One South: Portrait of a Psych Unit

"One South" offers a poignant and enlightening look into the lives of adolescent patients and the dedicated staff within a mental health unit.

The staff's dedication is palpable, and their interactions with the adolescents are a testament to their mission to create a safe and nurturing environment. Most memorable for me was a conversation between two clinical psychologists discussing their approaches about their choices and whether different therapeutic routes might have been better for a certain patient, etc. While we all question our decisions in daily and professional life, for these clinicians, the stakes seem much higher, and I imagine the weight of that is immense.

"One South" also gives a voice to the patients themselves, allowing viewers to gain a deeper understanding of their struggles. The documentary's empathetic portrayal fosters a sense of connection that sheds light on the daily battles faced by these young individuals, and so many others. It's a powerful reminder that mental health challenges are real and impactful.

The documentary does more than just highlight the work of the unit; it opens up meaningful conversations about mental health. By bringing these issues to the forefront, "One South" encourages viewers to discuss and destigmatize mental health conditions. It's a crucial step towards fostering a more supportive and informed community.

For local families, this documentary offers invaluable insights into how an adolescent mental health unit operates. It demystifies the processes and shows the humanity and care behind the clinical facade. This transparency can be reassuring for families who may be navigating similar challenges, providing them with a sense of hope and understanding.

The documentary does an exceptional job of portraying the complexities and daily realities for both the staff and patients.

The documentary has a gender bias. The male patients receive considerably more attention and screen time than female patients. Male patiient's personal stories and emotions are at the center of the 1st episode, unlike the one female patient's story which receives maybe a quarter or the time or even less and is dealt with in a hurrying manner. The female patients are depicted in group and leisure settings talking about random topics, whereas the male patients's concerns are taken really seriously. Essentially the men take up much more space than women.

I was expecting much better job from HBO.

This is a great look behind the scenes of what a psych ward can be like. I am impressed by the care and compassion the medical staff provide. The patients and their stories are so important and need to be amplified to reduce the stigma of those with mental illnesses.

As someone who has been diagnosed with a mental illness and admitted to about a handful of psychiatric wards I WISH they were like this one. Sadly I've experienced a range of very challenging environments and often with people of varying severity of symptoms. At times it was very scary and felt like the opposite of a safe and therapeutic environment.

I would recommend that people watch this to understand the kind of care that exists and the various treatments available. It's so important to find resources (preferably before you need them) and to prioritize your mental health.

I just watched episode 1 of the 2 part series called One South. I'm a retired NYPD police officer. I've visited plenty of psych wards. I have to say that one south is nothing close to where I've been. The care, professionalism, and staff are in another league. The facility is not crowded and very clean. Even though it was shot during Covid, it didn't seem to affect the staff. There was a feeling of calm throughout the episode. During one stressful event, the staff was always looking out for each other, as well as what's best for the patient. If anything this show is a wonderful infomercial for this facility and its exceptional staff. Can't wait to see episode 2.

I am a 23 year old who just graduated from college and had two stints in the psych ward this past year. Seeing this was really important for me as a reminder to stay out of that place and the skills I learned while there. It also helped me understand the perspective of the staff a bit more. However, the quality of a psych ward like this is VERY rare. This is much more rosy than 99% of units out there. I was with all ages and all conditions for weeks. When I went in the spring, there were many older men with psychosis and that was very scary as a young woman at times. My roommate was a woman in her late 30s who at one point told me she wanted to murder her daughter and she was an on record pedophile. And the therapy was not as focused and careful as presented in this documentary, although i did DBT as well like the patients in the documentary and it was incredibly helpful. However, I appreciate the portrayal of the patients and their stories the most, knowing that these individuals are the same age as me and going through similar pains. It in a way is hard to think about this documentary as mostly about the staff from my perspective. I think about the patients like me.