hospital, admission?

has anyone here been admitted to the psych ward? voluntary or sectioned? was it positive or negative experience? what do you know now that you wished you knew then?

last time i showed up at the psych unit for an emergency assessment they offered to admit me until my moods stabilized. i declined (only because i had a friend coming to see me from canada and i didn't want to disappoint him). ... my moods have not stablized at all over these past three weeks on the new meds. i see the mental health nurse tomorrow morning and want to bring up the question of admission with her. am i doing the right thing? there probably isn't a bed available... but if there is... what should i do?

thx.

 

I'm interested to know about this too, as my birthday is coming up next month and it makes me down thinking about it amongst other things, recient events etc. Plus my doctors had offered me evaluation for a few days. Is there anyone that has to be told when your admitted? They said to me they had to notify next of kin, but I don't see the point in that if you go in voluntarily.

 

Thankfully not..i've been kept out because of my counsellor and GP...but I do know people who have gone volunterred to go in and who have been sectioned, there all have said it helped them.....I think each person is different...I know that if I was sectioned I wouldn't cope, not around people, lots of people...

I hope what ever you decide its what is best for you. x

 

I've been sectioned and it wasn't a nice experience.

 

Last year they tried to force me in, but twice in the last fortnight I've had emergency evaluations and they say being in there would only make me worse.

So no, haven't been in myself..yet. My sister has spent most of her adult life in psych wards across the country and she says it's the worst place to be.

 

I wish there were an easy answer...I've had both experiences in that I've been several times - but on one occasion (which was in fact voluntary, as were the others), they wouldn't let me out when I wanted to go (though it did only take another day or so). I've never been in "isolation" (except for a quarantine once to prevent spread of a virus - and yes, that was hell). Overall, inspite of negative experiences, the chances would be better to go in voluntarily as opposed to being 'forced' sometime later perhaps...and I think it's "sensible" of you to actually be considering it, as you're aware that you need help. And furthermore, to be honest - aside from the initial fear, anxiety and discomfort of being in such a place (nevermind the stigma often attached - externally or internally) - it was rather a neat experiences being with other "nutters" - and noticing that indeed there's actually a fine line between those "on the inside" and those on the "outside"!! Cuz truly, we're all "crazy" in our own way...:wink:

 

I have been admitted twice to behavioral clinics due to suicidal attempts... both times involuntary.

I hated the idea at first but being around other suicidal people made me feel like I wasn't alone. I got to share my pain with people who could understand how I felt. The other patients did more for me then any of the doctors could, only thing the psychologists did was medicate me.

All together both experiences helped me more then they hurt me.

 

thank you everyone for taking the time to respond. for now, i'm continuing with outpatient, but the team are discussing my treatment plan tomorrow morning and will let me know tomorrow afternoon what they decide. ugh. i absolutely hate the thought of being discussed, but at the same time i really need some extra help to get through these next few weeks. i was at the hospital for a few hours this afternoon after my regular appt with the nurse.

it seems if you are smart and articulate they don't want to admit you... just my observation. twice this afternoon the doc said "you are an intelligent woman, you know what you need to do to be safe...." i wanted to head straight for the park and swallow every pill in my stash just to illustrate how desperate i feel. if i knew how to fix things myself i would be well already.

 

I've been sectioned and it was not a very nice experience...

 

That is exactly what I have had - don't intelligent people get depressed and feel like killing themselves? I was told exactly the same thing as you from one of the Doctors I have seen. Drives me mad. They assume as I am doing a degree that I should be able to deal with my problems...even more so as I am doing a psychology degree!

 

Yeah - well, I don't necessarily wanna add something negative to a thread that is about getting help - BUT!!!!

What an IDIOTIC statement to make regarding intelligence!!!

It is precisely six of one and half a dozen of the other when it comes to depression and suicidal tendencies - or any mental/emotional affliction for that matter. The only difference being (and not at all to detract from anyone else) that an "intelligent" person may be uber-excruciatingly aware/cognisant of terrible, unfixable circumstances, situations, and realities in the world and life, as well as within themselves.

(oh yeah...THAT helps...) :dry:

 

i know. saw the psych this afternoon and told her as much: i am so frustrated hearing from them that i am intelligent, an ideal patient, blah blah blah. yes, i have researched depression. yes, i am doing what i can to manage my depression, and i'm committed to getting well. but i need something more. i can't seem to get there on my own.

i told her, yes, i am book smart, and i am work smart, i'm even people smart. but i'm not emotionally smart. i haven't learned how to feel some intense feelings and not be buffered by them. when the intense feelings start all i want to do is escape, and for me that means getting high; cutting; or a suicide attempt. it's all an effort to MAKE IT STOP. i would like to get well enough so that i can feel the intense feelings and not reach for one of those options.

i guess i'm ever so slowly realizing that psychiatry has very little to offer me. i will continue to go to the psych check-in, simply because i want to continue working with the mental health nurse, and a condition of working with her is keeping the psych appointments.

thanks everyone for listening, and for sharing your experiences. i really appreciate it,

c.