Struggling with memories of hospital.

Aubergine · 26-04-2012, 05:04 PM

I'm having a hard time dealing with memories of being in hospital. Each time I've been in has been a hugely negative experience for me. I guess in some ways I did get better because I was in there, but I so wish something could have been done in the community.

I have flashbacks of being sectioned. The worst one being when they came to my home when I was still living with my parents. It was horrendous. Parents left distraught, police dragging me out, ending up on the HDU for ages.

I feel terrible about it all. It haunts me and I wish it wouldn't. I need to just get over it, but it's so difficult. I'm considering getting some counselling to talk over my experiences, but don't know if it's a good idea. Would it be a waste of time any money? I'm not sure. I still see a CPN from the CMHT, but feel like talking to someone removed from the mental health system would help. It's not that I blame them, as they only did what they thought best, but it still hasn't really helped our relationship.

Anyone else understand? At times it all really gets to me. :(

when.will.it.end · 26-04-2012, 05:25 PM

I completely understand.

I get flashbacks of being in hospital, being sectioned, being in HDU. *hugs* I'm not sure about counselling tbh because if it's not handled right it could be overwhelming and make you worse or make you unsafe. You really need to see someone who specialises in PTSD.

I'm yet to find a way to deal with this stuff myself.

Duck · 26-04-2012, 05:38 PM

Yes. It frustrates me that services don't recognise that being in the MH system is itself traumatic.

Steel Maiden · 27-04-2012, 07:24 AM

I've been sectioned under 136 several times; I get panicky when I see police officers or police cars and it sets off my paranoid thinking.

I am thinking of asking my psychotherapist if he can help me get through these bad memories. I've had counselling when I was 13-14 (not for this reason, but for other reasons) and it was useless, for me personally. Besides there are studies that say that counselling is less effective for people with autism.

Sorry I ramble.