How many hospitizations a year?

Now that the hospital is an option for me I feel comfortable enough to go. I just got out the beginning of July. And I fear I'll need to go back around October when seasonal stuff hits.

Just wondering what's considered excessive.

I don't think any number is too excessive if you truly need it.

What happens to some people though is they'll use the hospital as their first choice; begin to rely on it and the attention received from nurses and psychiatrists. This is especially common for people who do not have a good support network.

If you ever feel truly unsafe or need a med tweak, that's absolutely fine and there's no shame in using the hospital's services. Just don't fall into a trap of relying on it when it's not necessary.

I've been 5 times in 7.5 years. But I seem to have a long time I'm fine and then 2 close together. That happened twice (in 2009, in Sept. 2011, in Dec. 2011, in Aug. 205, in Feb. 2016). After I learned it wasn't so scary and that it could help I was much more willing to go in but I have also just been more ill since 2011. There have been things I thought would surely put me in there that I've handed outpatient fine. I'm not sure anything really changed after I got past the fear except that I got sicker. I don't think about it too much or it is overpowering. Right now I'm having a mixed episode and immediately start thinking I could wind up there. It's true, I could, but I've handled hundreds of mixed episodes at home and will probably be fine here.

I get hospitalized 2-4 times a year, no matter how I try. I say go when you need to go. Don't worry about overusing.

my average is 3 times a year

Go when you need to better that your safe than not and something terrible happens.

I go about 3x a year - though have already been 3x in the first 3 months of this year.

Go when you need to go - no one will judge.

I've felt on multiple occasions that I've needed the hospital in the past. So about 4-5 times a year wouldn't be too much?

I can't handle things on my own and/or wait to see if medicines will end up working while waiting a month in between.

It's all about what you need.
If you need 4-5 times a year, that's fine.
With med changes, you may start to stabilize and start to feel you need the hospital less and less. Or maybe not. Only time will tell.


WC

I've been ip 15 times since I was 18. That's in twelve years. Most of those have happened since 2012. I rArely go Now because I have coping skills. Just psychosis sends me now.

I think I've been in the hospital four times this year, or it could be five.

It's been a rough year.

I completely agree! I know people who try to use hospital as a crutch for every tiny thing. The important thing is to work on getting the right treatment and developing sufficient coping strategies so that the hospital is very rarely needed.

Personally I find it a complete waste of time anyway as all they do is 'warehouse' people here - there's no therapy/groups like I read about on here, and very minimal ward activities depending on the calibre of the ward, so perhaps that's why I've never seen it as a useful endeavour...

*Willow*

I usually went twice a year. This year I haven't been hospitalized (fingers crossed).