Marshall Psychiatry

HORRIBLE CARE! The most experienced in the building are the nurses who take your blood and vitals. They're very kind. The actual doctors you see (psychologists/psychiatrists) are some of the worst people I've ever met. I was at a very low place in my life and was simply seeking medication to help myself and was considering trying therapy again. I broke down in tears during a FIRST appointment with a new psychiatrist (its notable that this office switches up often) because of my anxiety and talking about what I'd been going through with a new doctor was overwhelming. I spoke about having some thoughts of self harm, but never having acted on said thoughts. The woman left to go talk to her supervisor or whatever because some "doctors" seem to be in training or something and act as if you're some experiment by doing so. They came back together about 10 minutes later and "recommended" I go to an inpatient care facility. I told them I didn't feel it was necessary and it would only make me worse mentally to be away from home and they proceeded to fill out a mental hygiene warrant to get me forcibly placed in a facility. They also told my county's mental hygiene commissioner that I'd gotten rude with them and stormed out simply because I told them I didn't want to go to an inpatient care facility. They quite literally took words out of my mouth and twisted them, quoting things I'd "said." I ended up having to do a "court trial" over the phone at another mental health office with the hygiene commissioner of my county. She decided that because she has kids of her own, and she'd hate to see something bad happen to them, so she forcibly sent me by police escort to a mental institution. I wasn't allowed to pick. So, out of all institutions, I was sent to Mildred Mitchell Bateman in Huntington. Mold in the ventilation. Previous graffiti marks on the walls under the thin layers of paint used to hide the building's previous events of vandalism. A nearly 150 year-old building where lobotomies and everything you can think of took place in the past. I was housed on a floor with convicts, probably felons too, and generally unsafe people. I was actively threatened during the week I was there, despite my "good behavior." Not threatened by doctors; threatened by other "patients." We weren't treated like patients. We were treated like prisoners. The night I arrived, I was forced into a strip search in bright lights. Forced to bend over and cough as if I was being placed in prison. I understand that its a security protocol, but its very dehumanizing. Immediately asked if I'd sign like 7 different papers all meaning different stuff. Assured that I wasn't "signing away" my "rights." Me being a freshly turned 18 year-old, I was put in a paper gown that wrapped around the back of me to close with nothing on underneath. Not even underwear. They brought me to my floor where there were grown men, patients, doctors, and nurses alike, just standing around. Left me in the hallway alone for a few minutes to go get my clothes. That morning, from the MOMENT I stepped out of my room (which wasn't locked btw, didn't have a bathroom door, just 2 curtains covering its shower) and walked down the hallway to get breakfast, a patient stared at me in a very seductive way and said "you're really pretty..." I uncomfortably gave a little half grin and said "thank you," trying to be nice and unproblematic to get out of there ASAP. When she realized, a nurse spoke up and yelled at him, and told him not to say inappropriate things. Another patient who was in a wheelchair spoke up and said "all he said was she's pretty.. and she is pretty- if she's pretty, she's pretty." Keep in mind, these were men at least twice my age; the one in the wheelchair probably triple my age. Throughout my time there, (which thankfully only lasted a week because the doctors under my care in there knew I didn't need to be in there) I got hit on daily, had my HIPPA rights violated just about everyday, and so much more. Came out with more trauma than I had going in. Do NOT trust Marshall Psych.

Dr Morris is very friendly and knowledgeable. The rest of the staff are wonderful too. They always return phone calls and send medications in a timely manner.