I'm not bipolar, but have unipolar depression.

- residential treatment, 9 months, for depression. During this I spent 1 weekend (fri-mon) 'really' inpatient after a suicide attempt.
- 5 weeks, 3,5 of which I was sectioned. After multiple suicide attempts (1 that landed me in the hospital, 3 during the half day I was laying in a hospital bed). I wasn't depressed because I was convinced I was going to die some (by my own hand) and was almost deliriously happy because of it. (No, I wasn't manic) The first 1,5 week I spent in a terrible facility. I spent a lot of time in solitary confinement (don't know what it's called in English - but basically you get an untearable dress and paper underpants, 4 cups of water, a mattress, two untearable blankets and a paper bedpan. And then you're left there.) because of staffing issues (= because I was suicidal - I wasn't violent towards anyone else. But as there wasn't enough staff to keep an eye on me, I was chucked in there). When I got to my 'regular' facility I could almost kiss my pdoc (even though he was the one who had gotten me sectioned) when he said he wasn't going to have me put in solitary confinement anymore.
- 9 weeks, after a suicide attempt that was interrupted by the cops. 'Voluntarily' - I was told I'd be sectioned if I didn't agree. During this time I quit eating and drinking and started ECT. I went home during the weekends.

I've had inpatient 'offered' to me a few other times, but it either wasn't forced or I convinced my pdoc it wasn't necessary/wasn't a good idea.

Furthermore I've been in residential two other times for intensive therapy - once two weeks, once one week - during which I got 3 hours of EMDR therapy a day. To beat the PTSD.
Tomorrow I'll be going to residential for another week during which again I'll be having 3 hours of EMDR therapy a day. Wish me luck!

Oh, and I just remember, there's something called a "prescription for a bed" in my country. Basically that's that you have an agreement with a ward that you're allowed to check yourself in for 1 night when you feel the need (and can convince the ward nurses that there's a need). I did this once. So I spent another 1 night inpatient.