[InACorner]

ok...so what is the criteria of them locking you up in a mental institution?...forcing you to a hospital???? Like i know if your a danger to others...but not SI right? And what about certain feelings and thoughts you have??? Do they play a part???????? And exactly what happens...im sorry i am very out of date on how these things work.....no offense to anyone....i just have no idea..where they would put you.....would you be in one of those padded rooms if you SI??? Solitary confinement???? Is that pitch black?? The reason i am asking is of course you all probably know by now i am not in therapy....at all....and i would like too someday...but my fear is how much do i confide in a therapist or someone....the reason i am so freaked out about the above situations is because i was talking to my counciler at school for less than an hour and she told my parents i need to go right away to a hospital and get treatment...but see my mom told me that so...it coulda happened or my mom could be just being mom and being nasty to me about that...i dont know...but ever since then when i was like in 10th grade i have been afraid of those sitations....and i wanna know how much should i keep back to keep myself from going into things i dont think id be able to handle???? thanks everyone.
love, Inny

Yeah, you have to be a significant danger to yourself or others. As far as SI-- if they have reason to believe you have intent to kill yourself (which is normally not the case with SI or else it wouldn't really be SI, it would be a suicide attempt), then they could put you there against your will. When I was hospitalized (voluntarily) it was mostly due to my SI'ing getting out of control. It was strongly suggested by my then pdoc and then T-- basically so that I could keep myself safe for a few days and get some more intensive help because the SI had gotten crazy. I ended up signing myself out against medical advice because the place scared the %#@&#! out of me and I didn't think it would be beneficial.

I wasn't in a padded room, I wasn't in confinement. However, I would have much preferred solitary confinement in a padded room to the individuals I had to share my room with, but we won't get into that. I've sort of always wanted to be in a padded room for a minute, just to bounce off the walls to see if it hurts. ANYWAY, it was a locked ward and all, but I had the freedom to walk around the halls, to the TV room, the group therapy area (where I refused to participate, lol), to my bedroom. You don't get a padded room or confinement unless you are completely out of control and possibly violent towards yourself or others.

I strongly suggesting finding yourself a T. How must you disclose to that person is something you can control. Even if you go, and only say one thing the whole time, it's better than not going at all. You are probably less likely to need hospitalization if at least you're getting some outside treatment.

[InACorner]

does doing SI five times a day out of control and some times in between that? Not really right? I only do it in one place...and sorta did it on my arm once outta frusteration....but its not that bad....
thanks for the response...hmmm sounds...like i thought it would all along hehe...i guess i am not so out of date....

Well, it depends.... there is frequency and severity. For me, I was doing it extremely often-- my arms and legs were literally covered with cuts-- but none severe. They were mostly superficial injuries. It also depends what is going on along with your SI-- for me, I was having so many panic attacks per day, I could barely function. I was also very depressed. Many factors go in to whether or not one decides that a hospitalization would be beneficial. It's not just like-- oh, you cut 5x per day. Well, that's outta control, so you need to be in the hospital. It has a lot to do with what's going on along with that behavior, you know?

[InACorner]

yea....well mine are definitly only surface deep ( i hate the term superficial...makes me feel like they arent real lol sorry) and its mainly just my stomach and abdomin and sides ...and two on my arm and one on my leg.....my behavior is like not cool..but i can control it...or i can at least pretend its not there....like i dont really sleep alot...but i can pretend as much...not on here but on the outside....i dont know...it gets confusing i guess....
thanks

[DePressMe]

Hi, I am in recovery from SI. I have been hospitalized, but it was for sucidal thoughts--I just happened to be self injuring at the time, but that is not why I was committed. My depression actually started making me a bit psychotic--thats not as bad as it sounds. I just stared into space and was unable to respond to stimuli--my brain went off to lala land. But, I am getting off topic. I tell you this because the hospital I stayed at was rather nice--it helped me get out of the danger zone. Yeah, the food was bad and it was boring, but most the nurses, aides and pdocs were pretty good--they really wanted to help me. There were some pts who were a little bit more...well, had more severe mental issues, but they did not bother me. I was ina room with one other person--a regular bedroom with a window--that did not open. I was in the "padded room" twice (isolation room). As I was coming out of my "daze" the outside stimuli became too much and they let me go there to chill out. Really, it was the best part of my visit. I was all alone, in a completely safe room with no way to hurt myself. It really calmed my mind down. Sometimes I think about going back, knocking on the door and asking to be put in the isolation room for awhile. Well, that is just my experience. Lucky, it was a positive one. I hope you do what you need to do to take care of yourself. If hospitalization is required--go in wiht a positive attitude...there is no need to be real scared, although yeah, at first I was a little scared. It is not a sign of weakness and it does not mean you are crazy--it just means you are getting the help you need. Hopefully, you can manage this without going to the hospital, but do whatever you need to do to keep yourself safe.

[InACorner]

thank you for sharing your expeirence with me. I am so glad you had a good expierence and you left me alittle relieved.....thank you!!!
love, Inny

[DePressMe]

Thanks for posting and allowing me to share my experience--it helps me remember things and sort things out. Posting here is an important part of my recovery.

inny they wont put u in hosp for si itself
it is only when ur at major risk at suicide or harm to others
and then they assess ur mental state aswell

but they give u a choice first they ask if u wood want to go
if you say no but they feel there is too greater risk they will strongly encourage u to go and at last resort section u( make u involunatry)
there are no padded cells.. there are seclusion rooms which are just that like time out
there is high dependency units where there are less clients/staff ratio meant to be lower stimuli and then there are low dependency which is just main hosp area
where most ppl are
if u voluntarily go u will be in low dependency - u may request time in high dependency but that will be up to the staff as to whether u can go as they have to make sure they are not going over numbers...

inny trust someone who has ongoing suicidal thoughts - you can confide in T cos it dont mean they will put u in hosp.. even when im worse im still not there...
they work with you not against you
and they try and find the best way to help you
and sometimes that isnt hosp

[Crystal88]

here my therapy agency gave me a paper at intake that said they must by law refer me to the ER if they feel I am a danger to myself or others. and then the papers list making statements like I am going to kill myself, I am going to kill john Doe, if the therapist sees a fresh cut or knows of a fresh suicidal attempt. Fresh meaning within the past 24 hours.