Are psych wards worth it?

[IQLESS]

I'm tired of pretending to be okay, I think It's perhaps time to get back into therapy and actually open up to see some progress or something, I feel like I'm more doing this on the purpose that my family would stop expecting so much of me. They don't really even expect that much, they just want me to have a well paying and stable job. In reality I don't have the intelligence or IQ to be working these jobs that I strive for, and I don't even like them. I am still sure I would commit suicide, I just want this pressure of me having to do well in school and life to be over, stop expecting anything, understand that I am mentally ill and the odds of me making it are incredibly slim. How bad are psych wards? Are they really that horrible? Are you allowed to have your phone? What's it gonna be like? Is the food decent?

 

[hopelessgirl]

it is a fine place to get back to relax mode. but I've never made any other progress than that there. It's more like a place for having a timeout, than a place to make progress.

In Scandinavia you can have your phone, and the food is really good. But not sure if it's like that where you live.

And: no it's not that bad. It's just really boring. It's like being in a hotel, where not much happens and you can chill and get food served. Also you will always have someone to talk to, if you feel like shit (which I never did EDIT: I meant I never told anyone I felt like shit, my existential dread is just too deep so I just can't make myself talk about it, and so they just end up asking me if I'm ok and I'd always answer no, and that was the therapy I was offered there), but you'll be in a place where you're literally not alone with your thoughts. Which after a while, even for me, felt comfortable.

In the end I didn't want to leave, and that was the point of it all. That feeling safe is possible, if everything around you is in order for you to feel that way: socialising, having a healthy routine, being kind to yourself and honest about how you feel.

 

[After Life]

I guess that depends in which country you live in, sandinavia its not bad at all , you may have someone go crazy sometimes but it dose not happen to often.

 

[noname223]

I would rather recommend a clinic.

 

[kkslider]

From my experience (U.S.) they do not allow you to keep your phone, but ofc that can vary between institutions. I personally felt that the ward made me feel a bit suffocated, and the nurses/staff can be quite harsh, as you are essentially seen as a liability. I have heard many horror stories about detrimental treatment plans, patient interactions, and so on that I personally would not want to go to one.

 

[benjiwill]

I've been to psyche wards 8 different times. Only two of those times did I feel like I benefited from being there. It really depends on the staff. If the staff genuinely cares about their fellow human beings, then you're bound to have a positive experience. If someone is there just for a paycheck, hmmmm, good luck. I've witnessed PTs completely ignore someone's plea for help which resulted in a CBT attempt moments later. I've experienced and witnessed a multitude of passive aggressive interactions between staff and hospital guests. The two times that I had good experiences were at the same hospital. Unfortunately, that hospital is in another city. The mental health care where I currently live is abysmal.

 

[rationaltake]

Psych ward sounds like a bit of a gamble. Could be good or bad. Especially in the US or the UK. Any possibility of trying therapy without going to a psych ward?

 

[nerve]

I'm in the US so idk how much this'll apply to you, but if I had to pick a word, it'd be boring. A lot of free time (especially now that covid is a thing & groups are more complicated) but very little to do with it. I've never been able to keep my phone or any electronic.

What drove me the most mad was that there was no clock in my room. My friend happened to be wearing a watch when he came to visit and gave it to me. That made things feel a lot less stifling. Close second was how there were only golf pencils. I ended up stealing a fine tip sharpie from one of the art therapy groups. You make do with what you have. It's kind of like fancy jail.

A few people were like crazy crazy but most of them were perfectly normal. All ages and colors.

The main point of a psych ward is stabilization, not progress. You won't do much healing or therapeutic work but you'll likely be prescribed medication or have preexisting meds tweaks. You might come out with an aftercare plan for outpatient therapy or medication management or whatever.

People with problems respecting authority have a much more difficult time than people who don't. Things go a lot easier if you just keep your head down and try to blend in.

 

[moonchild]

Like others have said, it depends on where you are.

I'd say it also depends on your circumstances. I was hospitalised as a teen still living with my parents and it wasn't the best but it was also a couple of weeks off from life, which was quite nice. But being hospitalised (or in any kind of clinic/ward/whatever) today, at 27, would pretty much lose me my income. Not very nice.

If you need a short break and you have the means/circumstances for it - good. If you expect it to actually help you - in my experience, not very good.

 

[Blue_mist]

I've been twice.
Lots of free time, so it could be boring. Best thing out of these experiences is making friends with awesome people.
Other than that i didn't benefit much

 

[setup]

It's very boring. I wouldn't recommend it tbh. The staff are not your friends and they generally want to get u more medicated. Anything u say can be used against you. They will mess with ur food if u don't comply. (Get less or no dessert)

Remember they hold they keys to u getting out. So choice is an illusion.

 

[Starryeyes]

I'm U.K. from what I gather they aren't. There's been documentaries and it looks to be like they are only good to ' keep you safe' at a time you aren't able to do that yourself.

 

[Soapie]

I can't speak for the whole world, but I went to one in Canada a few months ago and it wasn't too bad at all. They let you have your phone as long as you're there voluntarily, and they help teach skills that were genuinely helpful for me. It was a good reset button, especially after the suicide attempt I had made days before. They can also get you connected to a long-term psychiatrist and therapist

 

[rationaltake]

I can't speak for the whole world, but I went to one in Canada a few months ago and it wasn't too bad at all. They let you have your phone as long as you're there voluntarily, and they help teach skills that were genuinely helpful for me. It was a good reset button, especially after the suicide attempt I had made days before. They can also get you connected to a long-term psychiatrist and therapist

Glad it was sort of positive for you.

 

[Idontmatter]

It didn't really help me. I wasn't allowed to have my phone or anything but I had hoped living in a bubble basically would help me but the doctor seemed to just want to prescribe medications to make money from my insurance company. Some of the other patients were really nice to talk to and it was nice to be able relate to their issues. The days after leaving I started to go back to a bad place mentally and now here I am on this forum.

 

[ketchup sandwich]

I've been to a bunch of psych wards and my experience is always ruined by a snoring roommate. I get way less sleep in the hospital. Generally a nice place, though. They don't force psych meds, but they still try to push them every day. Typically I'm there for around a week. All things considered, psych hospital is an escape, you get attention almost 24/7, surrounded by other people, it provides a temporary sense of community, nice if you're lonely and isolated in real life, it's always depressing to be sent back into the real world again, alone again.