[Miud]

My therapist said if I'm really thinking of hurting or killing myself , that I should go there. I'm not sure... People said it's the looney bin & you get treated horribly

Is it true?

What is happens in usual day?

What happens when I check myself in?

If I'm still wanting to hurt myself, or kill myself, what would they do?

Do I get meds?

[SheHulk07]

I've only been in a psych hospital once, and that was last month. I was admitted involuntarily, so I don't know what happens if you check yourself in. The staff where I was at didn't treat me badly at all. I was originally put on a 72 hour hold, and because I refused to sign in voluntarily after that, the psych doctor put me on a short term certification. I ended up staying there for a week.

In the morning we had check in, breakfast, vitals, then a group or 2 before lunch. After lunch it was visitation time for an hour. After that was check out to see how your day was. Snacks then bed.

Most everyone on the unit I was at was on meds, but I refused them. I wanted to see how I would do without them, and the psych doctor wasn't happy about that.

[Miud]

Anything else anyone?

[Wysteria]

Unfortunately, have had too much experience.
Always better to go in voluntarily...do your homework beforehand..asking T's and Pdoc best places to go with good docs and staff. Usually the big trauma places downtown are not so great because the police dump just about everybody there...

Normally, you have to go through an ER for medical examination and history and risk assessment. Then you are taken up to the floor.
It is a little nerve wracking at first, a lot of questions etc...finally assigned a bed and room. Usually 1 or 2 people per room.

Don't take anything sharp, glass, no medications, or anything with alcohol in it for starters...each ward has their own rules, but those are the norms...wear as little jewelry as possible, take clothes and undies with no ties or shoestrings in them. Take about 3-4 days, usually they have washing machines as well. Normally, some items are kept in nurses area for once or twice a day check out...like makeup and shampoo etc, and rest is for your room. Valuables are put in a vault..but I normally just take a credit card, a few dollars, insurance card, med list, list of a few phone numbers...no wallet or purse. Better to be safe than sorry. Plus nurses hate to have to itemize everything in your purse or wallet etc before sending them to the vault.

Days normally include wake up, which you need to do to take a shower and get cleaned up before breakfast...try to not bother the tech anymore than necessary...often cranky bullies. Med call...get meds from med nurse...
Then you normally go to some informational groups, group therapy, art or recreation, visitors time, whatever they offer. You will see a pdoc every day. You probably will get no real personal therapy unless the pdoc orders it.

Usually a social worker is assigned to make sure you have someplace to go, and a ride home etc...probably won't see them a whole lot. They have to make sure you have a pdoc and or T outside to watch you...they also work with your insurance company daily to get approvals, etc..

There may be some med adjustments...sometimes not a bad idea to have a second pdoc look at your med lists and such....my pdoc never seems to mind and takes their suggestions seriously...

Pretty much observed all day...can't stay in bed all day...check on you like every 30 min during the night..just peek their heads in the door...everything is reported to your pdoc at the hospital...whether you go to groups, how much you sleep, how well you take care of yourself, what you say to staff members, etc..

Don't try to make friends for outside the hospital...never, ever a good idea. Try not to give out too much personal information like last name, company you work with, street address or phone number to any other patients. You don't want other people following you home or calling or whatever. Be nice, but don't exchange information even if they seem friendly and want to. Seen and heard of people getting into a lot of trouble from that...

Try to give permission for your T or pdoc to get information or to call in...you will be given a code number for calls. If the caller does not have code number, they will not even say if you are there or not. They have to keep your confidentiality.
Take a small list of phone numbers since all electronics will be taken from you. Thus, if like me, won't remember phone numbers...

Give people some space, advocate for what you need...and normally out in 2-5 days...depends on insurance and how well you are doing. Mostly just like a longer evaluation and watching for any problems with changes in meds or whatever...
Stay calm...be polite...usuallly I get permission from pdoc for a pen (with limitations) and I take a pad of paper with me to journal on and a book or so...you will have a fair amount of down time actually....

It can be really useful to switch gears, get stable, get on a schedule, get out of isolation, perhaps med changes...etc.

Much better to ask questions beforehand and get in a good, safe and clean unit...even if it is a drive, than to just go to the closest one...

If you are in danger, call the ambulance. You will go to nearest ER and then be evaluated...and then moved to a hospital with psych unit. Know where you want to go.
But be safe first. Don't try to drive if you have done anything unsafe.

It's okay...occasionally, some people have anger issues or act out...just go to your room....don't let it bother you. Usually pretty quiet.

Take good care of yourself...

WB

[Miud]

I'm in the us and I'm teen. Forgot to add that

[Wysteria]

Originally Posted by Miud

I'm in the us and I'm teen. Forgot to add that

I'm in us too...don't think much would be too different...maybe a bit friendlier...fewer wards for teens...get recommends where you can...good luck!!

[Fuzzybear]

[Baroness4tea]

The one I went to was nice. You had vitals, blood draw, breakfast, and making your bed and the you had group sessions with breaks in between. Your doctor met with you once a day. If you were on suicide watch you had to eat in the building where you were staying, and coffee was decaf. Otherwise, you could go to the cafeteria and eat/drink whatever you wanted. There were 2 people per room and maybe 12 on the unit. One pay phone for everyone to share. You do get medication. They also do a strip search, lock valuables in safe, take razors, shoe laces, shampoo or toiletries containing alcohol, drawstrings in your clothing, etc. We had visitation in the evening. It was a very nice place. Plenty of cigarette breaks if you smoke. Use the place to help get yourself stable and be prepared that you may be a little scared when you leave. To me, it felt like a safe place with no stress. Bring there helped me tremendously. My last hospitalization was 8 years ago, so maybe things are different.


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[TorturedSoul92]

They'll put you on suicide watch, which is basically a nurse watching you 24 hours. You do receive meds & when I visited a friend there, it was quite an interesting mixture of patients. If you are considering hurting yourself, however, it may be in your best interest to visit the closest crisis response center

[ToeJam]

My experience was a blur. Due to the method that put me there (also involuntary as at least one has mentioned above), I was pretty drowsy for the majority of the time. Didn't really interact with anybody... stayed in the room allocated me and was anti social. Did not want to be there at all which increased my time... was finally allowed to go when I relented and said that I would see the Uni T provided for a set duration.

Can't really give you much more info than that... as said, recollection of it was really poor due to other circumstances.

[herethennow]

Probably might be of little use.. but here's my experience:

The psych ward I was admitted to was in a normal tertiary general hospital. What that meant was when there is a bed crunch (happens frequently here) there would be 'normal' medical patients in the ward. When they know it's a psych ward.. all eyes will turn and stare...... I hope that doesn't happen to you.

Anyway, it's the same routine as what others had mentioned. However, since it was a normal hospital, I get to keep my electronics (chargers included) so they are not that strict on certain things. (my bag check passed, and I had hidden a penknife with me :|)

Morning would be check for vitals, breakfast at dining hall, then your doctor would visit you. Thereafter would be morning occupational therapy, which is arts and crafts. Then lunch, where families can visit. Then would be afternoon occupational therapy, which teaches you to deal with your illness. Then would be dinner, where families can continue visiting, check for vitals and bed.

One thing I liked about the psych ward was weekends. Weekends would only have an oncall doctor and no activities lined up. I can rot infront of the TV, have my privacy, sleep all day.. yadayada.

Pretty okay place for me. It was more because I did my research and avoided going to the worse hospital ever. So doing your research helps too

[jenniy122]

I've been inpatient 7 times between 3 hospitals, so I can give you a general run down.
weekdays:
-waken up for vitals around 7am, some places they'll come to you, others you come to them in the community room
- goal setting
- breakfast around 8-8:30
- first group around 10:30. could be talk therapy, recreation, etc.
- lunch at noonish
- second group around 2
- dinner around 5
- visiting in the evenings on certain days
- lights out at 11

weekends are a lot less structured, there aren't usually groups.

Plan on a lot of downtime. If you can tolerate reading or coloring bring those things with you.

Out of all 7 stays I've only had one crappy one, so it can happen but I wouldn't say it's the norm.

When you check yourself in, you'll go to an ER and tell them about your feelings. You'll give blood and urine samples so they can see if there's anything physical causing your symptoms and if you're on any drugs or pregnant. Once those results come back, they'll call in the social worker, who will talk to you in depth about your feelings and your plans to hurt yourself. They will decide if you're enough of a risk to go inpatient. Since you're a teen you won't be checking yourself in, your parents will be doing all the paperwork on your behalf, but you're still considered voluntary which is a good thing. You'll be transported to the psych unit, where they'll strip search you and make notes of any marks on your body, then someone will go through a million intake questions with you while someone else checks in all your stuff and inventories it. No belts, shoelaces, drawstrings, jewelry, metal hair accessories like bobby pins, electronics, cell phones. Bring comfy clothes, like exercise/yoga pants and tshirts and a non-hoodie sweater, enough for about 4 days (they have laundry on unit).

If you are still feeling suicidal once you get there and you don't contract for safety or you get someone that you've contracted with then they'll assign one person to be with you around the clock until you start feeling better.

Generally yes, you do get meds. You can refuse if you want, I didn't want to go on meds my first hospitalization but they basically told me you want out of here you have to take them, so I did for a while and then went off with my outside doctor later.