soo this might be an over asked question but i didnt see anything similar posted and havent gotten any help on google searches..
the past few weeks have been rough on me and im starting to go to bad places in my mind and my flashbacks from my past have started up i feel like i might end up doing something stupid. i talked to my therapist last week and she suggested i should admit myself but i really didnt want to end up being in there over christmas and have to have my family come visit me there. she made me promise not to do anything and if i got feeling worse to call her and shed get me help asap.
well i am feeling a bit worse but im scared of what ill encounter i seen what psych ward's in movies and stuff look like and im sorta scared thats whatll happen to me since i been known to have panic attacks when im in enviroments i cant controll what happens. also im in the usa and an adult so id be in that kind of ward which i heard the adult ward is worse.
Hi Buck,
I think that your therapist is the best person to ask about the procedure of going into hospital. Her priority is to keep you safe and I think that you need to let her do her job. I am not too sure what the minimum time is once you voluntarily admit yourself- but I do know that it is more important to be in a safe place during the Christmas season than worrying about how you will get through each moment.
Sometimes you can plan with your family and friends a wellness plan in terms of how to get through the holidays, and agree that if you ever get to a certain point they can have you admitted. I think that there is less distress involved in admitting yourself and being lucid enough to experience the process.
I admire you for talking to your therapist about your struggles and I encourage you to continue. The main thing that you have to be careful of is that movies tend to have an agenda and over dramatise things without considering the inaccuracies. Each person will experience an adult ward differently depending on their vulnerabilities at the time- but apart from knowing it is not going to be a spa holiday, mainly remember that the staff want to help you. To keep you safe is what everyone will have in mind.
See if your therapist can give you more information, or direct you to an accurate source of what the process is for your area and what you can reasonably expect. Make an informed choice, involve your family, but ultimately remember you are worth it- don' t allow fear to dictate your future, or jeopardise it.
~Happy tomatoes together we will be~
You say toe- may- toe, I say toe- mah- toe:
Let's call the whole thing- red
“It’s time to lead the third revolution, which is not to say we want to be at the top of the world, but to say we want to change the world. Because the way the world has been designed by men is not working. It’s not working for women, it’s not working for men,
it’s not working for polar bears.” Arianna Huffington 2014
Well I think every hospital does things a bit differently and like bitomato said, talking to your therapist will give you the best idea.
I've never been voluntary but I have been admitted. I think generally they go over the admittance papers with you, explain what they can, etc. They will also probably want to check your blood pressure, possibly weight, and all that. With me they wanted to do a blood test but I declined and they had no problem with that and I wasn't even voluntary.
They will show you the ward or have another patient show you the ward. Tell you what time dinner is, etc.
Depending on the hospital they may have therapy, group therapy, art, music, etc. They may also have none of these. It totally depends on the hospital. At both hospitals I was at the activities they had were not mandontory but they were encouraged.
They also worked on a level system. Level 1 being they had your clothes, shoes, and you were not allowed off the ward. Level 2 you were allowed your clothes but not allowed off the ward alone. Level 3 you were allowed off the ward for 10 minutes, and so on. I think that you had to work your way through the level system whether you were voluntary or not.
If you have any specific questions I'll do my best to answer, but hopefully your therapist can tell you more.
Would you be admitting yourself to a hospital psych ward, a private psych hospital, or a state hospital?
The procedures are typically all the same in my experience (I am in the US and have been involuntarily and a few times voluntarily admitted to a variety of psych hospitals).
It usually starts with being medically cleared in the emergency room. This starts with the typical stuff, vital signs, bloodwork, and a urine test.
Once you are medically cleared, the psychiatrist or social worker who works with the hospital will evaluate you. Ask the typical questions about how you are feeling, safety, and if you are having any psychotic or dissociation symptoms.
This can all be a long process. A lot of waiting because they have paperwork and have to work on getting you a bed and such.
Being sent to the hospital/ward they will start with a search and some vitals. During admission you usually meet with a nurse, mental health worker, and a psychiatrist. They will all ask you a lot of the same questions. Typical psych evaluation questions, medical/psych history, family history, social history, and reasons for admission.
They will choose what level you are on. There are usually levels such as 1:1 which is for those who are acutely symptomatic and will otherwise harm themselves or others if at a less restrictive level (REALLY not likely for you if you can contract for safety/tell a staff member if you are feeling unsafe). In my experience the next level is where you are unit restricted and need to stay in staff monitored rooms during the day like the day room/group room. They may have your belongings locked up. You probably will not have bathroom privacy while using the toilet or showering. The next level in my experience you are able to go to off unit groups, fresh air, and spend time in your room. They will probably give you access to your belongings. Up from there there are privelages that you have to earn. Like leaving the unit by yourself to go to the cafe or outside area for periods of time and day passes. For all patients there are fifteen minute checks where a mental health worker will just peek there head in your room or wherever you are and check off that you are safe/where you are. At the beginning you may be on five minute checks.
After going through admission with the nurse, mental health worker and psych, they will probably show you your room and kind of orient you to the unit and rules and get you settled.
A typical day usually starts with vital signs, meds, breakfast. And then groups, meals, and snacks during the day. The groups are usually things like goals, coping skills, CBT, DBT, anger management, relaxation, yoga, expressive/art, and some others. Depending on the type of hospital/ward, you will see therapists and such during the day.
There is typically a staff member assigned to you each day who is kind of your 'check in' person who you will check in and see how you are doing and be the person who you can go to if you need something. It could be a nurse or mental health worker.
The second day you are there you will most likely meet with your team which will definitely have a psychiatrist and a social worker who will do a lot with your treatment plan and discharge planning. In my experience the team has also consisted of a nutritionist (I'm an ED pt so it might be different), occupational therapist, psychologist, nurse, and sometimes some interns or students may be there.
I've had a TON of experience with hospitalizations. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask or PM me. I think it is a really good choice for you to be admitting yourself voluntarily before a crisis does occur!
Jess xo
Added a few things. There is usually a quiet room where you can voluntarily or involuntarily decide to go in. There is usually one that is used for seclusion, but can be used if you need to be alone and kind of calm down. It usually has dim lighting and a mattress on the floor or a bed to lay on. The other might be a 'comfort room' where there is a couch, tv, radio, books, etc. This one you usually can sign out for half an hour or hour slots just to have some time to yourself and use coping skills.
For free time there are games, crafts, cards, tv, etc. You are usually also given a journal upon admission.
Last edited by Buttercup. : 13-12-2011 at 09:34 PM.
Reason: added something!
I wanna stay inside all day
I want the world to go away
I am in the US and have been in a psych ward. Really what you see on tv is not accurate. It is a very kind place in general with the staff and other patients. I made good friends. It can be a place where you get on meds that are better and more therapy. I don't regret any of the times I have been. Even if not a cure it can help in many ways. Do you know what hospital? You can PM me if you want too
also im in the usa and an adult so id be in that kind of ward which i heard the adult ward is worse.
