Differences Between Adult and Adolescent Psychiatric Wards?

[Abernethy]

Over the past four or five months my mental health has been deteriorating. I haven’t been compliant, to any degree, with the aftercare agreement my psychiatrist made (as one of the conditions of my discharge from a Section Three). I have stopped taking my medication, and have actively resisted all attempts to be seen or assessed by my Treatment Team.

My mother, however, has been attending all appointments in my absence, despite the fact that I am 18 years old and under the care of Adult Mental Health Services.

I believed that I would eventually be “left alone” on account of my non-compliance, but that hasn’t been the case. Last Tuesday, two psychiatrists, two social workers, and four police officers came to my house, forced their way into my bedroom, and told me that they were going to place me on a Section Two and hospitalise me. I was watched over by the police officers while the doctors tried to arrange my admission, but it transpired that there were no beds available. Currently, I am on an emergency waiting list, and as soon as a bed does become available, I will be forcibly taken into hospital.

I have been in a psychiatric hospital twice before, once voluntarily, once involuntarily, but I was an adolescent then, and was on an adolescent ward. I’ve heard that there are differences between adult and adolescent wards, and my question to anyone reading this is: what are the differences? Any insights, opinions or experiences you have to offer would be really helpful to me; and if you’d prefer not to post publicly, you are welcome to PM me.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Jade.

[Steel Maiden]

I'm sorry to say but adult wards are often "worse" than adolescent wards.
Adolescent wards have more acitivites, and the staff are usually nicer, whereas in adult wards, the staff tend to care less and you find yourself bored to death most of the time, unless you have 20 million books or internet access. Adult wards often have more beds than adolescent wards too.
I've been to adolescent and adult wards, and have always preferred the adolescent wards.
But it is also a postcode lottery. The other borough's ward is nicer than my borough's ward.

[ashtherabbit]

i found that the people were iller, i believe it is harder to get into hospital as an adult than an adolecent. There is alot less to do, more TV watching or chain smoking

[Steel Maiden]

Yes, the adult wards contained much more ill people. Not many people to carry on a conversation with. Hard to make "friends" as the age range is huge, usually 18-65.
Although the ward I was in had five computers with internet access. Any time when I was not sleeping or being restrained in some way, I was reading or on the internet.

[little_miss]

I have been on both an adolescent ward (for 5months) and an adult ward (for 2 weeks). I found the differences were you get less support on adult wards, but you still get to speak to a nurse anytime you need to. My experience wasnt that bad on an adult ward, but i was quite drugged up the first weekend, and they do tend to drug people up when they get in there to keep them quiet. It is quite a stressful place to be, but if you need to be kept safe, it will keep you safe. I hope it goes okay. Keep us informed with how you're feeling and whats happening xx

[Steel Maiden]

When I was in an adult ward, they left me to self-harm for about three hours. I had blood on my hands and they couldn't have cared less.