[whirlpools]

This is not an unusual experience, but it is not one I think is fair. I have had a similar response - that it is my responsibility, not the doctors'. However, when one ASKS for help, is that not taking responsibility? It is the asking, that I believe is the responsible part. If what you need is to be on a psychiatric ward, then I don't see why asking for that and being admitted to the ward suddenly puts responsibility in the doctors' hands. I am very inarticulately saying that I don't personally feel that doctors have an accurate understanding of what "taking responsibility" means. I spent a year in a therapeutic community and they taught me that taking responsibilty should mean "asking for what you need", not "doing it all on your own".

That said, psychiatric wards do run the risk of de-skilling you if you are admitted for too long or too frequently. You can also run the risk of becoming dependent upon them, and so begins the revolving-door syndrome.

Also, to say that a psychiatric ward is purely for people who have psychosis is a very, very exclusive and narrow-minded thing to say. That pretty much rules out all psychiatric illnesses other than things on the psychosis spectrum, and how can a doctor generalise like that?! Silly doctor, but also a fairly typical response.