Last resort. I have seen some of the forums where people think it is like a vacation and no big deal. Personally, I would rather "use it" when nothing else works, such as....

1) Manic and totally out of control and dangerous. Usually "forced in."
2) Depressed and very close to suicide. -- "forced in" or "tricked in"

Otherwise no. The hospital can only stabilize you and fix your meds "quicker" than outpatient. Statistics show that many people actually commit suicide after being released from the hospital.

• I always gain weight from all the snacks. The hospitals I have been to have snack time like 10 times a day and we are not talking fruit. Love those rice krispee treats and those peanut butter and jelly sandwich things and ice cream. Dam.....all you can eat!

• I hate group therapy and get nothing from it! The same people (borderlines, narcissists, etc) talk over and over. Usually everyone else is thinking "get me out of here, I'm too depressed for this."

• Room checks suck. Every 10 minutes if you are suicidal, which always wakes me up. 20 minutes otherwise and I still get woken up.

• Art therapy is the best part.

• You never know who your roommate will be. When you see pictures all over and 20 million items from home like someone moved in, you have a borderline and it is a nightmare. Most everyone else I know barely remembers to pack their underwear because they are too "ill." Bad roommates yell at the staff, throw stuff, want extra attention, have drama, etc. Everyone else in the hospital just wants to sleep and die.

• Depending on what ward you are placed in, it can be scary or gross. People masturbating, picking their nose, and leaving other bodily fluids on furniture, etc ... makes me not want to touch anything and vomit. Gross!

Then you get out and have to get back to "the real world" or goto partial, which is just more crappy group therapy.

Unless someone is dragging me, I am trying to keep myself out of the hospital.