As part of my research for a current project into mental health treatment in BC 1940’s to 60’s, I came across vintage psychiatric videos recently.
One particular interviewee has completely captured my heart.
Psychiatric interview series. Patient no. 6 : evaluation for treatment
| Publisher: | Los Angeles : University of California at Los Angeles, 1959. |
| Edition/Format: | Film : Film : State or province government publication Visual material : English |
| Summary: | A spontaneous psychiatric interview of a young lady presenting herself for diagnosis and psychiatric treatment. Camera placement emphasizes the patient and puts view in the interviewer’s chair. Produced for research purposes directed at the viewer’s communications. |
| Material Type: | Government publication, Film, State or province government publication |
| Document Type: | Visual material |
| OCLC Number: | 7476159 |
| Description: | 1 film reel (30 min.) : sound, black and white ; 16 mm |
| Responsibility: | produced for the Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, by the Motion Picture Division, Theater Arts Department, University of California, Los Angeles. |
Patient No. 6, age 21, is engaging, intelligent, alarmingly modern, and– though I don’t know them and their actual circumstance– I can’t help but feel they are a victim of their times.
The interview takes place in 1959, and the therapist/interviewer is gentle and is good at holding a safe space. In the interview, Patient No. 6 seems reserved, honest, with a dry sense of humour. They wear Levis, rolled up t-shirt sleeves, rockabilly hair. They sit with legs spread, elbows on the arms of the chair and they lean forward. They have an awesome style.
They have however been in and out of treatment and psychiatric hospitals since age 14, labelled with difficulties that include:
Antisocial and impulsive behaviour, promiscuity, lesbianism, illegitimate children (2 stillborn, 1 adopted, twins adopted, 2 in grandmother’s care), multiple marriages, drug and alcohol addiction, psychosis, runaway, theft, bad cheques, car theft…
Treatments have included hospitalization, detox, medication, shock treatments and psychotherapy.
I created a mind map of dialogue snippets…
4 years later, in 1963, Patient No. 6 and the therapist/interviewer meet again. And again– though I don’t know them and their actual circumstance– I can’t help but see a person who cannot fully express their individuality and identity.
My heart breaks for them as they reach for the handbag. May I smoke?
They do express the benefits of talk therapy and they seem to have found an understanding life partner and they are committed to their children.
I have two children that have to be raised. I want them to be emotionally stable.
I haven’t been able to stop thinking about this beautiful human being– so open and engaging.
I do hope they continued to ride motorcycles and wear Levis. I do hope they had a happy life.