Nellie Bly's investigative work revealed significant issues with the admitting and releasing processes at the asylum. One of the major problems she uncovered was the lack of thorough evaluations during the admission process. Individuals could be committed to the asylum based on superficial observations or misunderstandings, often without proper assessments of their mental health. Bly illustrated this by detailing how she witnessed patients who were committed due to minor issues, such as being deemed “a little too lively” or experiencing temporary emotional distress.
Additionally, the process for releasing individuals from the asylum was equally problematic. Bly found that once committed, many patients had little hope of being discharged, as there were no clear criteria for their release. They often remained confined despite being mentally stable or even without any real mental illness. Bly's personal account highlighted cases of patients who were forgotten or lost in the system, making it nearly impossible for them to regain their freedom.
Through her undercover experience, Bly exposed not just the inhumane treatment within the asylum but also the systemic flaws in how the mentally ill were admitted and retained without sufficient justification or support for their eventual release. Her findings called attention to the urgent need for reform in the treatment of individuals within the mental health system.
1 answer