Behind the Bastards Part One: Dr. Sleep: The Australian Psychiatrist Who Made People Sleep Themselves To Death
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Mar 3, 2026 
Gabe Dunne, writer and activist from Los Angeles known for anti-ICE work and podcasts, joins to unpack the story of Australia’s ‘Dr. Sleep.’ He and Robert trace Harry Bailey’s rise, the emergence of deep sleep therapy, and the shocking medical and ethical risks involved. Short, tense segments explore how treatment, profit, and power collided.
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Origins And Rationale Of Deep Sleep Therapy
- Deep sleep therapy started as a plausible medical idea to prolong restorative deep sleep for psychiatric benefit.
- Early researchers like Neil McLeod and later clinicians hypothesized extended deep sleep could 'reset' neural pathways despite limited evidence.
The Lethal Drug Cocktail Behind Narcosis
- Deep sleep therapy used heavy cocktails of sedatives: chloral hydrate, amobarbital, and sodium amytal.
- These drugs were highly dangerous, addictive, and could cause respiratory or cardiac failure when administered for prolonged narcosis.
Always Ask About Risks And Consent For Radical Treatments
- Ask explicit safety and mortality questions before accepting novel psychiatric treatments.
- Demand clear consent and statistics like mortality rates and typical treatment duration rather than trusting prestige alone.