I've been at a psych ward five-six times, my longest stay was one month, my shortest was one day.

It's not so scary, and if you're submitted by your own terms (and not forced) you usually get to stay in an open ward, as opposed to the closed ward where you might meet some really crazy people.
The one month stay at the hospital psych. ward was one of the best months of my life, I met so many nice people. I can't say that the stay helped me much though, cos two months later - I was back.

If you're scaring yourself and you think you need to be protected from yourself; get submitted to a ward. They'll take care of you, you'll talk to a psychiatrist, you might get some new medication or change the dosage of your current one etc.
I don't know about where you live, but here there are wards for the purpose of evaluation - so you stay there for some months and get a proper evaluation so that they can pinpoint exactly what your disorders are and how to help you.

And there's usually group therapy in psych. wards, I was really scared of going to one but I learned a lot from participating in them.
The first time in a psych ward can be pretty scary, but just open up and talk to the other "inmates" and try to make some friends and you'll be fine. Crazy people are usually fun people, as long as they're not psychotic. 0.o

PS. If you are going to submit yourself, you'll need to back a bag with clothes etc but there are guidelines for what you can wear and have access to in the ward.
Don't bring anything that requires a belt or a string (that includes sweatpants); bring shoes that don't require shoe laces and also bring slippers/woolen socks.
Bring plenty warm, comfortable clothes; bring a week's worth of underwear (you can wash your clothes there).
Bring a good face cream, hand cream and eye droplets (the air in hospitals is really dry); bring whatever hygiene products you need cos otherwise you have to use the hospital stuff... yuck!
If you smoke, bring plenty of cigarettes (more than you need).
Bring a water bottle and bring cash (sometimes there's a kiosk in the facilities).

Your cash, outerwear, clothes, hygiene products, cell phone etc will be locked in a closet if you're in a closed ward, but you usually get to keep your toothbrush. And you can have access to all your things (except cell phone) if you just ask. Most places have those phone booths that use calling cards. If you're in an open ward you're allowed to have clothes with belts and strings as well as full access to all your stuff.
I recommend bringing some make-up, cos after a couple days you really start feeling dirty and messy.
And don't tell anyone that you have cigarettes or cash, cigarettes work like currency in there "I'll give you my valium if you give me two cigarettes" (and they usually trade drugs). And keep your cell phone and whatever else hidden, cos people will steal it.

Yeah there's a lot of guidelines. :P I wish someone had told me all of that before my first submission where I had to ruin my sweatpants by taking the string out, and my jeans kept falling down cos I didn't have a belt.