From a person that has been in a hospital about 7 times, a few years back, my immediate thoughts were that seeing the place inside and out may just increase your anxiety. You most likely won't see how the patients are treated on a brief visit, and I don't even think for privacy reasons that you would be allowed around patients. You have to sign a lot of things that you won't divulge the identity of other patients. You might get a tour of areas that are free of patients. The only way to see how the patients are truly treated would be to hang around for a couple of hours. I know from both being a patient and also as a nurse that worked in a psych unit.

Also, to quote the above responder..."If you intend to be a voluntary patient you're given a degree of freedom anyway. This means opportunities to leave the hospital, to walk it's grounds to have visitors etc." I'm sorry to tell you but that is just simply not true, as I said from being on both sides of the situation.

Every patient has to be treated equally, otherwise any privileges give to one and not the other can cause huge battles and resentment between the patients. It just does not happen. Patients value any tiny bit of privileges they are given highly, in fact privileges are taken away for bad behavior or non compliance. I question that treatment very much, but I don't make the rules. The list of 'rules' for being a patient there is very long too by the way.

I think most hospital settings are for basically keeping you safe and alive, if you are a danger to yourself or others. That is what I was told many times. It's not for just severe anxiety, I tried to get admitted once for that when I was in the first stages of acute klonopin withdrawal and they refused to help me out. I was told that I had to be suicidal or a danger to others.

I know this all sounds very negative but unfortunately that is the way things are. I wish you the best!