Nurses told me I was lucky to be alive. In awe of my case since I was apparently the first SN poisoning they've seen in a while. Pretty neutral, sometimes kinda crass. Got put in a room alone because corona. This was only two and a half months ago, mind you.
Had a weirdly on edge psychiatrist visit me who got mad stood up and left because I asked her why she had such an aggressive tone. I was calm as a motherfucker. Then some nice therapist guy who talked to me for a bit.
Then I got put in a psych ward. Extremely boring. I didn't talk to anyone much because no one shared my interests. All you really had to do was smoke and attend some mandatory events daily. They didn't even have any board games or anything. Ended up leaving on demand after 20 days.
Sorry your experience was so harrowing. I've had paramedics ask me the same with my first attempt in 2018. Even though they seemed concerned it was ridiculously insensitive to the bigger issue of depression.
Welcome, by the way. Sad that you have to be here, but when no other home fits just as well, we'll be here for you.
Kudos for being calm asf. I dont think i can ever do that when being confronted. And thank god you didn't catch Covid while in the hospital, we had to cancel any check ups for this year because of fear of catching it.
Tbh,I think the environment makes hospital workers crass. Long working hours and severe med. cases can make you jaded overtime. Although it doesnt really excuse the behavior (They suuuck). I reckon there should be a harder push for "Proper" mental health facilities apart from a psyche ward. One that doesnt label you as "crazy" just for going in.
It breaks my heart to see how all the posts are either saying the service they had is either bad or boring.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! And for having me here.
Welcome! I'm sorry you were treated like that... it's shocking how much empathy some so-called 'professionals' are lacking.
I was stuck in a psych ward for a few weeks back in June. Most of the staff treated us like circus animals, just there for them to gawk at while they hang out amongst themselves. Hell, one of the nurses even went as far as telling us we 'weren't entertaining enough' at one point. Thankfully, I was actually kicked out after a few weeks after they found out I had blades on me. It was a little shocking, considering I was and still am extremely suicidal with intent to carry out my plans, but I'm not complaining. I'd gotten pretty close with a couple of the other patients, and ngl I still miss them and the absolute banter that went on to this day, but I'm glad to have my freedom back.
I'm so scared of psyche wards, I was almost sent into one. It already has a certain stigma here in my area. Sexual assaults are frequent and yes, dehumanizing circumstances. It's nice (atleast) that you made friends with the patients. I'm sure they appreciate the company too, considering how bad the ward was. Have you ever talked with the interns btw? In my experience, they're nicer but meek.
Thank you for sharing. Im shocked 2 of you got in to med. facilities considering the pandemic, but i'm glad you're both fine. So in conclusion, Let's not get in touch with bad psychwards with a ten foot pool.
Welcome to these forums! I agree, the community here is fantastic, and a place I can turn to when I'm worried about 'scaring' others. I admit I mostly just lurk here, but I do enjoy bouncing ideas off.
Hospitals suck. I'm sorry for anyone here who's ever had to go to one. Positive experiences are minimal, most doctors/nurses I've heard about don't really properly see their patients as humans, and if you tried to off yourself, YOU'RE the one in the wrong.
I was sent to a hospital when I was still just BARELY a minor because my parents found out I'd purchased a bunch of sleeping pills (NOT a good method btw) with the intent of ODing. I basically BEGGED them not to send me, but they essentially forced me to spend a week there and another week essentially doing rehab classes.
Most of the people in there were in significantly more fucked up situations than me. From parental abuse to sexual assault victims. Almost exclusively girls, the only guys there were drug addicts. Again, children. I was the oldest there because I was like 17 and a half.
I was monitored 24/7, and they took EVERYTHING from us. Our privacy in the bathroom, our clothes (we'd been told when we were "better" we'd get our clothes privileges back), our free time. We were frog marched from place to place, set in front of panels of doctors to see how we were progressing, constantly fed bullshit about how amazing life is. I seriously had to sign a form when I arrived to consent to them treating me like this, but again, my parents forced me to.
I basically just gritted my teeth and pretended to play along to get out asap. It wasn't easy to spout out what they wanted me to say, but I just HAD to get out of there.
The only positive experience was I had a hour with a younger doctor who was doing work for college and was visiting from out of state. He talked to me like an actual person when nobody else did. But I also only saw him once before he had to go back to his home state, so that kinda sucked to have that single good thing happen only for it to be ripped out from under me.
Oh god, i'm sorry you had to experience that. I was already going crazy for being confined in 3 days, let alone 2 weeks in a ward!
And just imagine the audacity of saying "life is amazing" to a traumatized kid. Medical care, my a**. They're just pushing their beliefs on a kid at that point. Like saying the child is wrong for feeling suicidal even if they got abused. What did they want you to do? Grin and bear it?! Pull your own boothstrap?! Gods!
Sorry for being angry. It's really infuriating. It'll just cause a child to bottle up their feelings until it explodes when they're already adults. And by that point "It's their responsibility already" so who cares, right?!
Thank you so much for posting. I do hope we all get what we're looking for. Now, i'll just go and drink coffee cause i'm so mad.
