I am just curious if anyone else here has been hospitilized for a psychiatric disorder. Were you a voluntary patient? How long was your stay? How was your experience there? Did it help?

I was hospitilized involuntarily for 4 weeks in June. My experience there was okay. The hospital I went to was pretty good...not the horror story you sometimes hear. I was almost relieved when they committed me...my life was so out of control and I was very suicidal.

Just curious about other people's experiences.

thanks
h

yes i was in a hospital, it helps at time of crisis. people and staff are all nice. forget about the stigma, if you need it go, it is not bad at all and they can try meds as an inpatient better, really, not bad at all

I just finished 20 day of intensive outpatient treatment.
It was 6-7 hours a day. Lots of group therapy
Art therapy, good meals, experiential therapy
Goal setting, and some health lectures diet etc….

I thought it was great.
I wish they could have completely cured me
But it was a lot better then thinking about suicide all day
Now that it is over I am scared I will slide back down into depression http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif

Hi Wolfpack and ffsmith

Thanks for responding. I wanted to see if I was in the minority being hospitilized and also wanted to hear other people's take on it. I am glad for both of you that it worked out well. It worked out well for me too.

ffsmith: Don't worry, you won't slip back. You know what the signs are too look for and I am sure you learned some coping skills in your program. I know about the worry though. I often worry about that too but I have new coping skills now. Best of luck to you!

heather

Hey Sniffy,

I've been hospitalized several times.. Every time- forced admittance. I was kept anywhere from 1 week-2months each time.. My stay was good, except my doctor, I hated my doctor, she was such an evil evil person.. But other than her, everything was great.. I met many other people, and had fun actually. I was able to stop thinking about my stressors, and the urge to commit suicide slowly dropped while i was there. However, I am now in An intensive outpatient program now, and i feel like ive been slipping more and more.. IDK.. Well.. Take care ~tears

you deffinitely stop thinking about your stressors. but, I gained weight while I was there. I didn't find it all that helpful. I hate confinement, and don't like that involentary thing. When released, I felt set back....like now what?

Hi Tears and Staten Island Girl

I know what you both mean about leaving the stressors behind. And I did have some laughs in there. Everyone is so uninhibited that you can just say anything. The hospital helped me quite a bit but I still have mixed feelings about being forced in.

heather

I have never been in the hospital.

There have been many times I feel like I should run there and hide. Just because life seems so "blah".

I am too scared to go in, so instead, I mess up my life by venting on people, and then get yelled at back, then feel like crap ;/

Hi Thickman

If you do need to go in it really isn't very scary. If you feel you need to go in then please do. It is a safe place to be while they work out the meds etc.

I live in Toronto too. If you feel you need to go in then go to Richmond Hill or Markham hospital. They are the best. In Richmond Hill they only lock the ward after 11pm and they let you go outside when you want.

STAY AWAY FROM HUMBER...very scary.

good luck
heather

Look at that...

I live near all the Humber hospitals. North York, Etobicoke, Etc Etc...

That is not good http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif

If you really feel like you need to be in the hospital. Just go the the emergency department of Markham or Richmond hill and tell them you are afraid you might kill yourself if you go home.

They will admit you from there.

heather

oh yeah...North York isn't too bad but Richmond Hill and Markham are best.

Richmond hill is between Yonge and Bathurst on Major Mack.

Markham is at highway 7 and ninth line.

heather

x

I KNOW I need to be in a hospital however the only one around me for people with no insurance is the awful state hospital over an hour away and I absolutley will NOT go there (of course unless I get caught in one of my attempts and get sent there). It is the worst place imaginable.

I do NOT understand why they cant create a safe environment without making it like jail. I mean just because you're suicidal doesnt mean they should take ALL of your freedoms and dignity away from you.

PS-i have never actually BEEN in a hospital but I heard enough stories. I did spend the night in a crisis stabilization unit (not a hospital) for observation and put on a darn good 'show' of being okay so that I could go back home!!!!

Hi at the end

Sorry that I took a while to respond to you. I just got out of the hospital today after being committed on a psych hold for three days. This place wasn't great. It was pretty much like a jail BUT the last hospital I went to was great. They had an open ward and only locked the door at night and the nurses and doctors were great.

If I were you I wouldn't be too scared. I know that some are worse than others but even the bad ones can be helpful. Although the place I went to wasn't great they did help me get back on track with the meds and I feel a lot better and more hopeful now.

Believe me I know how scary it is as I have just gone through it but it is worth it in the end when you can feel okay and get back to living a more normal life. If you really need to be in the hospital please go. I am sure it would only be for a week or two at the most and you would benefit greatly. Please get help you deserve to be well. Maybe you could also check out if there are any outpatient day programs where you just go for the day and go home at night. They had a program like this at the last hospital I was in.

I wish you the best of luck with this. Please take good care of yourself.

heather

sniffy

I hospitalized myself acouple years ago and it was not a good experence for me. I was there because I was suicidal and was put in a ward that was all substance abusive patients, not what I needed. I was there for 5 days, it was a waste of time. I would do it again but I would check out the place first to make sure they could meet my needs and not just lock me down and play with meds.

Tinny
Ever stop to think, and forget to start again?

Hi Tinny

I know exactly what you mean. I was so lucky with the first hospital I went to cuz they were so good and helped so much. You are absolutely right it pays to check them out first.

heather