Hospitalisation (UK)

[flutterby butterfly]

Just wondered, those of you who have been hospitalised in the UK, how did you end up getting to that point? I mean, my CPN doesn't seem to think I've got any serious issues etc, however my mum thinks I need to be in for a little bit as she thinks I need monitoring.

I'm not asking for someone to say "if you do this they'll send you in" because it's what I want at all, I'm just curious if what my CPN has seen etc is criteria because to be honest, I don't feel like she's doing **** all about anything & Im getting worse & worse but its like I'm just falling thru the net.

Sorry if what I'm saying isn't very clear, my mind is in a horrible state today

Note: Experiences from elsewhere are helpful too, just specified UK because that's where I am.

[14MillionMiles]

Hey

They avoid hospitalisation if at all possible; the aim is to get you care within your community. Hospital is really, really hard though for alot of people it is a major step in getting better.

When I went in I was sectioned (or something close to it) under CAMHS after a significant suicide attempt which left me in AAU (acute admissions). They sent me straight from a medical ward into hospital and I was there for 5 months.

I'm waiting on funding for a second admission at the moment, though it's obviously not as urgent as my previous experience.

They try as hard as possible to keep you out of an in-patient situation, and will rarely admit you if you just ask. BUT it sounds like you need to tell them how un-supported you're feeling; they've only given me this new admission because the NHS care wasn't enough, so I used insurance to go private, who then sent me back through the NHS with a properly supported diagnosis and a treatment plan.

Kick up a fuss, look up what provision there is in your area, ring your CMHT if you're feeling awful. There will be something, but unfortunately there's a catch-22 in that if you're actively seeking the help then you're "not ill enough" (pah!) to access that provision.

Sorry if that made no sense! But keep trying petal. Worried about you xx

[nicole94]

hey, i havent been hospitalised, but i was like you, very high risk to myself, suicidal, self harming, and my care co-ordinator decided i didnt need to be hospitalised (even after spending a night in a 136 room) so yeah, youre not the only one that has been treated like this

[Cryptic.]

I was sectioned when I was about 13 & it got to that point due to repeated overdoses, feeling very suicidal & self harming to a severe degree.
It was the morning after in general hospital for an OD that they said I was going to go to hospital & be sectioned because of how unsafe I was.
I would only ever use hospital as a last resort, and professionals are the same, you can still have serious issues going on but not be in hospital, I think they want to exhaust all other options before going down that road.
I think if you really feel you need to be in hospital, then admit yourself, but only if you really feel you need to be there, because it can do more harm than good.

[one_step_closer]

I went into hospital voluntarily twice because I was going to kill myself but since then I have not been allowed back in, no matter how close to suicide I become. This is because my last psychiatrist decided that hospital doesn't help me. I think that the 'criteria' for admission depends on the individual and their care team. Hospital doesn't really provide much more than a safe place in my opinion, what is it that you want from hospital/your CPN? Is there any way you can change your CPN if you feel they are not giving you the support that you need?

[88shelz]

for me hospital was the onli choice because i couldnt look after myself and was activly suicidal and not accepting help. it was just to keep me safe and alive. i got the same support in hospital as i did from outpatients. they try to support you outside of hospital because of money and the fact that hospital can make things worse as there is alwyas someone else in there that is more ill than you.
perhaps you mum could find out if someone could come to your home regularily to support you

[Keyboard Warrior]

Hey,

I went into hospital voluntarily for 2 months (but I think it was either that, or sectioning). My cutting was severe, I had a plan to kill myself and then I attempted suicide. I was discharged from the medical ward and went into an adolescent unit about a week or so later. My CAMHS team were talking about admission because I couldn't keep myself safe anymore, and as far as I know, those are the only times I will have to go into hospital.

More recently, I was struggling to keep myself safe and as an alternative to hospital admission, they discussed crisis housing with me. Maybe that's an option open to you?

To be blunt, hospital isn't really the relaxing, supportive environment that a lot of people think it is. There are some very ill people in there and what you can be offered by way of therapy and such depends on your area and your reason for admission. As my issues mostly stem from trauma, being in a psychiatric unit isn't the best idea, but sometimes it's needed.

There are lots of alternatives to hospital to keep you safe. Crisis housing, like I said earlier, regular visits from a Crisis Team (or Home Treatment Team), medication to take as and when needed...

Maybe you could talk to your GP about it? He will be able to refer you to any services that might be useful.

x

[FragileWings]

I went into hospital voluntarily twice because I was going to kill myself but since then I have not been allowed back in, no matter how close to suicide I become. This is because my last psychiatrist decided that hospital doesn't help me. I think that the 'criteria' for admission depends on the individual and their care team.

Pretty much the same with me.

Sometimes you can get sectioned becuase you don't have any insight into your behaviours. That's what nearly happened to me once.

I have been sectioned a few times, and been voluntary as well. It's better to go voluntary if there's a choice.

[bleeding black]

Perhaps rather than asking people how they got to such an unwell place to need to be admitted- which i don't think is really helpful for you - perhaps letting us know what is going on for you so we can give you some support might be more helpful?
What sorts of things are you struggling with?
What do you think might help?
What does your cpn offer you, in terms of support?

[Siouxsie]

When I went in it was primarily because I tried to kill myself in a public place and got 136ed by the police. It was an emergency admission (although I went in voluntarily) but I ended up staying there for 4 months because of my wild mood swings, self-harm, eating disorder and psychosis, and another attempt to kill myself resulting in a section 2.
2 weeks after I was admitted for a second time, again as an emergency because was severely depressed and had plans to kill myself.

My consultant at the time knew how bad things were for me in both instances, but he wanted to try medication first as well as like my 4th year of therapy, so it was very much a last resort.

[BrightRed]

I went into hospital voluntarily twice because I was going to kill myself but since then I have not been allowed back in, no matter how close to suicide I become. This is because my last psychiatrist decided that hospital doesn't help me. I think that the 'criteria' for admission depends on the individual and their care team. Hospital doesn't really provide much more than a safe place in my opinion

Yeah.. same I've been in a adolescent unit twice before and they also told me that they 'wouldnt recommend hospital a hospital admission again'. so yeh.

The criteria to going in to hospital, is unique to each person, as well as considering the risk to youself (and others) the MH proffessionals have predict how you are going to respond to being hospital, because for some people it can help while for others it can make them worse.

[The Hierophant]

Sometimes you can get sectioned becuase you don't have any insight into your behaviours. That's what nearly happened to me once.


This.
Reason for my stay.
& generally why people are hospitalized, if you can see things are getting worse, you can challenge this, & try to work it out.
Y'know.
See it as a good thing you know things are getting worse because then you can challenge yourself.

[flutterby butterfly]

Just wanted to say thank you for your replies.

I don't want to be hospitalised but I just wondered about reasons. Also some suggestions about alternative care were really helpful.

Ev: that's interesting that you had to do that. I've considered private care but there's no way I could afford it so I'm stuck.

It makes me so annoyed there are so many of us who are unsupported. I ended up in A&E Saturday after doing something stupid, and the nurses there (for the most part) were more helpful & caring than the MH team.
I'm due to see psychologist this Wednesday & my CPN next Wednesday so... We'll see how that goes.
I'm just too weak to care anymore.

[Mrs Sam]

IM currently in hospital. For me it was a complete breakdown I suppose. The crisis team had always keep me out of hosp before but my refusal to seek help suicidal thoughs plans and actions and the fact I was classed as a vulnerable adult contributed. It was also a decision made my my therapist, docto and crisis team. I was given no option and was told if it wasn't voluntary they'd section me even though I argued.

I would say try your hardest to get help another way. There are lots of options available that aren't quite so extreme.

This really is a massive thing and generally although it's keeping me safe it sucks!

[ThinkingofRecovery]

I have only been hospitalised when really, really unsafe in terms of risk taking and suicide attempts. Most of the time, despite being unsafe, this has been managed in the community with my sw and the crisis team, who I hate.

[random.swirls]

I got hospitilised for a month earlier this year and I guess it was the fact that I was suicidal but also had kind of stopped functioning. I do know the fact that I lived alone meant that I was considered to be quite isolated.

Hum

Could your mum talk to your CPN for a bit?

[flutterby butterfly]

I spent Saturday night in A&E under obs due to a suicide attempt. I don't really care anymore if that makes sense?
My CPN is a c-word, & I'm not getting any support so what's the bloody point.

Made me laugh, the psych who came in to see me said " you're not crazy" ha! I thought I must be a bloody good liar.

And so it continues... I need help but am physically unable to beg them to help me so I suppose I just continue with my trips to A&E everytime someone finds me.

I just wanna be left alone. Can't even kill myself properly but its ok :-) I'm not crazy so... :-)

[bleeding black]

I don't think you want to be left alone at all.
I think that you really want to be seen, and that telling yourself you don't care and that you want to be left alone is a defense against feeling like you aren't getting support.
Why did you lie to the psychiatrist at A&E?

[flutterby butterfly]

This is the thing. I didn't lie. "Do you have any plans to do this again?" "Yes" "what are they" "does it matter?!"

Do you regret overdosing? "No, regret not taking enough"

But I don't come across as crazy :-) hehe. Made me chuckle. The only thing I didn't say was when they asked do you hear voices telling you to harm yourself I said no. Which is true-ish. I do hear a voice laughing when I cut & when I od'd it said "well done" etc.

Maybe there is a little bit of me that wants to be helped still, but that bit is fading so fast my head spins. I just don't know anymore.

[whirlpools]

I think the implication that the only people who need treating are people who are "crazy" (and I'm not sure how they define that) is totally wrong. You are distressed. Just because you are not "crazy" does not mean you're not unwell. Unwell can take all sorts of different forms. I think the psych. worded it very badly and insensitvely - his fault, not yours.

It might be worth seeing if you can change CPNs. Maybe your psychologis will help you with this?

[flutterby butterfly]

I hope so... I see him tomorrow, so will speak to him then.
It has really stuck, going around and around in my head. "You're not crazy" "Well, you're definitely not crazy" he laughs every time I say it.

Thank you for your help guys & dolls. It is much appreciated.

[Area88]

Hey

They avoid hospitalisation if at all possible; the aim is to get you care within your community. Hospital is really, really hard though for alot of people it is a major step in getting better.

When I went in I was sectioned (or something close to it) under CAMHS after a significant suicide attempt which left me in AAU (acute admissions). They sent me straight from a medical ward into hospital and I was there for 5 months.

I'm waiting on funding for a second admission at the moment, though it's obviously not as urgent as my previous experience.

They try as hard as possible to keep you out of an in-patient situation, and will rarely admit you if you just ask. BUT it sounds like you need to tell them how un-supported you're feeling; they've only given me this new admission because the NHS care wasn't enough, so I used insurance to go private, who then sent me back through the NHS with a properly supported diagnosis and a treatment plan.

Kick up a fuss, look up what provision there is in your area, ring your CMHT if you're feeling awful. There will be something, but unfortunately there's a catch-22 in that if you're actively seeking the help then you're "not ill enough" (pah!) to access that provision.

Sorry if that made no sense! But keep trying petal. Worried about you xx

This is one of the best posts on the internet, thanks for sharing. So glad I found this site.

I'm at the point where my anxiety condition is so bad now I want to be hospitalised now. I live in the Cambridgeshire area, if anyone could recommend how I could go about it?

I'm young and had to drop out of a top 10 university because my generalised anxiety disorder became so severe. On the outside, I'm intelligent, good looking and calm but inside I'm a wreck. It's been a year since I left Uni and my conditon has got worse and worse. I'm at the point where I need urgent help or I will defintly end up in hospital due to a lack of eating/exhaustion.

If anyone can help, please post here or PM. Thanks!

[Horizon]

Area88 - You would be better off starting your own thread to get support on this matter.