The Entire Story of Camarillo State Hospital — The Asylum Behind the 'Hotel California' Legend

Comments · 338

• WI

  @williammills5597 · 10 days ago

  We need to bring back state hospitals because jails, are not safe for the mentally ill or developmentally disabled people, that have to go to jails, because they have no other choice.<br><br>As much as the mental hospitals, may have been a problem in the past, they are, a thousand times better than jails, for someone going through a mental breakdown, that’s why we had them in the first place. The jail system does not get trained in mental illness, they are not psychiatric nurses, or psychiatrist, they are trained to house criminals, and not care if the “criminal” is getting the treatment he needs, all they do is restrain the “criminal”, when the person would have gotten, possibly &nbsp;restrained, in the hospital, but it wouldn’t be all night like in the jails, because in the hospital they would give them drugs to make them calm.<br><br>I have worked with the developmentally disabled, for 29 years. I &nbsp;started at Camarillo State Hospital, in 1991 to 1996, and in the private sector taking care of mostly autistic adults.<br><br>So when I say we need to bring back hospitals to care for the disabled, and mentally ill people, I’ve got 29 years working in the field and caring for both.

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• JG

  @jgrosskopf4878 · 10 days ago (edited)

  In the 70/80s, there was a group <br> I belonged to called &apos;Marines and Friends&apos;.<br>We went on weekends to help get the tweens and teens outside to get fresh air and exercise.<br>We built a playground and did as much as we could to help these abandoned kids.<br>REMEMBER before the kids &nbsp;had been stuffed there, they had horrible things done to them or did horrible things to others. <br>They were all on heavy meds and needed help.<br>If we did not go, the kids wouldn&apos;t &nbsp;get out of the dank.<br> dark cells.<br>Sargent John was a blessing to everyone, and when they closed the kids&apos; unit and sent the kids away, it broke all of our hearts.<br>I can truly say the sadness was in the walls of those buildings.<br><br>Now, the adults who used to be warehoused in places like this &nbsp;are the homeless.

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• PE

  @PeggyAmaya · 12 days ago

  Frank Zappa wrote &quot;Camarillo Brillo&quot; about this hospital.

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• TA

  @tamgrowl323 · 10 days ago

  My Grandmother was in there. &nbsp;She got shock treatments, and stopped talking. &nbsp;She would just constantly cry, and walk and walk! &nbsp;We visited with her on the Lawns, it was so sad, she was empty 😥 She got better AFTER we got her outta there! (1960s)

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• DA

  @davidbutler8096 · 12 days ago

  Cama rillo...LOL<br>REE-O<br>Grew up just over the hill from this place...Newbury Park

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• DE

  @Deedee_9090 · 6 days ago

  When I was a nursing student I did my psychiatric rotation at Camarillo (actually Cama-REE-o) State Hospital. It was quite an experience. One of the things I still remember fondly about that time was the Halloween party the staff held for the patients. Of course only some of the patients could attend, as quite a few were unpredictable and could be violent. <br>One patient in particular who attended the party and whom I will always remember was an old man who spent nearly all of his time either in bed or sitting in his chair. That night, we wheeled him to the party in his chair. He sat there while we danced around him, and then a song came on that caught his ear and he stood up and joined us. He did a slow, shuffling little dance and he got a big smile on his face. I remember feeling so happy for him that he had those few moments where he appeared truly happy.

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• AR

  @arlanstrong1424 · 10 days ago

  My son was admitted here back in the eighties. I saw how he was treated and there was nothing I could do. I can&apos;t even describe 😭

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• CH

  @cheleshows · 8 days ago

  Thank you for sharing this video. <br><br>In High School I was enrolled in a 4/4 Mental Health Professionals Program. <br>We regularly visited Sepulveda and (the) Wilshire VA Hospitals as well as Camarillo. <br>It was heartbreaking work, with moments of happy connections with patients. Experiences that are part of my soul. I am so grateful to have had (them).<br>We use to play cards several days a week with patients. That is when (at the VAs &amp; Camarillo) is where patients taught us/me 21 and Blackjack. One man was always trying to get us to play Strip Poker. Crack&apos;d me up. <br>&quot;the true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members&quot; America has failed at this for decades and continues to fail.

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• JO

  @jonimartin5961 · 9 days ago

  I did a nursing. Rotation at St John’s Hospital in Santa Monica in 1985. The recovery area for new moms shared space with the patients receiving electro shock therapy. The lights actually dimmed when they were zapping patients. After they were done they would be wheeled out on gurneys and the bite blocks would be removed as they were coming out of it. I was 10 feet away with a new mom trying to help her with nursing her baby…talk about the twilight zone

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• BU

  @Bubba-m4i · 11 days ago

  My Uncle was Head Psychologist there for years. He has passed so no more crazy stories.

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• JU

  @judycoffman6790 · 8 days ago

  In the mid-90&apos;s, I tutored someone in the criminal ward because it flexibly fit into my military duty schedule. &nbsp;Was neat to see the young man learn to read, but I was cautioned to never tell him my real name or give him an address. &nbsp;They explained the lockdown process if the alarm went off - Lock and block the entry door, close the curtains, and get under the table. &nbsp;Seemed strange. &nbsp;One day there was a lockdown while i was there. &nbsp;My student hadn&apos;t arrived yet, so didn&apos;t have to worry directly about my safety, but was very unnerving. &nbsp;I deployed soon thereafter, so didn&apos;t return, but do hope that my student continued to learn.

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• WI

  @williamross4084 · 10 days ago

  A great aunt of mine ,as a patient, died there in the 50s or 60s. &nbsp;Often wondered about the circumstances of her death.

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