least somewhat functional, thats not right, but these real severe ones with mental health issues on top of that, they need 24/7 care.

@catherineburris4697 10 ай бұрын

Makes me think twice when I complain about my problems because this is heart wrenching…and I can just hope that maybe things are better now than in the 1980’s with medications and how we handle our children. 😞

@Michelle-mu2ux 10 ай бұрын

me too. i went to a mental hospital a few years ago and it was not like this at all! I got my medication, food, sleep and respect. they were short staffed but it was a good experience. This movie is old. I doubt they knew what to do at the time.

@haleymozena1951 9 ай бұрын

Yes it is I went to a residential place kinda like the place at the end and it’s not like they they treat you like a person they still suck ass tho

@metalmike570 5 ай бұрын

With autism, called Classic autism it's not much better though. He's my experience: Sometimes babies and toddlers brains get damaged, sometimes the onset is vaccinations by the age of 2. You see the baby / toddler's brain hurts and so he will have a tantrum. My son sat on the floor and had mini-seizures - banging his head (the back of his head on the floor). Like doing a situp only smashing his head on the floor. We didn't understand it but but would try to catch him, soften the blow. Later that year he looked right through me, no communication at all. Then diagnosed with autism. So he developed physically but non-verbal year after year. The speech center of the brain is damaged yet the brain scan - the doctor said it seems normal. I had to move out yet would always check on him and his sister. His mother could not work because her job was caregiver for our son and our daughter (she was normal), so she went to school but her mom was always there for her too. Our son is now 21 and aging out of his school, a school for children and young adults that are autistic or have cerebral palsy. He does seem to like school though, he wakes around 7:30 and his mom drives him to school and he starts at 9:00. The marriage was tough, unfortunately there was fighting and disagreements. So I lived on my own. The divorce was finalized a couple years ago. Now I am a caregiver for my son. I am paid by the state and go to him every day for 4 hours. And he does an overnight with me around the weekend. So far we keep him out of some strange place caring for him.

@yvonne4978 10 ай бұрын

I wanna kno why tf they actually tell these kids that their parents were embarrassed to go in public with them? These kids shouldn't be told such messed up things regardless if it's the truth

@corpsefoot758 10 ай бұрын

Well I mean, when the kids ask where their parents are for hundreds of times in a month, what else do you expect the care-workers to say to them

@yvonne4978 10 ай бұрын

@corpsefoot758 maybe something like, I'm not sure why they left but I'm sure it was for ur own well being? Something like that maybe?

@corpsefoot758 10 ай бұрын

@@yvonne4978 I dunno dude, kids are pretty sharp; I worry they might be able to pick out the lie eventually, and for someone already suffering from mental illness that’s yet another deceptive aspect of their life you’re adding to the pile I think if you prepared the children properly, a lesson of “your parents neglected you but you are not defined by the type of parents you come from” isn’t too terrible a lesson, in the end 🤷‍♂️

@yvonne4978 10 ай бұрын

@corpsefoot758 ya see that doesn't sound too bad but that's not what they told him, they told him ur mom didn't want u because ur retarded

@deneensanders4117 10 ай бұрын

That's what I wanted to know

@BDog54 10 ай бұрын

There was such a down to earth way about people back then, unassuming and honest on camera. Such a different generation. So different from the narcissism and insincerity that seems to pervade nowadays.

@kirstenornelas881 10 ай бұрын

When the one caregiver was asked if this was the best they could do you could see he really did have compassion for the kids he really did care and wished there was a better way. He was nearly brought to tears and seeing how these kids were living then it breaks my heart.

@hlengiwemasondo2858 10 ай бұрын

I miss those days. I hope things get better

@mandibailey9104 10 ай бұрын

This comment is wild. People were monsters back then without consequence. That was the height of the Aids epidemic, "Satanic panic," more active serial killers, and absent parents. People are nicer to each other now. Parents born in that generation actually teach and take care of their children. There aren't nearly as many latchkey children now. I'm guessing you guys were shielded from the world or are looking back with rose colored glasses. Today isn't great, but it's better than it was then. We just had fun without knowing the consequences until one of our friends disappeared. I couldn't go outside without grown men cat calling me. Some chased me. 1 caught me and hurt me. I told the cops and they laughed. This documentary shows a bunch of abuse and parents who just dropped off their kids and pretended they didn't exist.

@mrsshahid5117 9 ай бұрын

Seriously?

@BDog54 9 ай бұрын

@@mandibailey9104 My comment was merely talking about the way people expressed themselves on camera, at a time when social media and constant camera use hadn't invaded our lives, therefore the average Joe tended to be much more down to earth in how they expressed themselves. I was in no way trying to say that therefore, there were less criminals, less catcalling etc. I'm fully aware things aren't perfect in any era or generation. My comment still stands; narcissism and self absorbancy is absolutely more prominent in today's society and people are more hyper-focused on presenting a version of themselves to the world that will get them likes, clicks, money, societal or sexual praise etc.

@lynettehughes4673 9 ай бұрын

I get the feeling that a lot of experimental 'treatments' are carried out in places like these all over the world 😢

@ankyan00andersson32 10 ай бұрын

So much love from Brians father,thats amazing. And Brian is much better and happier with his dad.. This made me cry. He needs love and proper care. He seems so safe and happy at home.

@pussygalore731 10 ай бұрын

His father is 70 he's obviously a much younger woman pregnant and she hasn't wanted this child

@metalmike570 5 ай бұрын

Sometimes babies and toddlers brains get damaged, sometimes the onset is vaccinations by the age of 2. You see the baby / toddler's brain hurts and so he will have a tantrum. My son sat on the floor and had mini-seizures - banging his head (the back of his head on the floor). Like doing a situp only smashing his head on the floor. We didn't understand it but but would try to catch him, soften the blow. Later that year he looked right through me, no communication at all. Then diagnosed with autism. So he developed physically but non-verbal year after year. The speech center of the brain is damaged yet the brain scan - the doctor said it seems normal. I had to move out yet would always check on him and his sister. His mother could not work because her job was caregiver for our son and our daughter (she was normal), so she went to school but her mom was always there for her too. Our son is now 21 and aging out of his school, a school for children and young adults that are autistic or have cerebral palsy. He does seem to like school though, he wakes around 7:30 and his mom drives him to school and he starts at 9:00. The marriage was tough, unfortunately there was fighting and disagreements. So I lived on my own. The divorce was finalized a couple years ago. Now I am a caregiver for my son. I am paid by the state and go to him every day for 4 hours. And he does an overnight with me around the weekend. So far we keep him out of some strange place caring for him.

@lovesallanimals9948 10 ай бұрын

This is nothing more than abuse by power hunger adult's

@susancerchiori2715 9 ай бұрын

This vile behavior by "therapists " is disturbing. However it still goes on in "bootcamps" 40 years later.

@hasnahabdullah716 10 ай бұрын

Brian is a beautiful looking young man..His Dad is such a lovely Man…

@meganmccampbepl1321 10 ай бұрын

Hearing the "Dr." At the second place talking about screaming at the kids made me so angry! Then seeing the kids screaming insults at each other really had my blood boiling!!! Id LOVE to high five that Doctor in the face!!

@firebyrd437 10 ай бұрын

Me too

@serenitynow288 10 ай бұрын

@@firebyrd437 I think the doctor had some mental issues himself.

@vickythefist7062 10 ай бұрын

They were shut down eventually . After sexual abuse and assaults came out into the open .think it took years though .they had suicide after suicide attempt after the kids left . Sick and vile

@sarahalbers5555 9 ай бұрын

It always helps to scream at kids to calm them down. That is totally cruel.

@MondoBeno 5 ай бұрын

I was a student teacher at a place like this, but for physically disabled kids like Jerry, not emotionally disturbed. There was a kid from an immigrant family who would come for short stays, he did fine, but something about the parents was off. Then one day he was dropped off with a suitcase, and a letter saying, "I'm leaving him here with you, if you send him back to my home I will abandon my wife and my other two children." The mother threatened suicide if the boy went home. We immediately had the father arrested for child abandonment, and the mother put on a 48 hour mental health hold. It turned out the mother just needed time off from child-rearing, but she had to be counseled to go after her husband for child support.

@heatheroriordan5800 7 ай бұрын

So sad what happened to Andrew and it NEVER should have happened. The staff should've KNOWN he was allergic to Thorazine it should've been in his file (if they even looked). Imagine thinking he was faking the reaction and then giving him even MORE!? Unbelievable. That poor boy. Hearing his parents talk about it just made me so sad, truly heartbreaking.

@lisadooley3872 5 ай бұрын

A similar thing happened to a friend of mine. He and his brother lived in a different group home where I live and his brother became sick with appendicitis and they said that he was faking it and didn’t take him to the hospital until he was throwing up blood and having other severe symptoms and by then his appendix had already burst and by the next morning he had died!!!

@sterntaler64 10 ай бұрын

ELAN is no "treatment center" - it's a horrific "traumatising machinery". The so called rules are against human rights and most likely many laws. Those people should be sent to jail alltogether due to child violation, abuse and unresponsible 'medical treatment'. It's disgusting! Shame on the parents.

@KatFoxx 9 ай бұрын

👍 AGREED

@truthismycause2800 9 ай бұрын

This was in early 80s.

@Joy-Marie369 5 ай бұрын

I went to a Reform Boarding school for troubled teens and it was worse than ELAN. Schools like this are still around. Mine was shut down in 2003 I believe.

@nettricegaskins1871 5 ай бұрын

In 1983 when this documentary was released, I spent one month as an inpatient for chronic depression. I was 13 years old. I feel very fortunate that the program I was in was a good one. I was not drugged and the staff were caring.

@IwasBlueb4 10 ай бұрын

that vile female nurse upset brian on purpose...and thenheld him down

@vickythefist7062 10 ай бұрын

Poor poor billy . restrained for 2 and a half years . What a sad way to live .

@bernadetteweitsz5406 10 ай бұрын

This is demonic.... rest in peace to all of the victims. The forgotten one's

@deanamcbryde373 10 ай бұрын

I've worked in facilities and group homes with mentally disabled for 15 years. I was lucky enough to work in homes that were wonderful and beautiful. Clients had a better life than we did lol but I have come to some that I refuse to even work there. This man's solution would be, donate his home when he passes as a group home. With the exception that his son would always live there. Some of the group homes I worked in we're set up that way. This video is heart breaking.

@vickythefist7062 10 ай бұрын

62 deaths in a year and a half a south beach hospital . 😢 Thats terrible and disgusting

@maryjanesdank 10 ай бұрын

If I got away from my parents sooner I wouldn’t have been in and out of these cold,lack of stimulation,abusive places constantly as a teen,I’m glad I left at 15,it was them who had the issue with me,and lacked empathy,care,protection,and love

@tlg6726 9 ай бұрын

I have a feeling my family member is experiencing this, he is 9 yrs. I see his mind changing & asking my mom to keep her ears & eyes open to let me know.

@mrsshahid5117 9 ай бұрын

You are a survivor ❤. Keep going

@hannazyra9908 9 ай бұрын

This boy is so articulate u fortunate his parents can not see this and get past his physical difference and see him and not through the disability

@annewilson4404 9 ай бұрын

I have a great niece with autism she is my angel, I looked after her from when 6months old for 2days a week she kept me sane when my husband died. She's almost 19 now and still love's to come to my house God bless her

@daniellex51484 9 ай бұрын

Did she talk at all as a child? My daughter is 4 and non verbal 😢

@annewilson4404 7 ай бұрын

@@daniellex51484 not a lot and most people couldn't understand her she is doing ĝŕèat now try not to worry she ĝet there I ĺove her to bits x

@jennifers.3818 10 ай бұрын

The situation with Billy was horrific. They mentioned lobotomy, but I thought that was illegal in 1983??

@KathyJensen-vh2yk 11 ай бұрын

In Tucson Arizona the behavioral health system is Trafficking. FACT. I have paper trail .

@albertchavez2693 10 ай бұрын

Tey will end up in Hell for abusing young folk!

@MissMollyCohen 10 ай бұрын

With the things I've seen too, I don't even question you about that sadly... Too many of the system do trafficking 😢😢

@arianagarcia3733 10 ай бұрын

I'm in Tucson. Can I know what info you got?

@KathyJensen-vh2yk 10 ай бұрын

@@arianagarcia3733 Sheriff department Deputy Hector Palomino mastermind my son's homicide, I'm fighting to get Justice, law enforcement had me hospitalized for evaluation, Four different diagnosis, which none are true. They want me to seem unstable when I go to court. I was released with no court order for treatment. My son. Richard Jensen , Deputy Palomino & Sheriff Chris Nanos Raped Jessica Rodriguez, got her pregnant. My son was going to do DNA. Hector Palomino is the DNA. I have much info .

@KathyJensen-vh2yk 10 ай бұрын

@@arianagarcia3733 diagnosis was from 4 different psychiatrist .

@highwinds71 10 ай бұрын

Billy looks like he's in pain . And he doesn't know how to tell anyone . The way he is biting down on the blanket and moaning like his entire body hurts gives me that impression.

@Wisteria_Lane 10 ай бұрын

This is so horrible what these people have to endure in their lives.

@charrielyn1231 10 ай бұрын

Wow. This whole thing was sad, sad, sad. I’m shocked and appalled. Actually, I’m NOT shocked - which is very telling of our nations mental health industry - but how horrendous this all is. So frightening and alarming!

@metalmike570 5 ай бұрын

@emilywood4938 9 ай бұрын

this is not mental health treatment it is blatant abuse. Totally disgusting. The head of Elan should of gone to prison.

@bamcr1218 10 ай бұрын

9:53 notice when that worker says “he is mildly retarded” the almost automatic response from the young man is “I’m not retarded” It’s so sad that he feels so comfortable saying that he is retarded in front of the young man. I understand that this is the diagnosed term for it. But the psychological pain and trauma that results from naming his condition so bluntly instead of using positive and mild terms that reinforce positive thinking in the young man. I know first hand how traumatizing it is for a child to be called retarded. A teacher at my high school called my brother this and he was so hurt by this because he actually liked this teacher until that point. 30 years later, he still remembers how he felt about that.

@Muhmawmehmaw 9 ай бұрын

It was 1983 the things you're talking about weren't super common until the mid 90's. It's sad. But I don't think the caregivers meant it as an insult. They seemed like they were caring and compassionate, just ignorant.

@Joy-Marie369 5 ай бұрын

These medical terms were still used in the early 2000's. I remember being taught in college mild, medium, severe, and profound retardation.

@deecooper1567 10 ай бұрын

I am a 3rd generation of working State Hospitals. My grandfather told of some horrible things that went on and how residents either responded or didn’t. Electric shock was used a lot way back then as well as lobotomies. It kept the resident calm. My mom retired from working at a State Hospital…. She worked with every kind of mental illness on different units. She compassionate & no afraid to speak up on some treatments. The harder unit was with teenagers. They didn’t have issues like in this doc- most of them-- certain ones just needed boundaries set- action ==consequences. Even in 2023 it seems like there are no parental boundaries in place. My mom love was with the 30 & older mentally challenged. More like kids 5 & under & she had a special gift working with them. I came in later & worked with intakes, & men & womens units. Working intake was when LSD etc was real popular & I saw what it could do to some younger adults 😩 However, my time was not there for long as the President started closing hospitals & most ended up on the streets…. Not enough social workers & wouldn’t hire more 🤬🤬. Hubbys job kept me from moving but I found my love for geriatrics ❤. I worked convelscent hospital to care for those who were abandoned. This doc showed how things were ran & having peer pressure that worked-- sometimes. It’s very hard to watch or understand & things, I hope, have got better. My oldest son worked with the Special Olympic kids & found them fascinating. It’s not for everyone that’s for sure. But if you have that gift you are blessed 😇😇 👵🏻👩‍🌾❣️

@jennifers.3818 10 ай бұрын

Thank you and your family for giving your time to help those in need. There are far too few people to work these jobs and help

@havestrength5802 10 ай бұрын

It is important to state what year the documentary was made. Context is everything.

@paulamarshall3810 10 ай бұрын

Exactly this was 1983

@misse7154 10 ай бұрын

@paulamarshall3810 but that doesn't seem that long ago to me!

@Muhmawmehmaw 9 ай бұрын

Agreed

@MiMiDixon-np8wm 9 ай бұрын

@@misse715440 years ago

@caitlinlyons8376 9 ай бұрын

Im autistic and I’m so glad I was born when I was with todays world of services.

@miadodson1938 10 ай бұрын

It baffles me that these people who are in the business of providing a service for these young people with such severe mental, psychological, and intellectual disabilities don't have the understanding that these kids are not behaving in those ways on purpose, are not deliberate; these behaviours involuntary, out of their control! To treat these kids the way they are treating them is like punishing a fully functional, able bodied human being for expressing pain when they hurt themselves, for eating when hungry, or any other normal human behaviours and functions! It's...they are ridiculous in expectations and abusive for doing what they do to punish the kids 😲🤦‍♀️🤬💔

@goldenagenut 10 ай бұрын

I think in many cases they do, it's just a reaction from dealing with such combativeness and chaos on a regular basis that wears them down and desensitizes them to it somewhat. Can you imagine spending all day 5 days a week dealing with that loud and often chaotic situation, knowing there would never be any significant improvement in their condition? It would be tough, I'd wager the burnout rate is short and high. You almost have to emotionally remove yourself somewhat or become completely exhausted physically and mentally.

@Tryshaah 10 ай бұрын

they also make ALOT of money without anyone overseeing their programs. My sons has been held in a group home under a 6500 hold for 11 years every year we try to request he come home but they continue to raise his thorazine and I cant provide him the shots he needs. We are fighting for overnight visits and more access to family visits because we know it will help with his placement but they deny it knowing it will possibly mean they will lose a paycheck

@chloeew4627 10 ай бұрын

Maybe you could step up and fill the role for a week or two😂😂😂😂😂

@firebyrd437 10 ай бұрын

Abuse is abuse and if you get to that stage you should walk away

@daisybelle1025 10 ай бұрын

Gotta remember this was the 80's....the mindset of people back then wasn't great, asylums were still a thing.....thank god education has developed so that these children are understood, and it isn't put down to bad behaviour...my own mother refused to acknowledge my sons diagnosis, and at the age of 2 she took him to the restroom and put the hand dryers on to prove a point that he was just being bad......safe to say my child went no where near her again, he was so mentally distressed that every time he saw her he just broke down....

@relentless319 10 ай бұрын

Those people at South Beach should have been charged with MURDER by torture!

@rileygranderson6125 9 ай бұрын

These kids deserve all the love in the world. I don’t know where and how they are today but I wish them only the best. I think they are very misunderstood. People should really show more empathy and treat them gently. This world is or can be hard enough without a mental illness, so we should really be respectful. It breaks my heart to see how much people with metal illnesses are suffering, especially children.💔They deserve so much better.

@cindysandbeck2447 10 ай бұрын

No worse than leaving em in the streets like we do NOW😢😢😢😢😢

@reginafisher9919 10 ай бұрын

Exactly

@dialemmaz 10 ай бұрын

That’s actually a really good point 👍

@anactualalpaca7016 5 ай бұрын

if you care so much, open your home up to one of them instead of white knighting in youtube comments, Cindy

@BrokeNdisAbled 10 ай бұрын

Umm Brian is drop dead Gorgeous! And his gf is such a beautiful young lady- an earth angel… I wonder if they ever saw eachother And Bless his Father… This is really hitting me hard….

@serenitynow288 10 ай бұрын

Yes he was very beautiful inside and out. What an absolute shame such a gorgeous young man ended up like this. What kind of egg donor does this. She’s got a lot to answer for one day.

@user-od5fh3gn4d 9 ай бұрын

Yes, I’m not convinced he had any kind of Down’s syndrome. Probably some kind of injury at birth or drug/alcohol abuse in the mother caused his problems.

@millions2nette 10 ай бұрын

Brians father? Woooowwww! Wish more fathers were like that.

@Vixinaful 10 ай бұрын

"My parents were ashamed of me.." Oh man.. I can relate, mine wanted me aborted and turns out I'm sane but have an autoimmune condition, I was the sweetest child, never caused any problems, just slept alot. And they still didnt want me but a relative made sure I wasnt up for adoption either which is a shame bc this great loving family wanted me so it's not the children, its the lack of empathy and love with the parents. The boy suffering from schizophrenia i nthe beginning, I feel if he was taken back in the bus and told "Point to what car is following us, where is it?" Maybe that would calm him instead of making him so frustrated. He must feel noone listening to him so he lashes out from desperation.

@metalmike570 5 ай бұрын

There isn't very much wrong with him mentally. So then what his parents did was wrong on many levels.

@djhinrg 5 ай бұрын

Today, they’re out on the street protesting, in college acting like they’re learning something useful

@bellakind602 10 ай бұрын

The meaning of Billy's life is experienced by the caregivers. He is a vehicle to move others to consider their own lives. To consider how they demonstrate compassion and love. It's that simple. He tests forbearance. Billy sacrificed his life to bring wisdom to others.

@4WingedAngels 10 ай бұрын

Very well said.

@serenitynow288 10 ай бұрын

Amen. We all have our reason for being here and that was his. The Bible says we entertain angels unaware. He could’ve been an angel sent here to see how we treat others.

@melza5633 9 ай бұрын

❤

@elsvaughn7959 8 ай бұрын

That's an awful thing to say. There had to be something for himself in his life

@annamariachristopoulos4263 10 ай бұрын

A mother left her disabled son and said TAKE HIM! OHHHHH HELLLL NO!!!!

@sarahalbers5555 9 ай бұрын

You know Karma drives a big bus and knows every zip code. One day she will have to face her actions.

@bog6106 5 ай бұрын

The scariest thing is someone who thinks they are doing something good for someone they love and then this video pops up.

@wezlydog 10 ай бұрын

I was sent to a shithole program like the Elan School when I was 15 yrs. old! I was there for 8 months until I finally took off from there! It wasn't as bad as the Elan School but bad enough. This was back in the early 80's. I never improved at all. I still got in more trouble and ended up in jail many times. That place made me more hateful towards my parents and other people.

@AdelaideTheAcidQueen 7 ай бұрын

I want to cry for all these people, we are people and we deserve empathy and care. I had to endure this crap as a child and now I cannot function. Maybe I would be a successful human if I was given love instead.

@Lucid.Awakening 6 ай бұрын

oh, darling. What would you say to comfort that scared little girl inside, if you could? 💗

@lynettehughes4673 9 ай бұрын

Watching the Elan centre section, it seems like the form of 'treatment' is an abusers dream job 😡. Something seriously wrong with the medical/care/mental health institutions.

@evelynbohm 9 ай бұрын

The lunatics are running the asylum.

@bossi4you-ym2ce 5 ай бұрын

An extremely sincere, loving father who cares for his sick mental patient, Brian. Really very nice, just sad when dad is no longer there. I wish him the best