Well, after years of stuffing my feelings about what transpired while I was a student/patient at PCS, I find myself flooded with memories. I looked up PCS recently, just to see if it was still running. Evidently so. I was admitted to the school during the summer of 1992, and left in the spring of 1993 (I graduated from school a year early so that I could leave). This was one of the most horrible chapters in my life, and I've been through more than most. I was sent to PCS after running away from an acute care psych facility, where I was being treated for depression. My sister escorted me, and left in tears after touring the facility. Her last words to me were, "do everything they say, or you will be punished terribly". It was forboding and awful. Both my sister and I are physicians today, both in the field of psychiatry. I am forever changed by the experience of having to stand several hours a day in investment, without ever seeing the light of day for a period of 2 months. I learned to willfully disassociate, letting my mind wander to better places in an effort to escape the situation I was actually in. To this day, I can not concentrate in class. My mind goes elsewhere. Provo taught me two things: how to stuff my feelings and how to disconnect from my environment. I was a troubled, depressed child. I learned how to make a bed with "hospital corners" and how to fold my laundry perfectly. How to scrub spots off of chrome so that I wouldn't have to return to investment. How to feel hunted and scrutinized. I was not treated for my depression; I saw the main psychiatrist once a month for a few minutes only. My therapist is a whole other story. It was all a game to me. "what do i do to get out of this hell?" I don't care what anybody says today, about whether or not Provo saved me. It was one of the most traumatic events of my life, and damaged me in more ways than I can express. I know I am being very vague, but that's because I won't let my mind go back there. I am happy for my freedom, and sorry for those who still reside behind those locked doors.

Hi
I was there in 1993 as well. My email address is jenaesa@yahoo.com
I want to connect with other people who were there when I was. Hey is Angela from Chicago?

Hi! I am the host of this forum, Angela. I was in PCS in 1989. I live in Washington State. I am the Seattle Coordinator of HEAL and National Coordinator of HEAL. I suggest you sign the petition to close PCS at www.beyondbusiness.net/closepcs.htm.

Angela