[magpie4224]

My therapist has recommended I go into the hospital until my moods and meds are regulated. Can anyone share their hospital experiences?

[chicken_wing]

i had an involuntary hospitalization 10 years ago, so needless to say it was not a good one. lots of restrictions, drab and dank, "crazy" people everyone, medication without explanation (don't remember seeing a psychiatrist even),uncomfortable bed.

im sure a voluntary hospitalization would be much better. my only recommendation is to choose a "nice" hospital if possible.

[noname1000]

I have had a wide range of experiences with inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations. I can only speak for myself, but on the whole I have only found it helpful when I am at a point where I am spending most of my energy keeping myself safe/keeping myself from suicide, or when I am not able to function in a basic way (eat, sleep, go to work or school, go to therapy). There is not a lot of "therapy" in the hospital, it is more focused on safety, medication, and teaching coping strategies. For me, it is also hard to make the transition back to outpatient - there is 24/7 support and caregiving in the hospital, and it is very structured. It has always been hard for me to go back to my own life, creating my own structure, and my own support.
Hang in there, I hope that helps.

[The Poet]

Yes. I have been several times. You go, they check through your bags and take anything that is "dangerous" such as curling irons, sprays, anything sharp, etc. Ask you a bunch of questions.

Get a room. Eat, sleep, have group therapy, have art therapy, watch TV, eat, play ping-pong, eat. Did I mention I always gain 5 pounds.

Get meds stabilized, get therapy, have visitation, eat, eat, and play lots of cards.
No therapy or anything on the weekend, so it is boring. Bring something to read.

If you are on suicide watch, they check at night every 5 minutes. If you are not on suicide watch, they check your room every 15-20 minutes. This is the most difficult time if you are a light sleeper or freak out when someone comes in.

Honestly, never had a bad expereince. Don't be an *** and give the staff problems and everything is fine. The hospitals I have been in have had multiple "wards" -- (1) for mentally ill that are NOT dangerous to others, (2) for mentally ill that are dangerous to others, and (3) old people.

I have always been in #1 on suicide watch. Have had good experiences. I even severely cut myself in art therapy and was given one-on-one supervision for 24 hours and that was fine as well.

I have also been admitted after suicide attempts. That was ok as well, but a longer stay usually.

I have transitioned to partial programs after being released which were helpful.

The hospital has always helped me.

Any questions, email me.

[pachyderm]

My only experiences with being an inpatient were at least 20 years ago. Things may have changed generally since then. Mine was done "voluntarily" -- at least formally. My experiences were not helpful. They have left me with a great aversion (read fear) to the thought of such hospitals. Their "transparency" as to what they were doing was never apparent to me. They did not explain things in a way that could be believed; it was always made out to be more "wonderful" than it really was. All problems seemed to be blamed on the patient -- or explanations were avoided, letting the patient draw that conclusion.

As I said, maybe things are generally better than they were in the past; maybe people are more honest. Or maybe you can deal with their deceptions, even their self-deceptions, more than I could at the time. It probably does depend very much on the individual hospital, and on your state of mind, how well you are able to cope with what you may encounter.

And as some have suggested, much of the time in the hospital, at least in my experience, was not spent in anything that could be called a formal "therapy". Lots of "hurry up and wait".

[splitimage]

I've been in-patient voluntarily twice at the same hospital, but in different units at different sites.

The first time I was in, was for 8 weeks, and it was a semi-secure unit, meaning the ward was locked, but depending on your privledges you could leave for certain amounts of time. Since I was voluntary, and considered low risk for SU I could sign myself out for up to 2 hours at a time to go for walks or coffee. There was a reasonable amount of group therapy, art therapy once a week, and recreation therapy 3 times a week. There were two lounge areas with TV's that we could watch when not in therapy. There was also a computer that you could sign up to use. Big problem was downtime - pretty boring. I couldn't really concentrate to read, so I wound up making a bunch of friendhip bracelets and I learned to knit and knit a lot. Biggest downside was lack of privacy / monitoring. The nurses checked on us every 20 minutes and thee were no locks anywhere, not even on the bathroom stalls. I had special permission to go out at night to attend AA meetings and I always got grilled on how they were when I got back. It was a women only ward. I saw my psychiatrist almost daily.

The second time I was IP, was a completely nicer experience. It was in a brand new building that reflects the model of care that the hospital is moving towards. Everyone had a private room and bathroom, with a door that locked. It was set up like a university dorm, with 6 rooms in a hall on each floor, a common living / dinningroom / kitchen. You could leave whenever you wanted, you just had to tell the nurses where you were going. There was a computer on each floor so you could keep in contact with friends, and each room had a phone with a private extension. There was group therapy every morning and some afternoons, but again lots of down time - I got a ton of knitting done. There was recreation therapy daily, a volunteer came in once a week to put on art therapy, and another volunteer came in once a week to play guitar for sing alongs. It was at the main hospital site so there were a lot more services generally, like there was a pool, and a library where activities were scheduled. Supervision was also a lot looser, they did check on you every 20 min. at night. I saw my psychiatrist 3 times a week and a social worker for one on one therapy. They also gave me a complete physical and an appointment with a registered dietician.

My experiences have all been in a dedicated psychiatric hospital that is a WHO Centre of Excellence, so I don't know what it would be like to be on the psych ward of a regular hospital.

Both times after I was discharged I had follow up day treatment the first time for 8 weeks, the second time for 4 weeks.

I don't like being IP, but if I had to do it again I would.

--splitimage

[sugahorse1]

I've been IP twice, but both times in a "normal" hospital. I wasnt even in the psych ward.
The first time was to get my meds started. I was only there for 3 days/2 nights. I saw my psychiatrist daily, and he also introduced me to a T, who I also saw daily, and continued to see after I left.
About 6 weeks later i took myself back to the hospital after I OD'd. Again 3 days/2 nights. On the second night they came at 11PM or so to move me from the general ward to the psych ward. Seemed a bit pointless at that stage.

But in a "normal" hospital, it almost seemed a waste of time. See your T once a day, pdoc once a day, nurses do blood pressure 3 times a day, 3 meals a day, I could walk around where I wanted to and otherwise slept.
Not sure how much it helped me; hence I am a bit apprehensive to go again.
There are "clinics" here too, but they are more for 4 week+ stays, with nurses onsite, pdoc and T, group therapy...

[ErinBear]

I have been inpatient before also. My experiences were similar to those above. I can say that hospitals vary greatly. If you decide to go through with this, and you have some time to check out the options in your area, try to pick the one with the best programs and reputation.

If it is an option for you, sometimes day treatment programs can be a good option. In our area, they seem to be run better and offer good supervision and treatment. They also free the patient from some of the more difficult problems involved with the inpatient process, I think. You may share a meal with others once a day, but twice a day you can eat your own food. (Hospital food lives up to its reputation.) You can stay in your own bed, in your own home. Sometimes sharing a room with another strange person can be awkward. Plus, I would imagine the transition from a day program to regular life afterward may not be quite as difficult. It also tends to be less expensive. If it's an option for you, it may be worth checking out.

Take care,
ErinBear

[Skully]

It was ok for me. I had therapy daily and also met with my psychiatrist daily. It gave them a chance to get my meds straightened out. The only bad thing was I am a smoker and I could not smoke for 5 days! Boy that stunk but I didn't have a choice. I think it really helped me out a lot.

I've been hospitalized quite a few times. The advantages:

1. You don't have to think about anything/ make decisions, etc. It is done for you which is a huge relief when you are so depressed that you can't function.
2. Medication adjustments can be made MUCH faster in a hospital setting than outpatient.
3. You get to meet some very interesting and inspiring people (and realize that people with mental illness are simply people).

I've been very fortunate. The hospital I use has very little turnover in its employees. That speaks a lot about how dedicated they are to their job and how satisfied they are with the way things are done there.

Don't expect one-on-one therapy if your hospital is a crisis stabilization unit. A stay in a crisis stabilization unit is on average 5 days long. I've stayed as few as 3 days and as long as 3 weeks. Any longer than that and you require more residential care.

You will have groups to go to dealing with coping skills, etc.

Every hospital program is a little different from the next. Some are really good; some are pretty awful.

[whenwillitend]

I have been hospitalized roughly 18 times now. I've had good and bad experiences, depending on the hospital. I have now found a great one, and refuse to go anywhere else.
For me, being in the hospital is like taking a break from life. No worries, no responsibilites. I can focus on just myself. I feel safe. There's always someone to talk to. I don't have to pretend, no "happy face", no mask. If I feel like crying, I can. Noone judges me. I can recharge, get my energy back.
I usually stay the mandatory 72 hours, but once I had to stay 10 days, in a different hospital,a fter trying to kill myself there. That time I was involuntarily admitted.

[bpd2]

I've been hospitalized involuntarily once, at 16, then three times later "voluntarily"--only one of those was really voluntarily.

I think it's worth going to the ward's/hospital's website and looking into their program. There's a picture of the place, too, a list of the staff, usually a paragraph on their treatment focus, and a mentio of the typical length of stay of the patient.

Two more things: ask your therapist which hospital--if you have a choice, and which psychiatrist--if you have an option---every place I've been has at least three psychiatrists attending.

Finally, this is one of those situations when I think age matters. If you are very young, be prepared for the fact that many of the patients will be older than you, and it will be tempting to act out because the focus is often on returning to a life you can be in control of. When you're young, that's usually not the case and the "remedies" they offer can be exasperatingly off-the-mark for you.

Hey--also, you can ask if your therapist can talk to the therapist you will be assigned--your own t MIGHT be able to visit you, but he will not be allowed to be your therapist in the hospital.

Those are my experiences, anyway.................

[magpie4224]

Thanks everyone for giving me such honest advice. I have not gone yet (maybe not at all). I have decided to wait until I see my therapist on Thursday. I have been looking into outpatient programs and I am hoping to try one of these first. Again, thanks for your support.

[WikidPissah]

If you can do outpatient I highly recommend it. I have been "sectioned" a few times...involuntarily. I really don't do well...I hate the invasion of privacy, and although you see a T every day, it's only for about 10 min, and nothing significant. It's all about containment and security. It does help for med changes...SUX if you're a smoker. About a year ago I did a 2 week residential program that was fantastic. It was a big house adjacent to a well known psych hospital, with well ordered groups and stuff, a pdoc and more thorough T. I was able to leave and go for walks and smoke. It was more like community living, we took turns cooking meals and cleaning. This particular place was a trauma program for women, and I got really close to a few women there. I found that to be really helpful, and as a matter of fact it would be the first place I would go if I started to get really unstable again.

My T suggested the hospital once, but I really didn't want to go, and we found other ways to keep me safe.

He did tell me that he couldn't do therapy with me when I was in the hospital (hospital rule)...but that I could come back to him when I was released.

I'm glad I didn't have to go in the end, but if it was a matter of safety and my T really wanted me to go, I would. I trust him.

[ariatboot]

I have been once. I attempted su and was committed for 5 days. There is a hospital in my town but it was totally full and so I was sent to another city about 120 miles away which sucked for visitation. The hospital I was at had many different wards but when I first arrived I was put in what they called "lock down" where I couldn't have any of my things and with the really crazy people. After about 12 hrs there I was moved to a different ward where things were more relaxed but I still had a nurse checking on me every 5 min when I wasn't in group T or in the day room where they could see me. Every night they would ask me if I was still feeling sui and depending on my answer I either had a nurse stationed outside my door (which didn't close or lock) or I was left alone for the night. Overall I found it very helpful. The staff takes care of everything. They take over your meds, your schedule and they even watched me eat. It was a break I needed yet transitioning back into life was really hard. I went from a place where I felt safe to being completely alone. This summer I was almost admitted once again but I worked with my T and I was able to stay safe without going in. It was easier because there was no transition but at the same time I would have liked the break to take some time to just focus on me.

[SenatorPenguin8081]

When I was a medic in training I did a clinical rotation on an inpatient locked psychiatric ward that was in a normal city hospital. Actually, there were 3 wards--- one for "less volatile/less violent/less escape risk" patients, one for the ones that were, and one for the elderly.

You do intake at a intake window outside the unit (at this hospital it is like a lot of other ones in that intake is a part of the psychiatric section of the hospital but not inside it). You are accompanied by either hospital guards, cops, nurses, psych aids, or psych nurses, depending on your behavior and how you came into the hospital. Usually intake happens at night for some reason. This ends your privacy right here and you are never left alone from that point forward.
Then you are accepted into the unit and your belongings, if any are taken and searched, your clothes are taken and you are given slippers and hospital PJs (tops, bottoms, and a robe). They are then put in secure lockdown and will be given back to you (barring the non-safe contraband items) once you get off restriction (except for the shoelaces/belts). You will be given your clothes back or allowed to have them brought in once you get off of the initial restriction (because people are less likely to escape if in hospital PJs and are also easier to identify as level 1--different levels different treatment). An attending physician who was in his psych rotation or was the psych resident (the attending who was actually going to be a psychiatrist when his residency was over, which is a 3-4 year residency) does an initial assessment and brief non-intrusive physical although they might take a UA and blood as a matter of course. They have medical rooms for this in the ward in a different locked hallway. This was a teaching hospital with resident md/s and student md's and intern md's were always around more than the full blown psychiatrists on staff, which I also think is a detractor, but I digress...

Hmm okay so the nurses and psych aids are who you will spend most of your time with. Checks--visual observation of everyone on the unit are done every 15 minutes no matter what you are there for. Some people are on 1/1 because they are active self-harmers, or dangerous active suicidal, or other type of immediate risk to self or others. This means they have a person assigned to be with them at all times and these patients are usually in isolation and sometimes restrained depending on the case. Some people have eating disorders and are highly monitored, including having to have someone check in on them whenever they use the restroom because of those behaviors. Like I said, no privacy there. People are assigned to group therapy on a daily/weekly schedule and are given individual therapy. The actual board certified psychiatrist or ARNP-psych (Advanced Registered Nurse Practictioner in Psychiatry) you will see very little of. Mostly it's the residents, but you can always demand to see the board certified pdoc if needed and they have to let you see him.

I don't know, I wouldn't find it particularly restful, but I consider it necessary sometimes. Everything by schedule, which was posted on a board in the morning. Everyone was on different security levels. Some could sign out for 2 hour passes and such. Sometimes you get to go to the gym. Sometimes there were art therapy or whatever for the day. Meals on a schedule. Rules rules rules. Had to watch the eating disorder patients eat (a lot of them try to purge or won't eat at all in which case they are eventually moved to med-psyche for medical intervention if they get too weak). Some people were nice and some were not really all there but nice. Mostly the place is laid back but still the transition can be hard for some people. There is a day room, a lunch room, and 2 bed rooms for the patients. I think the wards had about 28 rooms each but they weren't usually all filled up. Girls and guys in the same ward but of course not in the same room. There was a laundry room too. Games, and a small TV room for people who want more quiet or whatever. Some people get recommended for involuntary commitment for longer stays (more than 3 weeks usually) and there is an informal court process for that with a real judge.

Usually the anxiety about the place subsides once people are there for a day or 2.

I think your T probably wouldn't recommend anything harmful to you.

[sugahorse1]

Wow Senator - that sounds HECTIC!!