I love the dark because I sleep better when there are no lights on. I even close my curtains in my room to make it even darker.
I do as well, but toyfun is having concern about the dark, that’s why we are trying to give him advice that helps him out rather than give out experience that you like that he won’t.
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I’m sorry Stanley that you had to go through that. How can institutions treat kids like that?! We still have a long way to go. I guess you keep a night light on at night?
Our son would cry every night for the first couple years of his young life. Eventually I had an idea. I got a small, 10 gallon fish tank and set it up in his room. It had a small light which I kept on at night, and suddenly, he stopped crying and slept. For the first time my wife and I were able to sleep through the night. Fish are very calming. I bought the small, friendly fish like neons, guppies, a few others and an angle fish. Maybe the water and fish speak to our earliest roots when all life came out of the sea.
Hello Dogboy,
Sadly still happens. Though laws are changing in many places. When I was locked in that room overnight, it was 1996. Back then staff could put patients in solitary, or even restraints without needing a doctors order. Now from what the staff member said at my last stay last year, a doctor has to right orders to have the solitary room door locked. Dunno if that's true or not. Nor do I wish to find out. But yea, your correct that I do use a night light. Well, sort of. I found a night light wasn't bright enough. So I just got a lamp with a dimmer switch on it so I could set it at just the right level. I keep that on 24/7. That way even if I lay down for a nap I don't have to worry about sleeping past sun down and waking up to the dark room. On top of that I have the fish tank which sits next to me bed. Yep, with some neon tetra's. I both have it for the enjoyment of watching the fish, but also as a back up should the lamp's bulb go out. Also along my crib rail is 3 toys which light up semi-bright when turned on. And next to my crib on the floor is a camping lantern that's run on batteries. A bit overkill, but makes me feel better knowing all that light is right there. I am horribly terrified of the dark because of that night 18 years ago. I realize it may not seem that bad to some people, but to me it was horrible. Not just being locked in the room, but not being able to get out, or know when they would let you out.
Anyway, thankfully laws are changing as far as what those places can do to children. But many adult hospitals can be just as cruel and mean. Just a quick example, 3 years ago I was at a stay and was afraid to go in. They ended up snapping out of anger, grabbed me and twisted my arms behind my back and forced the up toward my neck. The guy in my right did it with such force that it pulled all the muscles in my right shoulder requiring a sling for a week. And little bit of motion was so painful.
I filed a report. 15 or so minutes later I hear the guy who hurt me in the hall discussing me filing the report. His co worker tells him "He filed a report about your hurting his arm". The other guy says "I am not worried about it, nothing is going to come of it". He turned out to be right. When the incident happened at least 4 camera's caught it that I could see. But yet I was later told the tapes got "accidentally" taped over and now is just a matter of my word over his. He was right, nothing came of it. So I do my best to stay far away from those places. So many people I talk to say how they ended up worse than getting help in those places. Shame since your supposed to be there to get better. Not worse. And not abused or neglected while your there.
-Baby Stanley