In this chapter, Jon Ronson reveals psychiatrist Elliot Baker's psychotherapy program, which was an attempt to better the psychopaths residing at Oak Ridge hospital for the criminally insane. Elliot's psychotherapy sessions consisted of LSD use, nudity, and no distractions such as television, clocks, or calendars. Some of these sessions would last for up to eleven days at a time. Gary Maier later took over Elliot's position at Oak Ridge and further tried to "cure" the residents by studying their dreams along with some of Elliot's previous tactics. Some of the residents at Oak Ridge were later released on thoughts that they had been "cured", only to find that they returned to their old habits. All of these exercises used in the psychotherapy sessions were suppose to help "cure" these psychopaths of their murderous and devious ways, but actually was discovered that it enabled them to become better psychopaths when released back into the real world.
Reading about all the terrible unspeakable crimes that the psychopaths at Oak Ridge did, gave me the creeps. It made me feel even worse to know that some of the residents were released back out in the world to relive their sick cravings and obsessions. Some were even released and admitted multiple times. These type of situations makes you question the psychiatrists at these institutes. The therapy that was used on the residents at Oak Ridge by Elliot Baker and Gary Maier, were very out there and clearly ineffective. It also amazes me how well psychopaths can manipulate others to get, in the end, what they want. It makes me wonder who the psychopaths are that I know, but may not realize it yet.
No comments:
Post a Comment