Understanding?
- Thread starter GoldenPsych
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No, not every time. It depends on the lethality of the attempt and your own mental state.
If they get the impression you're fine to go home, that the method used was hardly lethal, or they consider it parasuicide, then you'll be sent home.
If they believe you're dangerous, on the other hand, or you made what was clearly an attempt at ending your life, then they will opt to send you to the hospital.
Either way, they punish you for trying by making your stay a nightmare until they decide what to do with you. That was my experience, anyway.
If they get the impression you're fine to go home, that the method used was hardly lethal, or they consider it parasuicide, then you'll be sent home.
If they believe you're dangerous, on the other hand, or you made what was clearly an attempt at ending your life, then they will opt to send you to the hospital.
Either way, they punish you for trying by making your stay a nightmare until they decide what to do with you. That was my experience, anyway.
OK and what happens in Canada.
It's just my impression that in the US more people end up in hospital after an attempt.
I wonder what would have happened to me if I lived in the US. Like I have taken shit loads of OD's a lot of them serious and requiring medical treatment. Would that mean I would have to go in to hospital?
What happens if you don't have insurance?
Can be be forced to go and then forced in to paying for it?
It's just my impression that in the US more people end up in hospital after an attempt.
I wonder what would have happened to me if I lived in the US. Like I have taken shit loads of OD's a lot of them serious and requiring medical treatment. Would that mean I would have to go in to hospital?
What happens if you don't have insurance?
Can be be forced to go and then forced in to paying for it?
well since you ask (ha ha)... you can be held as a volunatary or involuntary patient here in canada... more info than you ever wanted at http://www.qsos.ca/mha.html. if you are voluntary you can leave at any time and cannot be restrained. i've been both voluntary as well as on a form (involuntary).
the important part in being involuntary, or on a form as it's called, is this section of the mental health act:
# "apparently" has a mental disorder "of a nature or quality" that will likely result in: a) serious bodily harm to self, or b) to others; or c) serious physical impairment of the person, and the person:
# threatens or has threatened to cause bodily harm to self
# attempts or has attempted to cause bodily harm to self
# behaves or has behaved violently towards someone else
# causes or has caused someone to fear bodily harm,
# shows or has shown a lack of competence to care for self.
initial holds are 72 hours. then if they want to extend it they can for another two weeks.
when they interview you they want to know how serious your attempt was / intent is ... if you answer that you are serious about making another attempt you will be held on a form. if you made an attempt but say you will not reattempt they will encourage you to admit yourself on a voluntary basis.
they don't usually admit for self-harm, even if it is serious, at least at the hospital i attend. they are well versed in the difference between self harm and suicide.
admissions are covered under provincial health insurance, if you have it. when i first moved back i didn't have health insurance (takes 3 months to become eligible). i had to pay for my hospital stay. it was $1000 a day. they gave me lots of time to pay it back, though, so it was okay.
the important part in being involuntary, or on a form as it's called, is this section of the mental health act:
# "apparently" has a mental disorder "of a nature or quality" that will likely result in: a) serious bodily harm to self, or b) to others; or c) serious physical impairment of the person, and the person:
# threatens or has threatened to cause bodily harm to self
# attempts or has attempted to cause bodily harm to self
# behaves or has behaved violently towards someone else
# causes or has caused someone to fear bodily harm,
# shows or has shown a lack of competence to care for self.
initial holds are 72 hours. then if they want to extend it they can for another two weeks.
when they interview you they want to know how serious your attempt was / intent is ... if you answer that you are serious about making another attempt you will be held on a form. if you made an attempt but say you will not reattempt they will encourage you to admit yourself on a voluntary basis.
they don't usually admit for self-harm, even if it is serious, at least at the hospital i attend. they are well versed in the difference between self harm and suicide.
admissions are covered under provincial health insurance, if you have it. when i first moved back i didn't have health insurance (takes 3 months to become eligible). i had to pay for my hospital stay. it was $1000 a day. they gave me lots of time to pay it back, though, so it was okay.
GoldenPsych- In America--Yes more than likely you end up in the hospital.. I've OD about 30 times and about 15 of those times I ended up in the hospital. The other 15 times I didn't go into the emergency room, so no one knew. I was committed a couple of times, which means that the state has power of attorney over your medical affairs. You can be forced to pay at least a percentage. I luckily was approved for state insurance. One of the times I was committed I got to leave the regular hospital after about 7 weeks I think, and the second time I was committed they deemed me not able to take care of self and I was sent to the state mental hospital for about two months. I am currently still committed but, on what they call a "provisional discharge" which means I can live at home but, need to have weekly contact with case management and follow all medical suggestions. Hope that helps. kmj221
Well, our regular hospitals are more for in case of crisis intervention. If your mental requires you to be hospitalized for a longer period of time you would be more than likely sent to a state hospital. A state hospital cares for patients that either have a very extreme mental illness or handicap, or for someone who has been committed. kmj221
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kmj is correct, but there's another important reason to avoid state hospitals. To answer your question, a state hospital is a hospital that is entirely funded by the state. State hospitals are almost always underfunded. The staff are all far from professional. They are underpaid and undertrained, which is why they work in a state hospital--they can't make their way into a private hospital yet, or work anywhere else. Working in a state hospital is something a psychology student often does fresh out of school. That wouldn't be so bad if they weren't bombarded by suicidal crises in the unit almost every day. It desensitizes them. What that means for you is that you'll receive treatment from poorly trained clinicians and staff who have little experience, or empathy.
And the fact that they just about always hate their job doesn't help, either. They see severe psychopathology every day, and have the same solution for every person who gets out of line. To them, you're often considered just another crazy person. Everyone gets treated the same way. If you behave, you'll be fine. If you don't, and decide to self-harm or otherwise cause trouble, it varies how they'll handle it. A few are empathetic about it. Most are so used to it that they treat you like you're not even human. I've heard horrifying stories of people who are abused by the staff, even mocked if they've attempted suicide. One nurse, treating a young woman who had tried to slit her wrists, commented that she had done it wrong, that she had to cut *this* way. <Mod Edit, WildCherry>
That's pretty much state hospitals in a nutshell. I'm sure some are better run than others, but the fact that they're run and funded by the state always means that the staff is sub-par.
And the fact that they just about always hate their job doesn't help, either. They see severe psychopathology every day, and have the same solution for every person who gets out of line. To them, you're often considered just another crazy person. Everyone gets treated the same way. If you behave, you'll be fine. If you don't, and decide to self-harm or otherwise cause trouble, it varies how they'll handle it. A few are empathetic about it. Most are so used to it that they treat you like you're not even human. I've heard horrifying stories of people who are abused by the staff, even mocked if they've attempted suicide. One nurse, treating a young woman who had tried to slit her wrists, commented that she had done it wrong, that she had to cut *this* way. <Mod Edit, WildCherry>
That's pretty much state hospitals in a nutshell. I'm sure some are better run than others, but the fact that they're run and funded by the state always means that the staff is sub-par.
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In a State hospital (I have worked in several) people are more readily deemed 'wards of the state' which means the patient is considered chronic and with considerably less rights...it seems the abuse/neglect rates are higher as the oversight is 'The State' with all of its red tape and apathy...the furnishings are older, the wards are darker and the visitors are few...people keep their jobs because of senority and there is a strong union presence, thus making it very difficult to remove someone from their employ (I have administered two clinical programs at State hospitals)...this is not to say that people are all bad or all good, but there are considerably more challanges to deliver quality care there...hope this provides a further clarification, G...J
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