Photos taken by contributor DC, a woman in her thirties who has been diagnosed with major depressive disorder and bipolar II. She was recently released from a psychiatric facility where she did an intensive residential program.
About these photos: “I took these photographs several weeks ago after a stay at a psychiatric hospital. A day patient in my program who lived in the area knew of my love for photography and abandoned buildings, so she told me to go to a certain nearby town house community, and that if I kept walking I would find a very cool unique building to photograph. So the day after I was released, before heading home, I had to go explore. After walking passed the condos, and across a snow covered field – my sneakers and feet getting soaked along the way – I arrived at the massive abandoned building, completely boarded up and covered in graffiti. It was the last remaining building from one of the largest and most notorious mental hospitals in the country. A hospital that was known to have had horrible conditions resulting in many suicides and even homicides. I was unable to get inside – not for lack of trying – but that was probably for the better since it is said to be haunted by many trapped souls. It was an amazing unique building though – one that I’m happy I never had to stay in – but am glad I had the opportunity to photograph.”
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Lovely photographs!
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Beautiful and colorful collection of images… great to see the hospital thru a different perspective – somebody who’s actually being part of it… very interesting! 😮
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How sad to see this building in disrepair. In my town they have converted teh old mental hospitals into beautiful apartments – although I don’t think I’d want to live there, I’m sure they would hold many unhappy ghosts.
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Sad stories behind this walls . Good photos .
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Beautiful patterns and textures created by the decay. Thanks for sharing.
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Very special photos, especially knowing the background.
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Great shots, beautiful colors!
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When I’m not being a photographer, I work for an agency that was a big part of the process of shutting down institutions in Ontario Canada- those for the developmentally disabled, but also those often were for those with mental illness. There is an abandoned institution near me- and I would love to take photos of it as well- to celebrate it’s closed doors and mourn for those who once were trapped there.
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Great pics!
I’m confused, isn’t depression a component of ‘bipolar’, so why a separate dx of ‘depression’?
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She got the diagnosis of MDD years ago and was recently diagnosed with bipolar II. She primarily struggles with depression.
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So, the initial diagnosis must have been incorrect?
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Me too.
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I meant I too had the MDD diagnosis for years and finally the Bipolar II diagnosis just a few months ago.
The hypo-mania can go unnoticed and we have more lows than highs.
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Outstanding
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I think you were lucky to be able to see and photograph this building as it is; the notorious ‘mental hospital’ near me has been turned into luxury apartments and I struggled to find something to photograph which gave an indication of it’s bleak past when I did a post about it last month. I think it would be great if you went back and photo’d it in black and white. By the way, my wife says she would not live in the place near us, despite its luxury – as you say, too many ghosts (there are around 2,500 former inmates buried, together, nearby and that is certainly too many!)
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Amazing photos. Haunting and sad. Hoping you are well. Peace to you.
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