Book Review: 'The Sleep Room' is the harrowing story of psychiatric care in the 1960s
This image released by Abrams Books shows "The Sleep Room" by Jon Stock. (Abrams Books via AP)
In the 1960s, a hospital in London held a ward full of women who suffered from a range of mental disorders. The women in this 'sleep room' were subjected to various medical procedures, including electroconvulsive therapy, or ECT, and, at times, a lobotomy, without their consent.
In "The Sleep Room: A Sadistic Psychiatrist and the Women Who Survived Him,' Jon Stock tells the harrowing history of the British doctor who subjected them to medical abuse and gives voice to those who survived him.
With interwoven firsthand testimony from surviving patients and rigorous research, Stock provides a haunting account of what the psychiatrist did to his patients without their knowledge.
Throughout the book Stock also works to hold the medical establishment accountable for the neglect that occurred, but at times can simplify the complexities of psychiatric care during the '60s that most likely led to the abuse endured by many patients.
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While the switching between patient stories, history and research can create some confusion for the reader, the patient testimonies allows Stock to deliver an emotionally powerful narrative that is equally as disturbing.
Written with nuance and tact, the 'The Sleep Room' is a chilling exposé into psychiatric care that will resonate deeply readers and, especially, true crime fans.
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AP book reviews: https://apnews.com/hub/book-reviews
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While that's advice you've likely heard before, Stephenson emphasizes that it should be approached as a process, not a 'one-and-done situation.' 'Most of the time setting boundaries is really counter-culture, and it can mean taking up a lot more space than we're used to,' she says. 'It might take a handful of times of reaffirming it and being forgiving of people who overstep it.' 2. Take care of your physical well-being. Other times the solution may be as easy as making sure your body's physical needs have been met, says Eggenberger: 'Have I been moving my body? Have I been eating well, sleeping well, and hydrating? For a lot of people going through difficult mental health periods, focusing on those things can be the motivator to get through it.' Movement can also be a powerful tool in the midst of a crash out, by releasing pent-up tension and emotions in the body. 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