Brownmike, how do you perceive being locked up? When you're on a psychiatric unit, the doors are typically locked, but it's still a hospital. You'll be seen by a physician (hopefully daily) and given meds that might actually work. You'll be fed (sometimes very well), and see a therapist and/or social worker who can help you access outpatient services. If going inpatient is recommended, maybe it's a good thing?

Some hospitals are better than others, for sure, but Hollywood's version of a psychiatric hospital is a gross exaggeration. All hospitals are actually planning your discharge on the day of your arrival; they're typically crisis-oriented (short-term vs. long-term), and beds are in short supply, so the turnaround time from admission to discharge is amazingly short. Sometimes you'll have nothing to do, so boredom is the rule, not torture.

It may surprise you that ER physicians don't always recommend psychiatric admission once they assess your risks versus their liability. Sometimes it's determined that a 2- to 5-day hospitalization wouldn't serve any purpose, even when they acknowledge that you're suffering. It's not unusual for patients to be disappointed or even angry when they're discharged from an emergency room after being deemed safe enough.

Being hospitalized means a temporary loss of autonomy, but there's not that much drama. Really, I would encourage you to do what's necessary. You won't regret reaching out for help.