[jesusplay]

I had a really bad panic attack last night. I could breath, I was weak.

Now they want me to go inpatient!!

What to expect? I don't want anyone attacking me, is it like prison?

[Moodswing]

So sorry to here you are struggling.

Are you going involuntary or are you just going under someones suggestion? Usually they send you inpatient because they are concerned you are a harm to yourself.

I have never been inpatient so I do not know.

Keep us posted.

[winter4me]

Not like prison...is this a hospital unit in a general hospital or a unit in a psych hospital or tx center? If you are voluntary, you may leave any time. If you don't want to go there you can say no...ask about what to expect etc.....(big hugs)

I dont know what kind of place you have been referred to but broadly speaking you can expect the doctors to ask you some questions about your panic attacks and then try to find a short/long term solution depending on your situation. You might be offered individual or/and group therapy. You could try it out and if it isn't for you you can still go back

[growlithing]

The one I was in was like a prison. We were locked in our rooms every night. The worst was when I was put in there at 11pm and it was dark and I had no idea why anyone else in the room was in there... But no, you won't be attacked. They keep the violent patients separate from the other patients.

I went in through the ER and was taken back into the psych ward for two nights. I was discharged very quickly because being in there was making me extremely anxious. My team of psychologists deemed it best for me to be let out because I really wasn't benefitting from it. There were so many personal triggers.

However, lots of people did benefit from being there quite a bit. It was (for the most part) fairly calm and it is a break from the stress of the outside world. There are also tons of people taking care of you so all you really need to do is try to relax. Personally, I was very distressed about being suddenly removed from my life and I couldn't stop wanting to go back to school, however I can see why some people really enjoy being there.

Bring something to do, however, because it was very very boring. I had nothing with me but the clothes on my back when I was put in there. A lot of people enjoyed being social and making friends. I was too afraid of everyone to do so.

So I can't really tell you what to expect. Some people even in my hospital while I was there really loved it while I was almost actually traumatized by the whole experience. It will depend on both your program and your perception of it.

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by jesusplay

I had a really bad panic attack last night. I could breath, I was weak.

Now they want me to go inpatient!!

What to expect? I don't want anyone attacking me, is it like prison?

if you are here in america though it can have similarities to being in prison like you cant just leave and you have rules you have to abide by and unless your treatment plan says you have the right to refuse a treatment you have to comply with the treatment options, and sometimes the windows have special mess/bars on them so that those that may be a danger to their self and others cant just climb out a window and harm others.

but it is different then a prison because its more like a hospital setting....hospital rooms with a bed or two, a bed stand and some rooms have lamps. A closet for your personal items and clothing.

most mental health units now allow their patients to wear normal clothing unless they have tried to harm their self or are making attempts to leave with out doctors release.

usually theres a dining room, game room, sun room, exercise room visitors room, therapy rooms, and group therapy rooms. or any combo of rooms depending upon what the treatment options are at the hospital to which you go to.

you will be assigned a psychiatrist,therapist or other treatment providers that will work with you to help get you stabilized so that you dont have any more anxiety / panic attacks and can live at home again without them.

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by winter4me

If you are voluntary, you may leave any time.

If you leave against medical advice though most insurance companies will not pay for your bill and it will all have to be paid by you. There are some exceptions but that is the norm.

My hospital stays have been helpful. They don't lock your room door at night, ever in fact. Very caring staff. Decent groups. Met with pdoc each day.

[Miswimmy1]

When i was in the hospital, it was similar to a prison, in the idea that its high security and you are under supervision 24/7. however, it was full of mostly caring people who you got to know quite well, and it ws a time for you to solely focus on your treatment- something that is hard to do in the regular everyday life. i found it very helpful for my anxiety/OCD.

[shezbut]

((((jesusplay))))

I have been inpatient more than a couple of times in my life. I can assure you that most of the employees really show that they care about you. You might have a single room, or share with another person. There is a separate bathroom in the room, which has some steps taken so that people can't take their lives while in there.

Some hospitals do have patients on video; others peek in every 5-15 minutes to make sure you're safe. It is difficult to describe. My experiences weren't intimidating (except for my very first time ~ put in an open adult unit, I was a mid-teen, until they could find an open space in juvenile. But that was a long time ago ~ places are MUCH different nowadays!)

Rest assured, hospitals have made huge strides in making the experience comforting, supportive, and safe in recent years. Please do what's best for you. If you really do need help, reach out for that hand before you go down any further! It's going to be okay.

Bring magazines, coloring pencils & paper, a journal to write in, loved &/or relaxing printed photos.

There are a lot of factors to determine how your stay will be.
I do not think anyone has the same exact experience in hospital as others do.

I don't know about the hospital you are going to, but for me, the experience was like being in prison. (But I've never been in prison, so I cannot compare) My last stay, I was not locked in my door, but someone was in there watching me 24/7 even while I slept. So, there was a member of staff guarding my door at night. I was on 1:1 obvs so there was always someone watching me. I was also in the intensive treatment center (where all the "violent"/"high risk" patients go) for most of my stay, so I was under surveillance nearly the whole time. I had my own room and there was no bathroom in the room. There was only one bathroom in the ITC and it was locked, so I had to ask a member of staff every time I wanted to use it. And even when I was using the bathroom, there was always a member of staff listening to me from the other side of the door. There was also the issue of meds, since I had a history of hiding meds and not taking them, so I was constantly being threatened with injections.

So, in most hospitals though, they don't watch you as closely unless you're on 1:1, which you usually are for the first day or two while there but it's usually not that way for long. Usually.

Take care! I hope everything goes well!

[eskielover]

I had good & bad experiences.....I don't even remember the number of times I had been hospitalized between 1995 & 2002.....medical & psych stays.

Several good hospital stays where it was a private psych hospital ropes course & a lot of practical help....but it was at the beginning of my problems & not as helpful as I would have liked it to be because I wasn't in a good place to be helped then.

1 on 1 is only when a person is suicidal or they think you will harm yourself in any way. I was usually in for ....but mostly there were good experiences except the first time at UCLA's psych hospital which was right after the Nortiridge earthquake in 1994 & it was still old style psych hospital with student's & pdocs all trying to figure you out.

If they don't have monitors, they do 15 minute checks throughout the night & that I found disturbing to my sleep even if I took something for sleep.....but most hospitals have many who do care & want to make your stay plesant...but also noticed that it depended on individual personalities as to how they were treated. Aggressive people weren't treated very nicely.....nice people were treated very well.

Participating in groups was a good distraction & bringing a book or music to listen to was very important for quiet & relaxing.

[winter4me]

If the reason they want inpatient is severe anxiety (vs being a danger to self/others) it is your choice-----if involuntarily committed, you have the opportunity to have a hearing for reconsideration. While it is true you may be hit with a bill for leaving against medical advice, this is rarely done (the discharge being "AMA") unless the doctor feels you are really in a dangerous situation and therefore potentially a liability for him/her.

[sugahorse1]

Hospital has always benefitted me. Mostly the other patients have also reached out to me and tried to make friends.
The nurses were friendly
The food was ok
I slept a lot
Going voluntarily is always much easier.
I appreciated seeing my T and pdoc daily

[newtus]

if the person is in the USA PLEASE do NOT tell them that if they are voluntary they can leave any time. that isnt true in the slightest. even if you are voluntary its up to the pdoc to decide if you are ok to leave. ive asked to leave before and not only have i been told that at many hospitals - some places may also tell you that up front.

most of my hospital stays have been bad. and i say that because i had my safety jeopardized many times and the care that was given wasnt good. i akin it to prison. every hospital is different. but all in all i would say most especially if your dealing with someone severe is not good. but if its for anxiety i would seriously (and i say this with care) rethink going inpatient. sometimes you can go outpatient and its like inpatient except you go home at the end of the day. inpatient houses a lot of people with all kind of MI from the mild issues to really severe and drug addicts. the main reason its not so safe at most places is not because what they deal its because its these people are at their worst and things can get hectic on the unit daily or something.

complete honesty.

[newtus]

Originally Posted by Yoda

If you leave against medical advice though most insurance companies will not pay for your bill and it will all have to be paid by you. There are some exceptions but that is the norm.

yes! please tell people this more.
theres so many misconceptions about hospitals.
these places are not a free time.

honestly? i feel like it shouldnt be treated as a place to go in and out whenever.

hospitals mainly crisis centers (which these are what they mostly are) do not promote recovery. they ONLY get you stabilized and get you back into community resources like a psychiatrist or therapist or group therapy and so on.

you may leave still feeling bad or anxious or psychotic or whatever your personal case is. they just make sure your going to be ok long enough until you can see your psychiatrist again.

the hospital is a TON of money to put out unless you really need it.

my last hospital stay came out to about $13,000 dollars for 7 or 8 day stay.

[eskielover]

the hospital is a TON of money to put out unless you really need it.

I will second this even with good insurance that I & my H had....they wouldn't cover the hospital that my pdoc wanted me to go into.....I was already suicidal by that point but had initially started out with major anxiety.....this hospital was a month stay with lots of treatment, ropes course & all kinds of therapy groups that were top quality.....ended up going to collection because there was no way of paying for it....& I ended up there a couple of times before it closed.

So beware financially also.....financial issues can cause more stress & strain to an already broken person.

I was also discharged one time specifically before I was even close to being OK.....revolving door policy......I really caused the hospital a lot of grief...before even being discharged, I ended up in ICU on a breathing machine.....that changed a lot of hospital policy....but it was a statement about how I really was primary.

Outpatient can be really good care also....it's good to look at all the options when you are voluntary & decide what is really the best.

I went AMA one time from a medical hospital. The pdoc that was on staff had written that he would put me on a hold if I tried to leave as I was ill with the anorexia & he claimed that I would not live if I left without having the IV nutrition of feeding tube.....I talked with my GP who was the one who admitted me to the hospital.....he said he would look the other way as long as I promised to come back after my mother's funeral was over & get the IV nutrition......I left & came back after.....but the pdoc wanted nothing more to do with me...lol.....he was a jerk anyway so no loss.....the psychologist on staff was pretty good. The bill was covered & I didn't have to pay another deductible because I was back within a week.....but medical billing & everything else can bet very complicated & very tricky & end up leaving us the ones in major debt.

[winter4me]

I am an RN in the USA and you CAN leave if you are voluntary, in fact it is considered assault, battery and additionally criminal for a health care worker to prevent anyone from leaving, or to put a hand on them without their permission unless they are declared a danger to self/others It may be Against Medical Advice but NO ONE can force treatment on you....unless you are declared incompetent by a court and have a court appointed Guardian Over Person. Even a DPOA-HC cannot force treatment on you or hold you..

[newtus]

@eskielover

put me on a hold

THAT RIGHT THERE is another thing.

if you choose to leave even if u are voluntary they can put you on a hold. basically meaning that you go from going in voluntary to INVOLUNTARY. at that point you have no other real choice but to stay there.

theres a lot they can do to you thats NOT good. and yes does far more damage many times rather than if you just did another route IF youre voluntary. they can tell insurance to not pay OR put you on a hold. lots of stuff. and the decision all rides on the hospital psychiatrist.

ive seen tons of people complain about hospitals because of all these issues they put on these people. BUT if these patients took the time to understand how psychiatric hospitals work they most likely would not be going in. then again theres a EXTREME false advertisment played out by mental health professionals acting as if these places are a place to relax or get your mind clear. some people do ok in these places. most dont. they end up finding out the truth and the realities of what actually goes on.

[winter4me]

actually, being discharged too soon is a problem i see all too often lately...especially with the older or uninsured...or underinsured....

[newtus]

Originally Posted by winter4me

I am an RN in the USA and you CAN leave if you are voluntary, in fact it is considered assault, battery and additionally criminal for a health care worker to prevent anyone from leaving, or to put a hand on them without their permission unless they are declared a danger to self/others It may be Against Medical Advice but NO ONE can force treatment on you....unless you are declared incompetent by a court and have a court appointed Guardian Over Person. Even a DPOA-HC cannot force treatment on you or hold you..

but theres a problem with them telling these people that they cant. thats one problem. they are CLEARLY taking advantage of people when they say they cant. still though i have seen people and talked to people who clearly should be able to leave and they just cannot. been through it too. ive been in hospitals 15 times. both private and public and long term. they main problem is they lie to people. after that fact the problem is if they hold you and you try and report it to someone you dont have a surefire chance youll be believed. ive been through this and theres a investigation going on in a few TX hospitals that i went to about the problem with being believed and having a case taken on when theres stigma about the issue concerning a mental hospital. its hard to say they mistreated you - and for you to be believed - when they realize youve been in a hospital. i KNOW wht im about to say isnt right on their part - but ive clearly heard counselors and staff say "we will just say you were incompetent" when someone said they will sue. ive seen it so much. its worse in public hospitals when the majority population of the patients are low income or homeless.

I use a hospital in Texas (many times in fact). Patients leave all the time at their own request as long as they came in voluntarily. In fact, I saw a man who was admitted involuntarily from another hospital. It was really a mistake as he had actual volunteered his admission but the other hospital had handled the admission work incorrectly. The pdoc at our hospital got the matter staightened up quickly and he was able to leave on his own volition later that day. I've seen very few patients complain about not being allowed to leave, and in those cases it was very clear they were involuntary admissions ( and needed to be).

I know each hospital is different which is why people really do need to do their research if they expect hospitalization for mental health problems may be a possibility at some point.

I've never found the hospital to be prisonlike. I suspect people who have actually been in prison would generally agree. Yes, it is restrictive in some ways, yes they do observe patients closely (my hospital notes what each patient is doing every 10 minutes), but I certainly didn't find it prisonlike and I was on a locked floor--still not prisonlike.

I did receive good care. The staff was caring and helpful. Patients were dealt with respectfully and professionally even when that respect was not reciprocated. Never saw restraints used in all my stays. There is one quiet room for patients who might lose physical control, but this hospital does not lock patients in the room. They simply position staff at the door while the patient calms down, and patients are there a very minimal amount of time.

Yes, there are bad hospitals out there, but they aren't all run that way.

[newtus]

Originally Posted by 1914sierra

I use a hospital in Texas (many times in fact). Patients leave all the time at their own request as long as they came in voluntarily. In fact, I saw a man who was admitted involuntarily from another hospital. It was really a mistake as he had actual volunteered his admission but the other hospital had handled the admission work incorrectly. The pdoc at our hospital got the matter staightened up quickly and he was able to leave on his own volition later that day. I've seen very few patients complain about not being allowed to leave, and in those cases it was very clear they were involuntary admissions ( and needed to be).

I know each hospital is different which is why people really do need to do their research if they expect hospitalization for mental health problems may be a possibility at some point.

I've never found the hospital to be prisonlike. I suspect people who have actually been in prison would generally agree. Yes, it is restrictive in some ways, yes they do observe patients closely (my hospital notes what each patient is doing every 10 minutes), but I certainly didn't find it prisonlike and I was on a locked floor--still not prisonlike.

I did receive good care. The staff was caring and helpful. Patients were dealt with respectfully and professionally even when that respect was not reciprocated. Never saw restraints used in all my stays. There is one quiet room for patients who might lose physical control, but this hospital does not lock patients in the room. They simply position staff at the door while the patient calms down, and patients are there a very minimal amount of time.

Yes, there are bad hospitals out there, but they aren't all run that way.

what hospital was this?

i live in the dallas-ft worth area. i would like to know which ones are good because too many are bad. even though how one is treated is slightly subjective it can be pretty objective as to what one witnesses. ive seen restraints of all kinds every place i been to. restraints include not just typical "straps" but both physical (done by a person/staff) and chemical restraints.

[growlithing]

Originally Posted by amandalouise

if you are here in america though it can have similarities to being in prison like you cant just leave and you have rules you have to abide by and unless your treatment plan says you have the right to refuse a treatment you have to comply with the treatment options, and sometimes the windows have special mess/bars on them so that those that may be a danger to their self and others cant just climb out a window and harm others.

but it is different then a prison because its more like a hospital setting....hospital rooms with a bed or two, a bed stand and some rooms have lamps. A closet for your personal items and clothing.

most mental health units now allow their patients to wear normal clothing unless they have tried to harm their self or are making attempts to leave with out doctors release.

usually theres a dining room, game room, sun room, exercise room visitors room, therapy rooms, and group therapy rooms. or any combo of rooms depending upon what the treatment options are at the hospital to which you go to.

you will be assigned a psychiatrist,therapist or other treatment providers that will work with you to help get you stabilized so that you dont have any more anxiety / panic attacks and can live at home again without them.

Mine was 4 beds in one room, curtains separating the patients, no nightstands or bookcases. Just a hospital bed in a curtained off area. There were bars over the windows.

We had an exercise room and a general room. The general room had a kitchen and a TV and like board games. No access to a computer and we were allotted 30mins on the phone a day (no cellphones allowed due to patient confidentiality purposes).

Every day they offered optional classes (AA meetings, stuff like that) and an optional group meeting. I went to one of the group sessions. I found it insultingly juvenile. We read this poem about a train and the moral was being the pilot of your own life. The group leader then asked us to try and interpret the meaning of the poem and the poem was literally so simple that there isn't any possible way up could have misinterpreted it. But the other people in the group were crying about it and I was overwhelmed by their emotions over a piece of writing so pathetic.

So it is a little better than prison but not a ton.

Originally Posted by newtus

what hospital was this?

i live in the dallas-ft worth area. i would like to know which ones are good because too many are bad. even though how one is treated is slightly subjective it can be pretty objective as to what one witnesses. ive seen restraints of all kinds every place i been to. restraints include not just typical "straps" but both physical (done by a person/staff) and chemical restraints.

PM'ed info to you.