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One Year
1955: Siberia, USA
Sep 21, 2023
Discover the origins of a wild conspiracy theory about a supposed government concentration camp in Alaska, involving brainwashing, Scientology, and communist-hunting housewives in the 1950s.
55:39
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Quick takeaways
- The private family-owned Morning Side Hospital in Portland, Oregon was the only option for Alaskans in need of mental health care in the 1950s, leading to disproportionate rates of institutionalization and the spread of the false 'Siberia USA' conspiracy theory.
- Right-wing housewife activists in Southern California feared the influence of mental health professionals and believed they were using brainwashing techniques to dismantle traditional values, leading to the emergence of a conservative movement.
Deep dives
The Mental Health Crisis in 1950s Alaska
In the 1950s, Alaska faced a severe lack of mental health care facilities, with Morning Side Hospital in Portland, Oregon being the only option for Alaskans in need. The process to get treatment involved getting arrested, facing a jury trial with little input from doctors, and enduring grueling journeys to Oregon. The private family-owned Morning Side Hospital was ill-equipped to handle the diverse range of patients, including children with developmental disabilities and elderly individuals with dementia. Alaskans, especially Native Alaskans, often faced disproportionate rates of institutionalization. Efforts to change the situation were hindered by rumors and conspiracy theories, including the infamous "Siberia USA" theory, which falsely claimed that a psychiatric facility in Alaska was meant to be a gulag for political dissenters.
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