Attacked and scared (my experience on an adult psychiatric ward as a teenager) *poss triggering*

[Lizzie87]

yeah it was necessary and unavoidable for me at the time. doesn't mean i expected it to be free from dangerous people. mentally ill people are sometimes dangerous no matter old they are (i knew a 15 yr old that was there for chasing her parents around with a machete). i don't really see how that can be avoided. unless all the patients are individually separated out and never allowed to make contact with each other.
it's the staff you have to worry about more anyway. i've been terribly abused by staff. and creating a young persons unit wouldn't change that.

[sherlock holmes]

It's not about it being a holiday camp, of course anyone in a psychiatric ward is ill enough to warrant being there in the first place.

But when you're 17 and on a ward with people over twice your age, there are things you shouldn't have to witness.

[Voldemort]

Mm. I disagree with under 18's being on wards for over 18's, but after that, there's not really much they can do. It's nearly impossible to get MH help in the UK as it is, separating patients by age because some are a little younger is hardly a priority.

The ward I'm on at the moment currently has an under 18 on it, but she's on 2-1 obs 24/7 and isn't really allowed to leave her room other than for the toilet/shower/occasionally the multi-purpose room with visitors. There's no adolescent ward in the city, so I think she's waiting for a bed and obviously needs the supervision until one comes free.

In my time there I have been threatened, sworn at, yelled at, witnessed too many people naked/on the toilet, have witnessed someone trying to smash a window with a coffee table, had fights almost break out, yelling, screaming, crying etc etc etc. I'm 23, but I don't think that makes me 'old enough' to deal with those things. It's a scary place to be and there's not much that can be done.

So yah. I can't remember what my point was. Something like, U-18's should be separate, but after that, it doesn't matter what age you are - you can still see things that will scare, upset or be inappropriate for you, 23 or 63.

[Lizzie87]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Voldemort

Something like, U-18's should be separate, but after that, it doesn't matter what age you are - you can still see things that will scare, upset or be inappropriate for you, 23 or 63.

i completely agree. i do think minors should be separate. but after that, you are legally an adult. i was on an adult ward when i was 18, and it was only 4 days after my birthday. do i think i was more able to deal with seeing that stuff because i was 4 days older than a 17 year old? no. but the cutoff point for being a legal adult has to be made somewhere, and that cutoff point has been made at age 18. but this stuff is going to be inappropriate to witness whether you are 18 or 60.

[Fry]

Many under 18s will have witnessed and experienced far worse or equally as bad behaviour, that caused them to become mentally unfit in the first place. Which either means they are moreso in need of being protected from it inside, or, they have beter defenes than we realise for being strong enough to deal with it.
Depending on your school of thought and where they are at mentally, at the time.

[Lizzie87]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fry

Many under 18s will have witnessed and experienced far worse or equally as bad behaviour, that caused them to become mentally unfit in the first place.

yes this is true. but also same for over-18s. it's one of the reasons i'm so against hospitalization...because it is essentially re-traumatizing already traumatized people. not healing at all. but like i said, there is little that can be done about that unless all the patients are blocked off from each other...which is not a viable option. and even then, that wouldn't stop abuse from staff. it's an unsafe place to be no matter how old you are. but i still think under-18s should be separate. only because they are not legally adults.