About this episode
Get early episodes & ad-free audio on Patreon: https://patreon.com/DrowsyHistorian From the medieval almshouses where faith and fear mingled, to the towering Victorian institutions that promised compassion through confinement, and finally to the quiet ruins reclaimed by time—this is the dark history of the asylum. For centuries, every generation believed it had found the cure for madness, yet each built new walls to hide what it couldn’t understand. This story traces the evolution of mercy into machinery, of care into control, and of silence into architecture. Step inside the echoing halls of history’s most forgotten institutions—where every locked door was meant to heal, and every reform only deepened the quiet. 🛏️ Drowsy Historian’s Favorite Sleep Tools Looking to upgrade your nighttime routine? These are a few things I personally use or recommend: • Sleep Earbuds for Enhanced Immersion → https://amzn.to/4pVFoJy • Blanket Soft Enough to Make the Plague Feel Tolerable → https://amzn.to/3GSOq8f • Weighted Blanket for Pretending You’re a Mummified Pharaoh → https://amzn.to/4kVJCgE • Sleep Mask Headphones For Total Historical Escape → https://amzn.to/4nWsNVn • Book Light for Reading About Plagues at 2AM → https://amzn.to/4eSg0iu • White Noise Machine for Blocking Out the 21st Century → https://amzn.to/3GJ9jTw These are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them—at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting the show while staying cozy. #History #DrowsyHistorian #Asylum #MentalHealthHistory #VictorianEra #Bedlam #HistoricalDocumentary #DarkHistory #SleepStory #InstitutionalHistory #ForgottenPlaces #PsychiatryHistory #MentalInstitutions #HistoricalAsylums