Every psych ward is different and some are more like what you see in the movies than you would suspect.
The one in my town is ... not good. Patients are abused, mistreated, released while unwell, threatened with the Mental Health Act, threatened with being involuntary for not behaving like the nurses/doctors want, given deliberate OD's and so forth, but some of the nurses/doctors are brilliant - it just depends who you get and what mood some of the nurses are in. I've also had nurses refuse to let me know that I had phone calls because "they couldn't find me" when they didn't even bother to look - the came and found me when the doctor wanted me but didn't bother when the phone rang. But our ward here is known to be a bad one - we had one royal enquiry in the 1980s (Ward 10B if you are interested) and are heading towards another one with the family of a deceased patient taking the ward to court after their family member was deliberately killed.
Most wards aren't like that. Yes some patients are "bad". Yes some doctors and nurses are "bad". BUT, most of the time the nurses and doctors are there to help YOU to get better. If you don't think something will help tell them in your time with the doctor - ask them what options you have and seriously discuss the options with them. If you are openly trying to take an active role in your recovery most doctors and nurses will do what they can to help you out.
Generally though Facet is right: A ward involves being locked in even when you are a voluntary patient, at least to some degree. Often you can leave during the day but are locked in during the night and have to let the nurses know where you are going any time you want to leave. The nurses often have control of things like your money and your mobile phone as well. They don't often put you in total lock up unless you are in serious danger of hurting yourself and then they can watch your every move or put you in a Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) or locked ward.
Sometimes it can be worth thinking about it, but you have to decide before going in what you want to get out of it. If you need somewhere safe so you don't end your life for example. I don't know if any of this helps, but just remember that every ward is different.
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