Following an emergency psy assessment on Wednesday, my social worker saw me this morning and is putting a lot of pressure on me to be admitted to an adult unit. I got the impression, though she didn't put it that bluntly, its either agree to admission or if you do one more serious thing, it'll be a section. She said they can try and keep me safe in the community but its not enough. She told me to go away and have a serious think this weekend about it. She said to think about how my family would feel if they got a call saying " we need to section your suicidal daughter". I have to have contact with her 5 days a week @tm. The thing is I'm dead against hospitals and I've seen my friend go in one and it just made her worse.
I feel really confused because the psychiatrist who assessed me didnt mention hospital, I saw my GP yesterday and she said that she felt it was just necessary for restbite care because Im exhausting myself trying to keep safe but no1 was gunu force me and then my social worker this mornin made me feel like I was being coerced in2 hospital.
What do u guys think? Is hospital helpful? Also if I go in voluntarily and then self harm/dont eat and want to leave, will they let me or can they keep me in? Also do u think its likely they'll section me if I refuse 2 go in?
Apologies 4 qus Im just a bit scared and confused. xxx
My advice is to do everything you can not to get sectioned. They really ruin your life, they go on your record, affect your chances for getting a job or going abroad later on in your life, university etc.
I have been in hospital, as a part time inpatient, for two and a half years. I do not think it is that helpful, I feel it would have been better to stay in the community, but one part of me knows that I would be dead now if it weren't for hospital and it has really taught me lots of things.
What sort of area do you live in? Around here adult wards are supposed to be pretty grim. Could you come up with a compromise? For instance you say you'll go in for a certain amount of time, you go in with a plan of what you want to get out of it, for instance certain groups. If you go in, and it sounds like you do need to right now, only stay there for the most minimum amount of time.
If you go in voluntarily and want to leave it very much depends on your state of mind. For instance if you are crying/having a panic attack/hallucinating and want to leave, or if you've just said you want to do something dangerous/unsafe they're unlikely to leave, and can put you on an immediate holding power section (5.2 - six hours - and 5.4 - 72 hours) whilst they get a doctor to put you on a proper section. However if you want to go to the shops, or have day/overnight leave and you plan it they should let you go. Different wards have different policies about self harm and eating, it would be worth finding out about this beforehand. From my experience they would only section you to force treatment, for instance if you were a dangerously low weight and they wanted to tube feed you.
Hospital can be very boring, very frightening and also very useful. I would say to make a plan with your keyworkers as to what would be best. Whatever happens we're all behind you. Feel free to ask me/us any questions.
Fallen rain covered it all there, basically a section is not something you want as it can affect your future career etc.
Hospitals are horrid places, boring, and actually really depressing, so if you need it to keep you safe, it is highly nessarsary, otherwise you honestly need to try and find ways to get better at home. Hospital can be really useful, but trust me, going in, settling in, then being discharged is stressful itself, so you should only go if you have to, but please dont leave it to them to section you.
Like said above, what is it you want specifically to improve on, make a plan, try it at home, then consider hospital if it cant be achieved in the community.
Take care, it can be very useful, but its a hard place to be as well. xxx
L_M_G is my mummy :) inkerman and razorbladedarling are my two non-identical twin sprogs (concieved on same day) Scabette< cos she has the cutest puppy dog eyes and i cant resist!feeling-afraid< my bottle of glitter!! which i just have to have :Pmidnight stars< my gorgeous sister, whom i love to bits ;) Dance With The Fairy< *star*gazing*buddie :] Broken-Fairy is my partner in crime ;) little_miss is my real life saviour PaperClip is my stationary queen
I agree with the others. Try your best to avoid being sectioned.
Looking back on my hospital admissions I would say that it did help me. It gave me a break from the real world and a chance to think about things.
Perhaps a break is what you need?
If you go in as an informal patient and refuse to eat, self-harm, display irrational behaviour etc it is very unlikely that they will just let you leave. As others have said you're likely to be held there until they can get a Doctor to section you.
Have they suggested being a day patient? Maybe you would find that helpful.
i found being in really helped. I defintiely wouldnt be here now without it. But i was originally voluntary...till i freaked and ripped out all my stitches, then i was sectioned. Not a big surprise.
Sure it scary whe the other patients woudl freak out and need to be restrained etc...but there was alot of good as well.
IF you feel you can be safe, why not ask about out-patient programs?
No, it wasnt the best place to be...but it helped alot more than it hurt; at least for me. I needed it.
Talk to all involved and see what your options are...
and let us know what happens
romp
The place is a 24 bed ward and that really frightens me. Im scared of lots of groups of people. Also it is age range 18-65 and Im scared of being with older people who have a lot more complex needs than me. I dont really understand y they want me 2 go in but I guess my team say thats part of being ill. On like wards is it like hospital wards where u literally have curtains seperating u and the others? Im a really private person and I think I'll just freak. I live in a rural area- the hospital 4 adults is a good 45mins away so out patients treatments r done in the community- which is like wot I have already that is goin up 2 like every day. This sounds really bad but Im not sure if I want them 2 keep me safe. :S
From what you have said I would assume that they want you to go in because they feel that you are struggling to keep yourself safe in everyday life and feel that hospital would be good for you.
From my own experiences it isn't anything like being in a normal hospital. In one of the hospital I was in it was a female only ward. It was 2 people to a room and yes they had a curtain that you could draw back. In the other hospital it was a mixed sex ward and there were 4 of us girls in a room and again there were curtains that you could draw back.
I know you say you're unsure as to whether you want them to keep you safe or not but honestly it is far better to agree to be an informal patient than end up being sectioned.
I had Bulimia at the time (I still do, but I’ve gained a lot of weight since then). Anyway, the staff made me sit in the hall all day. I wasn’t allowed to have anything in my room; just one sheet. I had to wear hospital scrubs. I wasn’t allowed to take a bath or shower alone or use the bathroom alone, because they were scared that I would purge.
I was given a huge number of calories.
And… the other patients bullied me because of my condition… I will try my best to never go back!
Also it is age range 18-65 and Im scared of being with older people who have a lot more complex needs than me.
I had an admission this year where I was in an adult facility, and it was very different to what I experienced in adolescent units. It was also private, which made a large different on how the atmosphere is. I was very scared about going into adult, and when I got there I was clinging to my dad to never let me go, but after a few days of being coaxed out of my room and joining them with lunch, groups, and general chatting- I found them to be very pleasant and relateable. They might have been older, but they were still there because they were struggling, so we all got on pretty well, and I'm sure you'll be able to look through the age barrier.
Also, their needs may or may not be more complex than yours.I found that In a public adolescent unit the severity of peoples conditions was a lot broader than the private adult hospital [I think this had more to do with the public/private thing].
But really, hospital treatment is for your own good, and even if it is daunting - if there is something that you need, it is worth considering. Could you check out the hospital first? As in, have a tour of the place and decide if you could stay there? That way there wouldn't be any "surprises".
Quote:
On like wards is it like hospital wards where u literally have curtains seperating u and the others?
Again, this is something you could check out as it varies a lot, but general the rooms will contain walls between beds, or single rooms. [At least, they do from what I've seen here is Australia] I think you should call the hospital perhaps -or get someone to- and ask them some of these questions yourself. I'm glad you're having the opportunity to ask them though because it will be more helping than 'going in blind' and not knowing.
Quote:
This sounds really bad but Im not sure if I want them 2 keep me safe. :S
Then that is pretty good grounds that you need to be in there. I always knew I needed an admission because I didn't want them to keep me safe, and therefore, I was pretty much just in self destruction. Please try and really consider this and I hope you find some of what I have said useful, do please keep us updated.
She said to think about how my family would feel if they got a call saying " we need to section your suicidal daughter".
That classifies as blackmail. I wouldn't worry, as long as no shrink or dr will force you, nothing will happen. Cuz a social worker doesn't have the power to lock you up.
Oh and hospitals don't help, that's for sure. It's only good when they just drug you into oblivion for a week or so, so you're getting some rest, lol.
i've had many admission onto an adult ward, and some helped to a degree others wernet n e help at all. and thats all been the past year and half. and i am currently in a very similair psosition to you. i have to try and show them that i can cope and stay safe in the community otherwise they will admit me. and i dont like hosptial much at all. i've been sectioned and its not nice. you loose so much freedom. and it can defo go against you in future things. i've been sectioned on 72 hours ones to get me into the hospital and in order 2 see a doctor, i've been on 72 hour holidng sections whilst in hospital so i co0uldnt leave until i;d seen a docotr and one of them aug last year was followed up by a 6 motnhs section. i was selfhamring and not eating as was seen as a high risk to myself therefor they wouldnt let me leave.
soemtimes, when i have looked back i have realised that yeah being there stopped me doing soemthing that would end up in me killing or seriously dmagaing myself. but at the time i didnt want to be there i did my best not to go in there.
your social worker is probably just doing what she thinks is needed right now in order for her to be sure you'll be safe.
its not easy being in hospital, there are a lot of people with different illnesses and soem very bad and at times it gets a bit scary. well it did for me anyway. the unit i was on was for 17/65 and most of the time i was the baby on the ward so at times i felt very lonely.
i'd think carefully about it. maybe talk to your social worker and if you think you cnt keep yourself safe maybe just as a very short term thing it might help.
Theres a little truth behing every just kidding,
A little curiosity behind every just wondering,
A little knowledge behind every i dont know.
And a little emotion behind every i dont care.
To contrast the opinions here that are obviously going to be quite subjective, I found that hospital admissions are what you make of them. If you want to work while you're there, talk to staff, and do what might be hard sometimes; then it's going to benefit you more. And sometimes, all we need is the containment of hospital to keep us safe & bythat, it benefits us.
Quote:
Oh and hospitals don't help, that's for sure. It's only good when they just drug you into oblivion for a week or so, so you're getting some rest, lol.
From my personal experience I have found hospital situations to be quite helpful. Not always for the long term but certainly enough to keep me alive and safe. I don't think it's fair to say that they don't help; because they do help some people, to some people they are a very helpful and supportive option.
I'm not saying I love hospitals, because I don't, and I think it should be very last-resort basis, not just because you can. However, in that last resort I think that in some cases, going to hospital is better than nothing. Yes, it's not for everyone, but it can teach you things and give you a break from the **** you're facing and the energy you're putting into facing it.
I wouldn't rule it out all together. Let us know what you're thinking xo
I want 2 say thank u so much for the overwhelming amount of replies I have got 2 this thread. I value all your opinions so much and it really helps to hear the views of people who have been in and kno what its like- good and bad. Thank you all, u dont have any idea how much it means! I definately want 2 avoid sectioning, so if they announced they were going 2 section me if I didnt agree 2 go in, I'd probably bow my head and agree. I am still very reluctant 2 agree 2 admission. I cannot imagine getting through anythg without self harm, I think it would be like putting a wild animal into a cage. I'd like 2 believe I do want 2 try and b better some day I guess, but @ the min, I need 2 damage myself. I really really do and I dont want 2b forced not 2. Sorry that sounds really bad. I am seeing my social worker 2moro and then my doctor. Im feeling very scared about it. I thought I might print off some of yr replies 2 discuss with her (anonmously of course) if u dont mind. Please say if u do!
One thing that has really terrified me if the person who said they were bullied by the other patients. I have suspected cPTSD as a result of a relentless and severe campaign of bullying @ sch and I know I couldnt handle anythg like that happening. I also would b scared of how other people would react 2 my admission- I live in a kind of place where everybody knows everybody elses business and I am very good @ hiding whats been goin on with me. Like non f my work/voluntry work colleagues kno or anythg how ill I am. And Im kinda scared that they'll make nasty comments and b really judgemental.
Also my friend went in2 a unit as I said above- shes been there 4 10months and b4 she went in, she was a bit like how I am. In fact I'd say I'd been worse than her- I'd been 2 A and E a few times and stuff but snce she went in she got worse and worse- last week 6 A and E admissions and that was a place that was supposed 2 b keeping her safe!!! I dont want it 2 make me worse.
Printing out some of the replies might be good; and also perhaps what you have said here so you can get your expression over as it needs to be, as well.
I can hear you're still very attached to the idea that you need self harm to cope with your everyday life, I guess that plays a huge part in your decision to not want to go into a hospital. But what if, while in hospital, you were able to learn new ways to cope and talk with professionals more easily, and keep safe? It will be hard at first, there is no denying it, but eventually you'll realise you can cope without self harm. I know it's very difficult when you're in that mindset that you don't want to go into hospital, but, maybe it's worth really discussing it and getting to the heart of it.
Bullying is a difficult one. I understand your fears, I've been bullied in the past too. Hospitals do contain a lot of ill people (that's obvious) and therefore some people are going to be rude or mean. However, there are plenty of staff you can talk to if you're experiencing problems with someone, and, you can avoid them too. I know I didn't get "Bullied" per-se, but there were people who right ****ed me off, and it was pretty easy to ignore them. Again though, if there are internal problems, staff can and do deal with those issues; so don't feel like you're alone. The same goes for if you have a problem with a staff member, you can talk to another staff member about it.
In my last admission I had to make complaints about one of the staff members and I found that, since my complaints were legitimate [they were flouting my confidentiality], the staff took it seriously and dealt with it in an respectable manner.
As for how other people will react to your admission; sod 'em. What matters here is you, you are the most important and if you find people are ignorant enough to ignore the fact you need treatment, or to be disrespectful of it, then that is there problem; not yours, and should not prevent you from getting help.
Personally I had mixed responses, but none of them would completely stop me for getting treatment, because at the end of the day if you're ill it's something you have to do. My manager was excellent, as were the co-workers, and I was given the time off work & also had my manager visit me with flowers and suchlike. I had no real negative reactions although I was always tentative when I had to discuss it with my parents, but that's just a personal issue.
Some people do spend a long time in hospital, such as your friend, and I guess there are no guarantees of how long or short it will be [something worth asking, the standard answer is three weeks :P] It depends on how much they are willing to work, I guess, and of course the severity of their condition plays a huge factor. I doubt it would make you worse, but certianly for some people it can be a real concern - I would discuss that with your social worker.
I'm going to PM you; but in the meantime, all the best
Aimee xoxo
