In the article “How Nellie Bly went undercover to expose abuse of the mentally ill,” Bly uncovered several significant problems with the processes for admitting individuals to the asylum and for their eventual release. One of the primary issues was the lack of proper evaluation and criteria for admission. Bly noted that individuals could be committed to the asylum based on arbitrary or trivial reasons, often without thorough examinations or justifications. This became evident when she spoke to patients who had been institutionalized for reasons such as being “too emotional” or for other non-psychotic grievances.
Additionally, the release process was equally troubling, as it often lacked transparency and a clear framework. Bly observed that once individuals were admitted, their chances of release were exceedingly slim, even if they improved. The asylum's management seemed more focused on maintaining the institution's population rather than providing effective treatment. For example, Bly documented cases of patients who had been declared sane by their doctors yet remained confined without a clear path for their release.
These findings illustrate the systemic issues within the asylum, including the arbitrary nature of admissions and the absence of a humane, fair approach to discharging patients. Through her investigative work, Bly brought these critical flaws to public attention, highlighting the need for reform in how mentally ill individuals were treated within the asylum system.