Some of them might be. Mental asylums in the past often had less than ideal conditions and some strange occurrences could have happened. But over time, these stories can get exaggerated.
Perhaps a story about a patient who disappeared without a trace from the asylum. The staff searched everywhere, but there was no sign of the patient. Years later, some claim to have seen a figure that resembled the missing patient in the same old, dilapidated corridors of Larundel, still wearing the asylum clothes from decades ago.
Yes, often they are. Many old mental asylums had overcrowded and unsanitary conditions. There were also cases of misdiagnosis and improper treatment. These real - world problems could easily be transformed into the stories we hear today. Take the story of a patient who was wrongly locked up for years because of a misdiagnosis. This kind of event could be exaggerated and turned into a horror - like story over time.
There was an old asylum where a patient was known for her prophetic drawings. She drew pictures of events that later happened in the asylum, like a fire in the kitchen. People thought she had some kind of psychic connection. It was really creepy because no one could explain how she knew these things were going to occur. And the asylum had a very gloomy and oppressive atmosphere which added to the mystery of her drawings.
One horror story is about a patient in a mental asylum who claimed to see a dark figure at the end of the hall every night. The nurses thought it was just his delusion, but one night, they heard strange noises and saw a shadowy form themselves. Another story involves a patient who was locked in a padded cell. He would scream that there were hands coming out of the walls to grab him, and one day, deep scratches were found on the walls as if something had really tried to claw its way out.
One scary asylum story is about a patient who was constantly heard screaming at night. The nurses would find his room empty but still feel a cold presence. Another is an asylum where strange noises came from the basement, and when the staff finally investigated, they saw shadowy figures that disappeared as soon as they turned on more lights. There was also a story of an asylum where patients seemed to be possessed, acting in very strange and violent ways that couldn't be explained by any medical condition.
One story is about a patient who was believed to have premonitions. He would often draw pictures of events that later seemed to occur in some form. Some thought it was just a coincidence, but others were spooked by it.
The story of the 'haunted room' is well - known. In this room, many patients who were placed there had violent outbursts for no apparent reason. Some claimed to see shadowy figures in the corners. It was thought that perhaps a previous patient had passed away in the room under tragic circumstances, and their spirit was still lingering. However, from a scientific perspective, it could have been due to the poor ventilation or some other environmental factors that affected the patients' already fragile mental states.
A really scary one is when a patient in a mental asylum said she could hear the voices of the dead who were once patients there. She would describe in detail how they died and where their bodies were buried in the asylum's old graveyard. It was so creepy that some of the staff refused to work the night shift near her cell.
The Ridges in Ohio has some really chilling stories. There were reports of a patient who died under mysterious circumstances, and now her apparition is said to haunt the place. The Pennhurst State School and Hospital in Pennsylvania also has its share of horror tales. The overcrowding and abuse that happened there in the past seem to have left a mark. People claim to see the spirits of the former patients, and strange noises are often heard at night. It's these historical traumas combined with the spooky setting that make these stories so famous.