From the article: Inpatient Psychiatric Care Experiences
Often people with bipolar disorder are hospitalized to stabilize their conditions. If you have been a psychiatric inpatient, please share your story here. If you are curious or fearful about psychiatric hospitalization, read others' stories to help you know what to expect. Share Experiences
Bpolar
- Checked myself in to a facility only to have the doctor on call tell me I was hiding from the world. Thirty six hours later I was discharged with medications I did not understand. After two weeks he dropped me off them without warning and then I spent the next 6 days without sleep. If the hospital truly believed in bi-polar conditions then maybe this experience would have been better.
- —Guest Beth
Hospitals
- Since 1994, I have been hospitalized more than 15 times. All but one were positive with caring nurses, good clean facilities, good food and good overall care. There were activities such as goal setting group, goal review group, social activities, etc. The bad experience was in a psych hospital while all the good ones were in a general medical hospital. At the psych hospital, there weren't any toilet seats, a piece of shined metal for a mirror, furniture bolted to the floor. No groups, minimal visits with pdoc, no therapy... just sitting around and waiting for the 72 hour hold to end.
- —AnneInside55
bipolardisorder
- i been in the hospital before and i know that it is not fun to be in there
- —Guest karrenlee
How did i get there
- Well firstly I'm trying to recall everything I just remember being held down against my will and told your being commited to a hospital. I remember trying to escape a psych unit before being transfered to another major psych ward. I was tricked in to saying I think the Tv talks to me which I really didn't beleive but it was like the doctor put words in my mouth , he's like your psyhoctic my friend and your being commited to a psychic hospital.....I tried to escape like a fool with no unveil next thing I know im at a another psyhictic unit I get there the doctors are nice the staff questionable the people are questionable....I feel like everyone is looking at me I'm amonst strangers. I get there and I get a crazy room mate who kept letting people in my room so i asked to be move. I get there and a boy claims to have known me and he's telling people he knew me from school. I get there and a creepy man with greasy slick back hair keeps following me around and leering at me.
- —David120
to me - a personal nightmare
- I was involuntarily hospitalized for 3 1/2 weeks in 2003, when for the first time in my life I was hit with a manic episode and a psychosis. While I went on one of my "walks"...yes batty and out of my mind, the police picked me up, handcuffed the 115lbs me, and had me involuntarily committed to the psych unit of the local hospital. I am subsequently psychologically scarred for life and will never forget how I was treated, subjected to a body search against my will, had about $1,500 worth of jewelry lost (they let me in covered in gold, which I gave away...should have been being watched by a nurse when this happened?), had my arms bruised by an attendant who forcibly stopped me from standing at their door wanting to leave, and was injected against my will with their drugs. I was stripped of my dignity in that place, and have a hard time forgiving and forgetting. I had another episode last year, but under no circumstance in the world ever again, can I set foot in such a place as that.
- —Guest lslattery
4 Hospitalizations 1988-2007
- The 1st, 12 days, 1988.The staff was professional, caring. Diagnosis Major Depressive Disorder. 2nd/well-management. #3 was precipitated 1st to local hosp.ER @CRMC. This was worse than horrid! 5/2000. Have bp1, mdd, ptsd. I'd snapped and experiencing psychotic episode. In&out of reality, but remember the ER nurse, @car/wheelchair. I was screaming, crying, rocking to & fro. She grabs my hair in back of my head, says: "you better shut-up!" She grabbed my collar of shirt, choking me to keep me still in chair. I was left alone in room &was hallucinating, seeing &hearing 3 girls telling me how to take care of myself. They told me to slit my wrist. "with what?" I say. reply: w/sunglasses in purse, break off earpiece. sharpen point on metal bed rail. I did, & began cutting, feel no pain, they were cheering me on. Nurse came, strapped me down @ankles&wrists. Husband came, he & Dr. couldn't get one strap off, husband got wire cutters from tool box, lol. I was driven via sheriff's dept. to St. Hospital. Knox, Tn. Horrible! 3rd hosp. 1/07. Get Motel instea
- —B.Baby
Worst Shit Ever
- I was in the hospital for four days. It happened suddenly, I went crazy one night, totally manic, calmed down suddenly, slept through the night, woke up the next morning, had a massive depressive episode where I cut myself and went catatonic. My RA called the paramedics - there were about five policemen in my room, I was escorted through the campus by them, watched by everybody (but totally quiet and compliant, too catatonic to say or react to anything) and ended up in the hospital. I cried and cried and cried for the first two days, didn't have any idea what was going on, but then calmed down. The food was terrible, the staff was nice although there was one nurse who was incredibly rude. The other patients were nice to me and I think the men found me attractive because they kept coming over to the women's side to talk to me. This brought my spirits up and I spent the next two days watching TV, talking to the other patients and reading magazines. Not something I would go back to tho.
- —Guest TigerGirl
involuntary admit...wow
- I was extremely depressed mid-Dec. (my worst month) My friend planned to pick me up & take me to the hosp the next morning. Unable to sleep, I called "Gretchen" at the hospital crisis linel where I was planning to go, she asked me leading questions - "are you going to commit suicide?" etc. I finally told her I had enough pills that I could but had no plan to. She traced my call. WHILE I WAS ON THE PHONE, cops are knocking at my door which I didn't open for them, told them I was fine. Another 5 min., sitting on my sofa, @3am and suddenly my door comes crashing in, 4 cops in full SWAT uniforms, along with 4 pistols pointed at me, then of course a 'woman' with a taser threatening to use it on me....in short order they had me hauled off to the WORST place I've ever been. The same friend managed to 'rescue' me the next day. I will NEVER call another crisis line in my life. I might get another Gretchen. I'd rather die.They wouldn't admit me at that hospital where she worked after that.
- —Guest Mo
Over five visits - maybe more
- I've had good experiences where I came away feeling better off. The Psychiatrists are always overworked and in a hurry it seems. Our society is putting mental health treatment on the backburner due to finances and you can tell by the length of time you spend inpatient these days. I've had over three suicide attempts (not threats - actual attempts) in the last year and yet they get me out of a bed as fast as possible. By the way I thank God that I am here to write this. A good hospital will give you a private room, good food and as much one on one time with a counselor or nurse as you feel you need. Stay away from county psych wards - where the police drop off their 5150's. If you need to sleep the first day - go for it (they'll try to get you out of bed earnestly). But then participate and tryto take something away from it. Even though I keep attempting suicide - I still have learned a lot and met some good people along the way.
- —rockshaper
Stabilizing
- I went to the emergency room, and they subsequently admitted me. At first I hated it; there were so many rules to follow. Everything seemed so bleak. Nurses checked on you every 30 minutes. Then as the time went on, I got to like it. We were allowed to talk about our feelings with like-minded individuals, meals were great and were given at set times (we even got snacks). It was an overall calm environment. It returned me to a sense of stability that I hadn't had in some time. Sometimes I think I need to go back. If you must go to IP, don't fight it. It will do you some good.
- —Guest iguana17
Hospitalization
- Was pretty cool. Staff was fantastic, food was plentiful, and the patients were pretty interesting. I have been in numerous wards. 8 years later, I am now enrolled in graduate school for clinical psychology at a University. Thanks guys for getting me back on my feet so I can pursue the same you are.
- —Guest Jeff
from cindy
- My husband was an inpatient in a psych hospital and it was a nightmare. I have his Power of Attorney, but the doctors and staff tried not to tell me anything they did to him, labs, tests procedures, meds. He was almost catatonic and could not speak for himself. He is home now and I will never put him in a psych hospital again no matter what. Why can't there be real hospitals for mental patients that have the same rules as for any sick patients?
- —Guest cindy
Psychiatric Hospital
- I was booked into a psychiatric hospital (Denmar in South Africa) in 2009, it was a wonderful experience, made me realise that there are a large number of people out there who are worse off than I am, that doesn't stop me from feeling sorry for myself now and again. It was a wonderful experience, we had group, art classes, sport, saw our psychiatrists from Mon to Sat and our psychologist Mon to Fri. The staff were all wonderful. We had a lot of me-time, where they left you alone to either sleep or read or just lie around in the sun. Leaving there was a bit of heart breaking experience because I had also made good friends with some of the girls and guys. The biggest thing leaving a place like that is going back into the real world and trying to cope, that was the most difficult thing for me as it is for most patients who leave a good psychiatric hospital to go back to reality.
- —Guest HazelAngie
Hospital Experience
- I have been admitted to a psychiatric hospital twice in one year and for my very first time ever. The first time I was admitted, I was in a total manic and the Dr./Psychiatrist had to give me a "hefty" shot of whatever to cleanse my system of previous psychiatric medication and something to make me sleep after a 3-day total manic episode. As stated before, this was my first stay at a psychiatric hospital and much needed. While I was bored out of my mind by day 2, he kept me in for a week to stabilize and adjust to a totally new medication regimen. I felt 200% better after leaving, however, I was antsy and wanting out everyday. He technically had me under a court order to stay, so my degrees of freedom were limited. I found out that it is nothing like the movies and was actually a great and necessary experience for me.
- —Guest cyndi42
Hospitalization?
- I was 15 years old and have had MDD, for several year's being impropperly treated. I had been going to out patient care for around 7 months and they had really established nothing. After dancing on the edge of life and being impropperly medicated I thought it was time to end my life. I od on 16, 550 mg tylenol and ended up in the icu for 3 days. From there i was sent to a psychiatric ward. The whole stay I was there I could not tell my self anythign more than FML. My stay in the hospital was a constant aggervation. You had to ask questions by sticking your hand out the door, if they could see more than your arm you would lose points. The doctor was worse, a stay of 4-7 days turned to16. Being diagnosed as MDD, PTSD and some anger issues. No sooner than I got DC my other Dr. started changing my medication. Im still being on medicatiosn and them changed alot with aa meetings. Do reasearch before being admited. I was sent home on a total of 1600 mg of medication... Im now under weig
- —dotdotcurve.
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