Hospital?

Not sure where to post this, but....

I am wondering about people's experience going to the hospital? OTHER than suicidal ideation, what has led to hospitalization?

Thanks.

My experiences (15+) of them have never been anything but positive. Usually I went in for psychotic experiences, major disassociating, and not agreeing to remain safe. I was always well taken care of in the hospital.

Good luck earthmama


Dee

My experiences with them have never been anything but negative. My last one was over a decade ago; maybe things have changed, maybe not. Being treated with disdain and contempt is hard for me to deal with. I think I understand where those attitudes come from a lot better than I did at the time, but it is still hard for me to feel that I could cope if I imagine ever having to go back to one of those places.

I was inpatient for 7 weeks last summer & while I was terrified of going in it was a really good experience. I was in a major depressive episode, my self injury was getting pretty bad, I had suicidal thoughts, was really struggling with sobriety and my life was just generally falling to pieces. I was lucky though I got into a dedicated women's program for women with acute mental illnesses with a trauma history. We had lots of good group therapy sessions, as well as one on one time with the nurses. Plus I could see my pdoc daily which was important as she was adjusting my medication.

the only downside was the lack of privacy - none of the doors, not even the bathroom stalls had locks and the nurses checked on us every hour. Because I was in voluntarily I could leave the unit to go for walks pretty much as I pleased, except for when I needed to be in group.

It was good to have a total time out from my life and just be able to focus on myself and getting better.

--splitimage

I was diagnosed with a major depressive episode about 12 years ago and spent 5 days in Shepard Pratt. What effected me the most during that time was my fellow patients in group therapies. Some were much worse off than I thought I was and it made me reevaluate some things in my life. The whole experience made me realize just how long I had been suffering from depression.....My whole life! It made me want to understand myself more. It was kind of like a new starting point. Since then I feel I've been more compassionate and understanding towards others...........Isn't that what it's all about?

I was hospitalized 4 times so far within the past year and a half, and all of them were good experiences. 2 of them were involuntarily and 2 voluntarily. The nurses and the pdoc were nice and caring. Also the other patients there to talk to were caring and good people to talk with. Also the group therapy was very helpful and the recreational activites were fun. The hospitalizations helped me a lot and it made me a different person if i werent hospitalized in a good way and it saved my life. Also a good benefit from it is that I been SI free for 7 months so far.

When someone gets hurt in the head and goes into a coma, if you fall and get really hurt, if you got shot or stabbed, really any reason you can go to the hospital if your health is in threat...

My most recent experience with the hospital made me leave feeling 10 times worse then when I first got there.
My psych organised for me to be admitted because SI was fairly extreme and I was sufferning psychosis. After explaining how I was feeling to the doctors, crying my eyes out, telling them how scared I was of myself and that I was having thoughts of hurting other people, they said I was fine to go home, but made me write "I am responsible for my own actions" and sign it. I felt so so patronised.
Talk about covering their butts

silentlyscreaming

I was hospitalized for the first time this last summer. It happened twice - the first time was involuntary, for a week and a half. The second one was voluntary, for 3 days. It was about 2 weeks in total. I was hospitalized because I was considered gravely disabled, and my family thought I was trying to commit suicide (sorry, I know you didn't want replies that were because of that). My experience was pretty positive overall - I was in bad shape when I got there, and since then I've been a whole lot calmer, and the racing thoughts I had have totally stopped. It's nice - I don't know how long it will last, but I'm glad for it while it's happening, I haven't felt this good in a long time.


Off topic - on the My Mood list, there certainly are a lot of options that begin with the letter c and the letter b.

well... i've been in hospital 3 times, once for a suicide attempt, once for psychosis, and this july for psychotic depression. i was so worn out my voice was monotonous, i didn't take care of myself, all i did was lay in bed staring at the ceiling.

so basically... what i think about hospitalisation.. the positive experiences i had was that it was extremely easy to get along with other patients (here in the north pole - almost LOL - people are really quiet and withdrawn and need their own space). it was cruel to throw me back into the reality amongst those beasts i don't feel comfortable around with! but really... once i was there for 1 week and had no talk sessions with a nurse, just saw pdoc to adjust meds... and in july i met up with a nurse a lot at first (i was there for 3 weeks) and they told me a lot of bull crap that even my pdoc (the one that treats me when i'm outta hospital) wondered why they said that - she thought they must've been really busy (though i don't think that is a reason good enough to lie). maybe they just thought that i didn't know stuff even though i have studied psychology and pharmacology since age... i don't know. but very young.

however, my depression DID get better, i got to communicate with some awesome people, got horrible side effects from the meds tho, but stopped taking them when i got out. maybe it was just the environment? one thing i would like to have is the freedom to refuse taking medication, whether you're in hospital voluntarily or not.

BUT my very first experience was good - that was the suicide attempt one but it was good. didn't talk to other patients then but did get to see the nurse and the pdoc often and they were very nice and when they found out i had studied meds & psychology, they didn't treat me like an idiot. not that they did in the first place anyway.

that's the way we do it over here... good luck to you in whatever you choose (((earthmama)))

PS. i found this from wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5150_(I...chiatric_hold) - that applies to california but apparently there you can refuse meds. i don't know what the reality is, though.

((earthmama))))))))
my son has been a been so many times hes on a first name with them
All due to injurys or appendix or simple things
My sister was for depression.
My mom many times as she was ill((terminal))
There were very good times and some not so good
BUt I have to say on a whole most times at least with my son was good
with my sister they helped her alot
Muffy

I have been in hospital more times than I can rememeber.
Mostly bad but have had some really good ones. Earlier this year was good. I was in because my depression got really bad and I SI'd first time in over a year so it was a get in hosp and prevent a further dip. And it helped.
I was in for a month and they did nothing but help me.

Although I am slipping down rapidly now I am thankful for the help I recieved. I think you have to want the help and really put in the hard work or it just doesn't help being in hospital. That is always difficult as I have been in at times when I've not wanted help. I wanted to be somewhere safe but not to change. It is a hard time.

Well mine are pretty limited... I have gone many a times from anxeity thinking feeeling like i was dying.... convined actually that I was dying... once anxiety under control I go home ... never stay over... I have gone many times b/c alters taking over and one is bad and wanted to hurt bleed and I was scared... but again no stay over... I wont they would have to admit me against my will b/c there is huge irrational fears of being locked up and not to be seen again! So mots of the time I suffer alone, my family suffers alone, and we wing it as much as we can and only get temp help when its too much but yet not enough to where they can or would admit me without my consent..... Its not taht I dont want help its that fear is the biggest take over and I dont trust enough to get it I guess....

Aside from mental health I have stayed over in hospital for regualr issues: giving birth, pnemonia, surgeries, etc... those reasons dont bother me to stay...but if it were for mental reasons no way!!!

YAY!!!! Congrats!!!

Don't go if you can avoid it.