I have been in a number of psyc wards, and let me tell you, it is not a place you want to go.

Private is definitely better than public, and being voluntary is much nicer than being sectioned. Food is awful, violence is rife, you are treated like absolute crap when you are sectioned. Do all you can to avoid ever being sectioned.

Private clinics have a lot to offer, but if you ever go you will meet the revolving door patients, people that go to hospital then never learn how to cope without it. Many of them think hospital is a nice vacation from the real world, they just dont see how damaging it is. It is a terrible habit to get into, and expensive for them, many saving up so they can be looked after in hospital. Makes me shake my head because hospitals are not there for people who want a holiday from real life.

In my experience (which is a lot) do ALL you can to ever avoid going there. It is much nicer (and sometimes safer) to deal with it at home. All they do for you in hospital is drug you up til you can go home, that is something that is much more pleasant to do while at home.