Experiences on Inpatient Psyc Units

I am very curious to know others experiences on being inpatient on a Psychiatric Unit.

Over the last 13 years I have been going to the same Psyc unit. My Bipolar 1 disorder is called rapid cycling and very unstable. So I have been inpatient many times.

Last July my PDOC who is in his sixties stepped down as the head doc of the unit. When he was in charge, I would say it was a wonderful unit. Each shift your assigned nurse would spend time with you. There was an assigned outside walk with staff, if you had the right level. The walk would stop in the cafeteria, and you could get coffee, snacks, ect. If you had a level 2, when your family or friends came in the evening you could go off the unit with them for 30 minutes. If you weren't suicidal or out of control manic they weren't too restrictive with what you could have in your room.

Since the new young doc took over, wow has it changed. No more walks, or off the unit with family. Mind you they have never had a problem in the history of the unit. The nurses don't talk to you anymore. You can't have a plastic bottle with water in it, they say it is a weapon. No one can have any clothes with a string in or on it. They would not allow me to have a blouse that had two inch ribbons on either side of the neck opening. If you someone wanted to hang themselves the could just roll up a sheet.

They use to promote journaling. Now no one can have a pen or pencil. In another post I told how my husband had to go to the VP of the hospital to allow me to have my felt tip pens to journal about my son last Thursday. This was after a long battle that totally wiped me out when I went in for rest and support.

What have others experienced Inpatient ?

My inpatient experiences have all been positive. Sometimes they have been stricter about items that I can have than others. We pretty much all had the run of the entire unit and were encouraged to mingled and socialize.

I journaled online while I was inpatient. They had two computers patients could use. If you'd like I can point you toward the posts from that time.

The hospital I use is a locked unit, so there are no walks off the unit whatsoever. There are also no plastic cups or bottles. No strings either. Actually no sheets on the beds; they use blankets because they are really too thick to be used for a hanging attempt. The do let you have pens that they supply, but if they become a problem, they can be taken away. I have seen a patient use a pen to SI and one actually stabbed herself with a pen. So, those kind of restrictions don't seem unusual to me. My son's hospital has the same restrictions as mine did.

The bigger issue though seems to be in the support environment the the staff has created (or lack thereof). Even with all of the restrictions, I always have felt very cared for and supported and safe. It sounds like your staff isn't doing that.

I was booked inpatient once, but it doesn't really count as I discharged myself the next day... I'll still share what I observed though...

The clinic was very unclinical, the building is a massive old Victorian style house, which looks and feels much more like a B&B than a psych clinic.

They have group activities, such as pottery, mosaic classes, art and groupt T, which are optional, and daily mandatory one on one therapy and pdoc sessions. The rooms furnished in B&B style, "happy" bedding, spacious closet, ensuite and cable tv. They have smoking rooms on each floor, and a garden if you're not too woozy from the meds. The cafateria looks like a cosy restaurant, with set menus to choose from each night. Visitors are allowed in your room or lounge, whichever you feel comfortable with, and the nursing staff were all super friendly, and will wake you for meals if they know they administered a sedative, and also check up on you with a friendly smile to see if you're settling in nicely... I wasn't restricted, pertaining to what I could have with me, but I'm sure that there are rules like that for the patients who were a danger to themselves.

All in all, I had a good experience, really surprized as my country is notorious for its health UNcare, guess private facilities still do there jobs. Only reason I left is bcoz inpatient freaked out my family and the anxiety was killing me, so I discharged myself and handled my med change and psychotic depression solo...

Would definitly want them on my health provider network when I get health insurance, just incase i need the type of help they provide...

WOW sounds like place !

I've been in two. The first one had more patients than the second, so it was a totally different experience. We excercised in the yard, volleyball or walking. Had some art activities. Typical cafeteria/hospital food. There were restrictions on what you could have, but we were allowed writing instruments. There were 3 beds to a room and a bathroom/shower. Towards the end of my stay I was moved to a less crowded part of the unit which was more relaxing and I had only one roommate.

The 2nd one I stayed at resembled more of a resort, it was so nice. There were less people. No art activities, although we played poker with the staff. There was also an excercise yard with basketball hoop. We were allowed writing instruments and I wrote a lot of stuff. I had my own room, I don't remember if the bathroom was shared or not. Food was about the same. Dr. Drew is on the board of directors of this second place I stayed. And they had another building which was a self check in / check out unit.

I'd lie through my teeth to stay out of the hospital. The hospital here in town is little more than a human warehouse. No therapy...No smoking...No recreation...Indifferent staff. Some of you seem to have had more positive experiences; I'm glad for you.

I've been in and out of pshyc wards since 1985.back then compared today, you would think you were in gothic times even the nurses wore those punishment black shoes. Girls would lay on the cold checkered bathroom floors, people would try to get a hit off a joint if they could have someone bring them one. You couldn't take a nap no matter how tired you were, They did have some good food but most of the time it was turkey because of the triptophan in turkey. iwas afraid of the other people until I got to know them, I've seen nurses charge on patients when nothing was even happening. i was punched in the back 2 times right where my heart was, I think it was the same girl from a previous stay in a different hospitals. it was like a zoo, some pretty barbaric things happening. i often tell my husband now that" I think I need the hospital" after my last stay in a total different hospital, as i was treated well by the staff, not at first ,but got better with the patients in the hospitl. I think there were new rules doc and nurses have to follow,but if you basically don't have a bone to pick with anyone you should be pretty well off.There coming to take me away to the funny farm

Well the first one I tried was really nice and the nurses nice but no therapy or anything like that no outside time unless you where a smoker, which sucked for us non smokers. But it was crowded but I met some cool people there.

The second place I went to and have been there four times has not the best looking facility all drab and everything but the staff is super nice and there is plenty of therapy and help I saw a therapist everyday and my pdoc everyday as he is the head of he hospital so I didn't have to see a different pdoc. So my experiences have been very good honestly, last year I spent a total of 64 days in and out of hospitals. Ugh but well worth it they helped me alot

Some of us have been through living hell, it sounds like. I don't know your home countries, but I hope to goodness that you will take the time to notify your governments that something needs to be done to improve conditions for patients hospitalized for mental conditions that are making it difficult for them to manage their lives.

I don't see how one can recover when having gone through what you've been through.

There must be other ways. One-on one psychotherapy with an excellent psychiatrist may be the best way to go if one can get through by doing that.

Lots of respect going out to you.

I spent 3 days. I wanted out sooner and I refused to let them change my meds to keep me in longer. It was the worst mistake I ever made. I got there at 3 pm and didn't see a doctor until the next day at 5 pm. The aides spent the whole day on their cell phones and IPads. They even dressed kinda slutty, I swear the one girl wore a low cut top everyday. She was taking bp's leaning down and I could see right down to her belly button piercing. Most of the nurses were very condescending and looked down their noses at us. I have a higher college degree and more human compassion than they have. The main doctor was a complete *** and spent more time hitting on his young students. I felt for horrible for some of the people, getting no help from these people. The only person who I found helpful and caring was the art therapist. I actually got more therapy from the other patients. I didn't enjoy the cafe either. I was in the lowest level but they combined everyone for meals. Some of the guys ogled me and scared the crap out of me. I would never go inpatient again, unless it was a well known center.

most of my experiences have been negative. ive been told countless times that it is my fault for that. it tears me apart to hear that and live with the memories.

im in texas.

most of the time im psychotic. one time i was psychotic and ran out the unit doors. i was tackled by two heavy men and dragged on my back to seclusion room. the place had no cafeteria. we ate in our rooms out of styrofoam plates. we didnt choose what we ate either. same thing every few days. very small day room.

another time i was restrained face down. couldnt breathe.

one place i was housed in a big room with 30 beds lined up for 30 men and women. mostly homeless. was in there for 3 days straight. in that room until they shifted me to the main unit for LONGER.

um wow i mean ive been in hospital about 10-11 times. i have a lot of bad memories to share but maybe i will wean it out. you know...

the police took me a few times

10 times between my 2 teenage kids, 5 different psych units, we don't have a local one. Mostly horrible uncaring staff not good experiences, police often involved with my son. 2 hospitals provided better more progressive care. 1 of them even had an outside area with plants for the kids to go get fresh air. So 1 place did provide a positive help to both my kids when they went there.

I have been in 3 different hospitals. One was a psych hospital and the other two were general hospitals with psych wards. I was on a 72 hour hold at the psych hospital. No therapy, only saw pdoc twice, no toilet seat, a sheet of polished metal bolted to the wall for a mirror, no belongings.. had to wear hospital gowns and socks. Mostly I just wandered around. Neither patients nor staff interacted.

The general hospitals were very different. The first hospital I went to had group and individual therapy, two pdocs at every visit, occupational therapy (art), great food but it was a locked ward and you couldn't leave until you were discharged.

When I first went to the second hospital, there was daily goal setting, occupational therapy, exercise group in the weight room on another floor, walks outside, and short trips out of the hospital with family or case manager. Then they lost their pdoc and closed down for about six months. When they opened again the walks, exercise room, trips off campus, and occupational therapy had ended. Insurance wouldn't cover it. If you left the campus you were considered discharged by the insurance companies. We still see the pdoc every day. The one I liked the last time I was inpatient has left, too bad. The things that remained the same were: locked ward, no cell phones or anything that has a camera, no clothing with ties (I still won't buy PJs with ties instead of elastic), no shoes, nothing sharp (I couldn't have my journal because it had a metal spiral binding), only plastic utensils and they count them after meals. They did allow pencils for journaling. The food was good and you ordered from a menu. They "encouraged" you to spend time in the dayroom with other patients... one way is that the only TV was in the dayroom. Last time I was there the rocking chair was gone...missed that. Each bedroom had its own bathroom with sink and toilet but there was only one shower and bathtub in a locked room. A nurse had to let you in. All but five rooms at the end of the hall could hold two beds but I have never had to share a room. They only do that if absolutely necessary. One thing I really like about the ward is that the nurses and aides are all very caring.

Right now I am having outpatient ECT at the same hospital every two weeks. Geeze.. a couple of weeks ago I realized that all the nurses and aides know me on sight and my name. This is at an outpatient surgery ward where they rarely see the same person twice.... They have seem me on a regular basis for 18 months now and I am scheduled for the next four months so far... and once before I had treatments for 18 months. It is almost embarrassing that they all know me.

I was only inpatient once, admitted for signs of extreme mania and psychosis. I was placed on "suicide watch", which meant nightly checks every 2 hours and could possess nothing that could cause self harm. (things with sharps edges or points, strings, cords, etc).
We were not allowed to leave the unit. We were told this was a measure put in place by the insurance companies. "If they are well enough to leave the unit and go outside, then they are not sick enough to be there and we won't pay for it." or something of that nature.

So no fresh air, no direct sunlight, no smoke breaks (put me on a 2400mg 24 hour nicotine patch). My friends were permitted to bring me shredded jerkey and bubble gum, and candy cigarettes to satisfy my nicotine addiction and oral fixations while there. They also eventually brought a cordless electric shaver for me to use, my only means with which to shave my face.

Other than the confinement and limited personal resources (no internet, cell phone, or unspervised access to the outside world) (they screened the calls we were allowed to make via a calling card), my stay was very positive. I got medicated, dx'd, fed well, showers daily, did my own laundry, and set up with roommates in similar situations. I had 3 within the time I was there. This program was meant to be in and out and into outpatient care quickly, but I was so far gone it took a full week to balance me.

I wouldn't ever want to go through it again, but if I had to, I would return to/ recommend this facility. This was a general hospital with a "Mental Health Unit." The hospital was in direct cooperation with the adjacent university, which I was attendind at the time.

Thankfully I've never been in patient. I've been able to avoid it when I came close. I will never agree go in patient and if I'm a danger to myself, end of story.