[NotGood]

Could some one direct me to either threads or links as to what I would encounter if I wanted into a hospital ER and declared that I was suicidal?

I'm not suicidal, but if it gets to that point I want to know what to expect if I choose to do such a thing. I don't know if there are wide variance as it related to the state or county, but any information on this is appreciated.

When I went to the ER and said I was feeling suicidal, they didn't make me give my insurance card or any money or anything, they just had me sit in the waiting room before bringing me back. They put me in a room and several workers came in and talked to me, checked my blood pressure. I was there for an hour or two basically just sitting by myself. They finally took me over to the mental hospital side of the hospital and showed me to my room. That's my experience, anyway.

[NotGood]

nevergoodenough: Then what if you don't mind. How long a stay, what was it like, etc.

[BipolaRNurse]

I was put in the "suicide room" at the ER. People checked on me frequently and were very nice. I've been inpatient for a week and felt very safe and we'll-cared for. I'm going home today because I'm a lot better. All in all its been a positive experience.

[Altered Moment]

This was 20 years ago and it happened when I was in rehab in Scotts Valley. The police kindly escorted me to Santa Cruz. I can't remember if they took me to ER or straight to the mental hospital. I think straight to the hospital. I was then transferred to my town in the central valley. Three weeks total against my will. I didn't think i belonged there. I did. It was a good Behavioral Health Hospital and my experience was very good and it helped. I wasn't suicidal but psychotic. I thought I was there to help people.....lol

[hvert]

Different state, but it happened to a friend. He was high and said something about being suicidal. Someone called 911. He was stripped and locked in a padded room overnight at the hospital. It was a very traumatizing experience as he had suicidal ideation but was not suicidal. Now that I think about it, the fact that he was high/drunk probably played into this - they had to wait for him to sober up.

I think your treatment could really vary. Are you getting any kind of help now? It would be so much better if you were seeing someone regularly, who got to know you, who you could call if you had to.

[gloamingone]

Wow, most of you have had great experiences. Typically when I've gone to the ER, they either tell me that they don't deal with "issues" like mine, or they talk me out of wanting to be hospitalized. The mental health system is a joke in New Mexico.

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[NotGood]

Originally Posted by hvert

I think your treatment could really vary. Are you getting any kind of help now? It would be so much better if you were seeing someone regularly, who got to know you, who you could call if you had to.

I saw a therapist for the first time yesterday. I must have effectively communicated the situation as I was given the phone number to call to get scheduled to see a Psychiatrist so I could get medication.

I will call this morning to get an appointment, but that could take time and the situation as my name implies is not good.

[lilypup]

I think it really varies, even from night to night in the same hospital depending on which doc is there. If you're suicidal, you probably won't remember much. I was too busy hysterically sobbing.

[Angelique67]

I had to wait in the ER for about 8 hours. On a stretcher against the wall with the nurses ridiculing me and the ER doctor being a total *******. But when I finally got upstairs to the psych ward it was OK. Very boring but not a bad experience. It was better than the time I was involuntary.

Originally Posted by NotGood

nevergoodenough: Then what if you don't mind. How long a stay, what was it like, etc.

I stayed for five days. They knew I was suicidal so I couldn't leave until they said so. It was a lot of laying around in bed, group therapy sessions in the afternoons, sitting in the day area with other patients. There were a lot of times I felt really down and just wanted to talk to a therapist or something but there wasn't anyone to talk to. It didn't really help me apart from being a needed distraction from my life & giving me a routine. And I learned a bit from listening in group therapy to other people's stories. Wasn't much to say about mine. It wasn't terrible, but it was boring and I felt just as depressed on the fifth date as I had the first day I went in, I just wanted to go home by that point. Though if it's something you need in the future then by all means go. I'm not saying it doesn't do some people some good.

[Wish I was a cat]

When I was taken to the ER by my husband for suicidal ideation, they put me on an involuntary psych hold for 72 hours and sent me by ambulance to a inpatient treatment facility.

[Abe Froman]

NotGood:

I don't know how it is there in terms of getting an appointment with the psychiatrist, but it took quite a while for me to get my appointment. If it is a long wait, go ahead make the appointment then go to your primary care physician and explain that you have an appointment with a pdoc at such and such a date. And ask the primary care physician to put you on something until you can see the psychiatrist.

Hopefully your therapist can get you to a place where you don't feel the need to be hospitalized. But if you get in that way, just call 911 and have them take you so you can stay safe while meds are prescribed and you can get in a better mental place. Then you can really maybe work on what's bothering you with your T.

[nija43]

I'm in Southern California. I would imagine that procedures at hospitals vary from county to county as well as state to state.

My first time, I walked into the ER about 1 pm. My wife was with me. As soon as I was checked in at the desk, they took me into the ER and I was changed into hospital gown with hospital socks and placed on a hospital bed under Suicide Watch. There was even a sign posted -- "Suicide Watch". A hospital worker was with me at all times. When he had to go eat or something, he had to have another worker take his place. There was another person next to me, so one worker was on Suicide Watch for both of us.

My wife was told that I had to stay for 24 hours and then the hospital would transfer me to a psychiatric hospital where I would have to stay for at least three days.

My wife was allowed to stay with me in the ER but she did not qualify as the person on watch. The next afternoon, I was transported to the psychiatric hospital. I was not allowed to take anything with me..... just me and my hospital gown and socks.

The ER staff were very nice to my wife the entire time she was there. Whenever someone had a few minutes, they would ask her if she needed anything. Sometime during the night, the doctors and nurses finally convinced her to go home and get some sleep. She came back after about 4 hours or so.

The staff was nice to me also. Every once in a while, some doctor or nurse would come over and ask me questions about how I was feeling. It was difficult to get any sleep in there what with all the goings on with the other ER patients, but I dozed off every once in a while. Both of us were offered breakfast.

The next time after that, I went to a different ER (for their trauma unit) via ambulance, unconscious after a suicide attempt. I've got no idea of what went on, but my wife said later that the staff couldn't do enough for her or for me. She said it took almost three days to get me stabilized enough for transport to the psychiatric hospital. I remember nothing.

Both hospital ERs had an "open visitor" policy. Immediate family members (but no children) of the patients in the ER could come and go as they pleased in order to provide support for the patient.

[TheMagnifiCat]

My experiences have been hideous beyond belief....avoid the public health system like the plague, avoid being in such dire straits if possible, by having a self care plan in place..".

[Tumnus]

I was brought to the ER in a police car because I had a gun. That wasn't fun. Then, I was guarded for several hours and checked by nurses and an on-call psychiatrist. I was transferred to another hospital because all the psych beds were full where I was. I actually preferred that, because my husband worked at the first one. Once in the psych wing, I was examined head to toe for bruising, injuries, etc. That was unexpected and scary, though looking back, I'm not sure why. My stay was tedious and mostly boring, but I got the break from life that I needed, and got on a therapeutic dose of meds for the first time in my life.

I highly recommend walking into an ER on your own terms, not escorted by cops.

[angel715]

Originally Posted by NotGood

Could some one direct me to either threads or links as to what I would encounter if I wanted into a hospital ER and declared that I was suicidal?

I'm not suicidal, but if it gets to that point I want to know what to expect if I choose to do such a thing. I don't know if there are wide variance as it related to the state or county, but any information on this is appreciated.

When I was TAKEN to the ER - because someone was nosey in my journal... I was locked in a room with a cop outside the room. Once you are in for that, they have to keep you for a 72 hour evaluation. It really wasn't bad. And in reality I probably needed it. But I was really angry when I was FORCED to do it and it was against my will.

[Alone & confused]

I was held there til I got transferred to a psych hospital, put on sui watch, no big deal for me. I had a good experience there. Really kinda want to go back sometimes. Don't be afraid to get help!

I work on an inpatient psych floor at a hospital. This is basically how it goes in my state. When you come in we will take you back to a room in the ER ask basic medical questions, possibly run some labs, then a psych nurse will come down and evaluate you. Then at this point the on call psychiatrist will consult with the ER physician to make sure you are medically stable and if you meet criteria for admission you will then be asked to sign some consent forms.

At this point we will begin trying to find a bed for you starting at ground zero be the hospital you are at and then moving outwards until one is found. However be aware of once you start this process and you meet admission criteria there is no going back. During this process we have to write affidavits to hold you if try to leave because you are suicidal.

At my hospital once you arrive on my floor I have to do a skin assessment; take your vitals; listen to your heart, lungs, and bowel sounds; go over paperwork with you and ask you whole bunch of intake questions. Overall it is a pretty laid back and easy process. If you ever feel that you need these services do seek them out!

[Creative1onder]

Originally Posted by NotGood

Could some one direct me to either threads or links as to what I would encounter if I wanted into a hospital ER and declared that I was suicidal?

I'm not suicidal, but if it gets to that point I want to know what to expect if I choose to do such a thing. I don't know if there are wide variance as it related to the state or county, but any information on this is appreciated.

Expect the worst. I went to A&E few times and i wasn't taken seriously about my circumstances and forced away after waiting quite long time in real distress. I was made to feel i can't go to A&E if i need to in future if i'm suicidal.

[Wish I was a cat]

Wow a lot of mixed reviews. I can say there are differences depending on where you go. When I had suicidal ideations, I was drunk with a gun in the room with me. My husband was at work and after I sent some cryptic posts to him, he called 911. Before I knew what was going on, i was surrounded by cops and paramedics. Scared the living **** out of me. They made me go to the ER via ambulance. When I got there, they put me in the drunk tank?? I wasn't violent or out of control. I sat there all night waiting to see a doc, and when I did, they sent me to detox! I wasn't there for being drunk, i was there because I had a loaded gun next to me.
To top it off, I don't have insurance ( I'm a vet so go through the VA) and wound up with a bill of over 5k! In hindsight, I should have had the cops arrest me. Would have been cheaper!
Another time, I went to the ER on my own (VA) and they put me on suicide watch while they found me an inpatient unit. Was on a 72 hr hold, but at least they sent me to the right place. Much better experience for sure.

[shabur]

I was taken to the ER by ambulance from my T's office. I was taken into an exam room (an actual room) and a guard was placed just outside. A nurse took my vitals and my pdoc called in some orders for blood work.

I stayed in the ER until my sister came. I needed her to bring me somethings, call my employer and pick up my car from in front my T's office. (It's metered parking.)

A medical doctor came to see me for a physical. I was assigned a social worker who saw me each day and my pdoc came each day as well.

Because I was suicidal with intent, I was taken to my room and had someone with me the entire time, and I mean the ENTIRE time. No privacy going to the bathroom, could not be out of anyone's sight, etc. I was there 4 weeks and underwent ECT treatments.

In terms of mental health, there wasn't any therapy. There was music and art therapy. We were required to keep our rooms neat - beds made, clothes neat, ...

If you are struggling, my suggestion is to start with a therapist to figure out what is going on and come up with a treatment plan.

I think some people think if they check themselves into a hospital it will make things all better, but it doesn't. The hospital is only good for creating a safe place when we are desperate.

[Hellion]

I went to the ER once because I was feeling suicidal, basically the admitted me in the ER had me go in a room and someone was there to watch to make sure I didn't do anything suicidal. Then they gave me hospital clothes(if you call them clothes, but whatever) to change into from regular clothes had my mom who drove me there take my back-pack, shoes and other stuff home with her...And ended up admitted to the psych ward of that hospital, it was a small kinda crammed section of the hospital, staff was ok but some made me rather uncomfortable and food was kind of terrible, not much in the way of therapy or anything either.

Then another time I was feeling suicidal and told my therapist who called 9-11 or whatever got taken to an ER on suicide watch and was there until they found a psych ward with room...that one was a better facility in my opinion, of course having to go to the psych ward over all is not the most pleasant thing. But in my experience they tend to take it rather serious when it comes to suicide if you make it to an ER when feeling suicidal.