Ever been to a psych ward?

[Halfhourdays]

If so, please tell us how you got there (voluntary, involuntary, related details) and any interesting stories from your stay.

 

[Lo$t95]

Was there a few times same place months at a time between the ages of 15 (failed attempt) and as recent as last year. Always the same blur of medication and queuing for meals waiting on seeing the team of doctors "experts" and specialists.

Other people in there were very hit and miss. They talk about themselves constantly and exhausted me for the most part feeling like they were just venting their problems at me. Some of them were unique or interesting in some way or just cool/deep people to talk with and have real conversations with.

There were some serious conditions in there as well which was unnerving. Dissasociative Identity Disorder / Multiple Personality Disorder. Paranoid schizophrenia and some I suspect were sociopathic but too young to be sent to a prison etc

Having a torch shone on you every hour while trying to sleep and being locked on the ward made me really claustrophobic and I overall I hated the place and always left in a worse position than when I came in.

Never again.

 

[Crow_88]

They were both involuntary and the food was surprisingly good. Honestly, I didn't even realize I was in a psych ward either time. Slow brained. The first one we could wear our clothes. The second one we had to wear a hospital gown. In the second ward there was a guy there with massive cuts on his legs he'd done and he bled all over. That was pretty intense.

 

[whywere]

I had my local police show up, my mental health provider thought that something was amiss, he was right, I was starting a suicide attempt, and the police were HORRIBLE! One of the cops looked at the other ones and said something to the fact: "well at least we do not have to clean this one up" and ALL of them had a HUGE smile on their faces, just so heartwarming! NOT!

Then when they dropped me off at the hospital, the psychiatrist on duty barked at me to do this and that, no smile, no hello, just a VERY stern attitude and I was supposed to do whatever she said with no questions. Well, I had questions, and she turned around and left.

Now the next day a deputy sheriff showed up at my room and dropped a HUGE pile of paper on my bed and walked off. When I picked up the head page it said that the state was taking me to court and wanted at least a year long commitment at a state-run mental health facility. I was informed by some of the other patients that since I did not just roll over yesterday when I got there for the psychiatrist, she wanted me to put away, how nice of her!

I had to go to court, walk through the lobby of the hospital with a deputy on each side of me and having the whole lobby of people staring at me and be taken to court. In the court room I had to go toe to toe with legal folks and I won in a way. I did not have to go to a state-run place, BUT I had to do an IOP 14-week stint and 6 months of a weekly meeting with a mental health provider. Thank heavens that since it was court ordered; the state had to pay for everything.

I HATED the psych ward so much, bad food, bad nurses and I hope to never have to have that experience again ever.

Walter

 

[headphones]

Involuntary.

Interesting things? Not really, unless you can be more specific.

They're horrible, horrible places. Loud, cold, and complete chaos. Who is in control? Apparently no one, and yet the doors are locked and the key holders make all the decisions.

 

[Lo$t95]

I had my local police show up, my mental health provider thought that something was amiss, he was right, I was starting a suicide attempt, and the police were HORRIBLE! One of the cops looked at the other ones and said something to the fact: "well at least we do not have to clean this one up" and ALL of them had a HUGE smile on their faces, just so heartwarming! NOT!

Then when they dropped me off at the hospital, the psychiatrist on duty barked at me to do this and that, no smile, no hello, just a VERY stern attitude and I was supposed to do whatever she said with no questions. Well, I had questions, and she turned around and left.

Now the next day a deputy sheriff showed up at my room and dropped a HUGE pile of paper on my bed and walked off. When I picked up the head page it said that the state was taking me to court and wanted at least a year long commitment at a state-run mental health facility. I was informed by some of the other patients that since I did not just roll over yesterday when I got there for the psychiatrist, she wanted me to put away, how nice of her!

I had to go to court, walk through the lobby of the hospital with a deputy on each side of me and having the whole lobby of people staring at me and be taken to court. In the court room I had to go toe to toe with legal folks and I won in a way. I did not have to go to a state-run place, BUT I had to do an IOP 14-week stint and 6 months of a weekly meeting with a mental health provider. Thank heavens that since it was court ordered; the state had to pay for everything.

I HATED the psych ward so much, bad food, bad nurses and I hope to never have to have that experience again ever.

Walter

I relate to the shitty nurses so much. Like some of them get off doing that job - it's a power and control thing for them. They lack compassion and treat you in a way that basically humiliates you.

"Open your mouth so we know you swallowed your medication"
"You can't have your razor blades you need to give to us and request when you need them"
"We noticed you were awake all last night and haven't eaten so the doctors said you have to stay on ward until he's back from holidays and changes your meds"

I wanted to stab myself in front of her in the cafeteria out of spite.

 

[grapevoid]

I've been twice.
I once voluntarily went to an "access" center when I knew my SI had become very real, and not just a thought as it had always been.
The second time was somewhat recent, in early December when I attempted with a gas set up and somehow jacked it up after passing out. I don't know a lot about what happened/how I got the hospital etc as I had just gassed myself so it was spotty, but after I was "stabilized" I was transferred to UNI which is the neuropsychiatric institute where I live. I stayed for l think it was like 5 days then was released into a 12 week extensive outpatient program that I completed not long ago.

 

[Goodfornothingbish]

Yes, I have but ultimately I don't want to go again. My mind is fading but i remember the first time was involuntary and I wasn't actually planning on CTB. But the didn't believe me (though I had a backpack full of clothes).

And i don't remember if it was the last one time or two, but they were voluntarily and I don't know if I could say I was believed or helped. But by the time I got there, i didnt. They thought the switch up was weird and I couldn't explain why i didn't go through with it. So they took it as crying for attention. And I get it. I fucking do nothing right.

 

[Apokryphiel]

I've been there so many times throughout my life, it's almost comical. Aside from mental evaluations and a few close calls, though, I haven't been since turning 18.

As for the reasons, it was never really anything special - just self-harm and other things which were a result of my parents' abuse, along with the fact that they would have just thrown me out on the streets if they could, which surprisingly led to me landing a few stays due to my parents manipulating the story just to get rid of me.

I never stayed long, as it seemed that even if you were showing suicidal ideation, you just had to act like you were normal for a few weeks, and they'd let you go. The system is a joke; you're nothing but a paycheck to them.

A part of me wants to give it another shot voluntarily just for the fun of it, despite not believing in the mental health system at all. But there are unfortunately a few things I just can't go without that they wouldn't let you have in there.

 

[Blueberry Panic]

6 fucking times

 

[Rymrgand]

Once, voluntarily. My psychiatrist asked me if I wanted and I accepted.

It was pretty terrible. The place itself was nice, tbh. Clean, warm, with boardgames and books and decent food. Better than my house lol. The problem was the workers. A lot of them were insensitive assholes and had no idea about their job. I felt completely powerless, like I had no rights. The doctors were okay, but I barely saw them.

About the patients, some of them were nice. Some of them were old, some were really ill, but I met some young people with similar problems to me. I even had my first kiss with someone there.

 

[CatLvr]

I had my local police show up, my mental health provider thought that something was amiss, he was right, I was starting a suicide attempt, and the police were HORRIBLE! One of the cops looked at the other ones and said something to the fact: "well at least we do not have to clean this one up" and ALL of them had a HUGE smile on their faces, just so heartwarming! NOT!

Then when they dropped me off at the hospital, the psychiatrist on duty barked at me to do this and that, no smile, no hello, just a VERY stern attitude and I was supposed to do whatever she said with no questions. Well, I had questions, and she turned around and left.

Now the next day a deputy sheriff showed up at my room and dropped a HUGE pile of paper on my bed and walked off. When I picked up the head page it said that the state was taking me to court and wanted at least a year long commitment at a state-run mental health facility. I was informed by some of the other patients that since I did not just roll over yesterday when I got there for the psychiatrist, she wanted me to put away, how nice of her!

I had to go to court, walk through the lobby of the hospital with a deputy on each side of me and having the whole lobby of people staring at me and be taken to court. In the court room I had to go toe to toe with legal folks and I won in a way. I did not have to go to a state-run place, BUT I had to do an IOP 14-week stint and 6 months of a weekly meeting with a mental health provider. Thank heavens that since it was court ordered; the state had to pay for everything.

I HATED the psych ward so much, bad food, bad nurses and I hope to never have to have that experience again ever.

Walter

This angers me SO much that people could treat someone going through what you were SO poorly. Not only "someone" but YOU!! I am terribly sorry you had to go thru this Walter. You did NOT deserve that.

 

[4hours-of-goobing]

i was admitted 7 times between the ages of 16 and 19. to three different facilities. i didn't want to be at home or at school, and i didn't have anywhere else that i could stay. the first time i stayed for 4 days, and my last two admissions were altogether about a month. the only time i was involuntarily committed was during my last admission, i had been at an inpatient facility that would not keep patients for more than two weeks; i had verbally agreed to be voluntarily committed to another facility but was informed last minute of my involuntary commitment. i was provided a stretcher and then strapped to it. they didn't give me any specific reason. there was a social worker who had gently persuaded me to voluntarily commit myself to the second facility, and who had reassured me that this wouldn't happen, i could see the guilt in her expression on my last day. in retrospect i wish that i had felt more forgiving towards her. she was really nice to me. i didn't try to appeal. the second facility had nice food but there one specific tech that would rescind my privileges without telling me.

the first facility i had been to was relatively bare with tight corridors and overwhelming overhead lighting. the second one had nice food, i met my best friend at the time there. the third one was okay but there was a guy who was 10 years older than me who probably groomed and mooched a bit of money off me once i was out.

 

[Dr Iron Arc]

No but I've known people who have and from what I can tell it just makes you more suicidal.

 

[SuicideBooth]

I had my local police show up, my mental health provider thought that something was amiss, he was right, I was starting a suicide attempt, and the police were HORRIBLE! One of the cops looked at the other ones and said something to the fact: "well at least we do not have to clean this one up" and ALL of them had a HUGE smile on their faces, just so heartwarming! NOT!

Then when they dropped me off at the hospital, the psychiatrist on duty barked at me to do this and that, no smile, no hello, just a VERY stern attitude and I was supposed to do whatever she said with no questions. Well, I had questions, and she turned around and left.

Now the next day a deputy sheriff showed up at my room and dropped a HUGE pile of paper on my bed and walked off. When I picked up the head page it said that the state was taking me to court and wanted at least a year long commitment at a state-run mental health facility. I was informed by some of the other patients that since I did not just roll over yesterday when I got there for the psychiatrist, she wanted me to put away, how nice of her!

I had to go to court, walk through the lobby of the hospital with a deputy on each side of me and having the whole lobby of people staring at me and be taken to court. In the court room I had to go toe to toe with legal folks and I won in a way. I did not have to go to a state-run place, BUT I had to do an IOP 14-week stint and 6 months of a weekly meeting with a mental health provider. Thank heavens that since it was court ordered; the state had to pay for everything.

I HATED the psych ward so much, bad food, bad nurses and I hope to never have to have that experience again ever.

Walter

Have you seen the movie One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest? An old movie with Jack Nicholson?

If so, please tell us how you got there (voluntary, involuntary, related details) and any interesting stories from your stay.

A family member has been in them a few times. They just drug them up and release them. I asked what meds they had given the last time and told them they didn't work because they stopped taking them due to the side effects. They totally ignored me and gave them the same ones. The circle continues.

 

[whywere]

Have you seen the movie One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest? An old movie with Jack Nicholson?

A family member has been in them a few times. They just drug them up and release them. I asked what meds they had given the last time and told them they didn't work because they stopped taking them due to the side effects. They totally ignored me and gave them the same ones. The circle continues.

Howdy!

No, I have not, but I assume that what I had to experience was the plot of the movie.

We are ALL the same and just because someone is in a white coat in a hospital does NOT make them GOD or GOD like ever.

I have so much empathy for others who have had to put up with egotistical medical folks.

Thank you for the message, I am going to watch it.

Walter

 

[BeyondOver]

Only one time when i was 13

 

[moya117]

idk if it counts as mental hospital, cus there's no mental hospital where i live, so i get put in the same room as people with a nerve problem.
twice, and both of them i volunteer myself, in fact, the first time i beg them to take me there. the first time is great? like the service is not that bad, but i feel horrible that my mother have to put up with me, i badly want to live for her tho, so that's one of my.... effort?.
the second time, they put me in the same room with someone that are always screaming, not to mention personally attacking me bcs i don't wear hijab and im so scared i cried and have a panic attack autside the room on the stairs, one of the security guard threaten me that he will lock my room if i don't behave while speaking like im a child, and idk if he wants me to not be afraid of him but it just sounds more menacing to me lol.
luckily though, the nurses understand when my mom ask for a room change (though my mom have to ask twice), they sound intrigued about my situation and are very nice. but eh, the psychiatrist on the other hand dgaf, they just want to find the right meds for me to stay alive, they don't care about the side effects. i stayed long enough and i don't see any changes so i give up, i pretend like im better so i get discarded immediately.

it does keep me alive, but like my suicidal thoughts is still there. its like a temporary solution.
i can't complain much tho, cus it's free. still, my mom have to buy foods for me even though i already got mine from the hospital, the portion is just too small.

 

[meowmentous]

I never have, but I'll never forget the time my mom threatened to put me in one because I was having a major breakdown in the car

I've thought about voluntarily admitting myself many times, though, but the thought of it does scare me

 

[Raven2]

I went voluntarily as if I had refused I think they would have sectioned me anyway. The experience was ok, single sex ward the first time, had own ensuite and food was okay.
Second stay was not so great as it was only an assessment ward. One of the patients Ctb while in there.

 

[tangledup]

Unfortunately yes.

 

[22yearsbroken]

2 visits and another 2 in rehab .... i could be as rich as the ketamine tesla cock if haddnt spent apll my money on therapy and shrinks.. but here i am ... ready to go especially now my sypmtoms have returned so it not long now..

 

[deus_ex_machina]

ive been in a mental ward 75 times since i was 10. it is not nice. they like to abuse their power. one time i was strapped down and ripped naked because i refused to get in the gown.

 

[fjohn5]

If so, please tell us how you got there (voluntary, involuntary, related details) and any interesting stories from your stay.

I got really drunk and was making suicidal threats (honestly don't remember so many details). When I woke up a relative was with me in the emergency room, pretty sure I was restrained to the bed somehow. Eventually the psych evaluator came by and spoke with me and determined I needed to be admitted to the psych ward. IIRC they basically say 'are you gonna go voluntarily or be forced?' and it was clear volunteering was the better option so I did. Got moved to a wheelchair and taken to the psych ward in the same place.

Being there sucked. Slept in a room with like four other guys and ofc a nurse is coming in the room every half hour. I think I ended up only staying 5-7 days which was pretty short compared to lots of the other people there. They had groups and different activities throughout the day I participated in which helped expedite me leaving. I also took whatever meds they prescribed me. Other people slept 24/7 or were far more mentally ill and I'm sure had stays much longer. One thing that did stand out to me was that an individual was receiving electro shock therapy. This was in 2018-2019. I'm not familiar with the science of it, and I'm all for treatment for depression, but that did freak me out a little bit viscerally. It was something he volunteered for and I think he was pretty desperate to try any kind of treatment -- anyway I thought it was interesting.

My initial contact was with a cop and although I don't have much memory I think it's likely he could have charged me with quite a few crimes, but luckily somehow I escaped that. That night he brought me to the hospital they also sedated me, which I only learned later because of a delayed allergic reaction where my tongue began swelling while in the psych ward. They gave me a shot of Benadryl in the ass and it was all fine.

Anyways it was an awful experience. It makes me hesitant to reach out to 988 or anybody about suicidal thoughts. It's probably best to keep them to yourselves. Mental health care is really just: therapy, medication or keeping you locked up until they trust you enough to release you. It's kind of disillusioning knowing what behind all those "help is just a call away" "reach out today" etcetera platitudes.

 

[J&L383]

Not as an inpatient, only visiting an inpatient. And that was as close to an overnight stay as I ever want to be. No thank you!

 

[lann.371]

Involuntarily.
I mean the craziest thing that happened that this one kid (this was when I was in middle school) was so bored he practiced having sex with a wall for an hour. I didn't even know about it till we were in IOP together

 

[berriesncreame]

I relate to the shitty nurses so much. Like some of them get off doing that job - it's a power and control thing for them. They lack compassion and treat you in a way that basically humiliates you.

"Open your mouth so we know you swallowed your medication"
"You can't have your razor blades you need to give to us and request when you need them"
"We noticed you were awake all last night and haven't eaten so the doctors said you have to stay on ward until he's back from holidays and changes your meds"

I wanted to stab myself in front of her in the cafeteria out of spite.

and sometimes they gossip and make fun of you but for me I went 3 times they try too keep you not too long but long enough 1 week-2 weeks

 

[ForgottenAgain]

Almost, I stayed as outpatient. My psychologist told me they are horrible places and advised to do appear very normal to not be admitted into one. He said it would traumatise me more.
I was having terrifying psychotic episodes and, with my permission, he gave advice to my boyfriend on how to help me through them.

When it became too hard, I went to the crisis team but just stayed as outpatient as there was no proof of suicide threat. Even the nurses there told me I wouldn't want to be admitted there.

The psychiatrist was absolutely horrible and made my mental health worse. My psychologist advised me to endure it until end of treatment, 6 weeks, to avoid problems and so I could have the sick notes for my job. He and my boyfriend did more valuable work in my recovery than the psychiatrist. One nurse there was absolutely lovely though, hugged me once after I told her what I was going through and even drove to my house to bring me the meds as I had no bus available.

After reading people's stories, I'm very glad for my psychologist at the time. I never want to stay in one.