So I'm currently in hospital and as Amy says it's used as a last resort. I am a voluntary patient but in the past when I have discharged myself the threat of a section has been raised so I stayed put. I was only allowed to leave when they considered I was well enough to and I no longer met the criteria for being sectioned.
Personally my view is if you don't currently meet that criteria they won't admit you as there is a real shortage of beds and a lot of very ill people needing them.
Depression on a psych ward is such an oddity because in so many ways your completely normal and day in day out your dealing with your fellow patients who are acutely psychotic e.g. today one of the patients brought a knife on to the ward which caused a lot of upset and stress in part as he had to be restrained but also because other patients got involved so the ward can go from being a very calm place to complete hell in seconds and all you as a depressed patient want is silence and to be alone.
There are benefits to being in here primarily for me it's being safe, I can't hurt myself and whilst I still think about it, the option is taken away. I guess I can talk to the nurses but frequently they are busy and rushed of there feet and yeah.
As to what happens on a psych ward the answer is very little! Breakfast is at 8, lunch at 12, tea at 6 and meds at ten and thats about it!!! There isn't the money for therapy and to be honest it wouldn't do much good for 75% on here who need medication and so on.
As I say though if you feel it's something you need talk to your Dr and see what they think? It certainly sounds as though you are struggling and more input would not be a bad thing whatever that input is.
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