Straitjackets and Lunch Money

Straitjackets and Lunch Money by Katya Cengel tells the compelling story of the author's experience as patient number 090 71 51 at the Roth Psychosomatic Unit at Children's Hospital at Stanford in 1986, when she was just 10 years old. Overwhelmed by feelings of abandonment, worthlessness, and anger from caring for her depressed father, Katya sought escape in the only way she knew—by starving herself.

Thirty years later, as a journalist, Katya discovers her young age was not the only unusual aspect of her hospital stay. The concept of psychosomatic units, where patients receive dual medical and psychological diagnoses, was a revolutionary idea that has since largely fallen out of favour. Katya documents this journey, tracking down the doctors, psychologists, and counsellors who once cared for her.

The narrative intertwines the voice of the troubled 10-year-old girl she once was with her adult reflections. The result is a gut-wrenching account of childhood mental illness told from the inside, enriched by updates from experts in the field.