Discussion Does anyone think going to a psych ward is actually helpful

[this_is_it]

I've never been to one, my best friend has been to 2 and he said the first one was the worst, and that the second one helped him a little but there was shit and piss everywhere. I don't see how it can be beneficial for someone suicidal to withdraw them from their daily life and take away the ability to hurt themselves, because when you're back in the real world there will be nothing stopping things from getting worse or preventing you from hurting yourself. Maybe there's more to it that i don't realize, though, idk

 

[The Burning Fool]

I've never been to one, because metaphorically I'm an escape artist. You'd never believe half the stuff that I've barely managed to crawled out under. When I snapped and talked to a psychiatrist about my suicidal ideation, I eluded being held there by quickly adding "but I don't want to hurt myself, I'm in no danger of doing so". He admitted that he would have kept me there coercively if I hadn't said those words.

But I had done so, hence me being able to simply leave without choosing to be admitted. I only asked for drugs, then he gave me Xanax which I popped one by one on my weekend drinking sessions for the next couple of months. Getting tipsy never felt better. I would've hated being there, the air was stuffy and stale, and I'm sure I would have had to go to programs and interact with others. What a nightmare! But I'm sure they're helping many people... and harming others.

Anyway, I've presented a way to be admitted voluntarily, so if you want, you can try. Best wishes.

 

[Hollowman]

For some maybe for me no. The last time I was in there the idiot staff actually gave me the means to attempt, I wish it would've worked.

 

[zamzas]

Ig it really depends, everyone is different and so is your experience at the psych ward. Ive never been myself but I know a friend who've been for a couple of weeks before and it truly saved him. It really felt like a miracle to me since I was used to those horror story abt those places. But like I said, everyone gets their own experience there, some might be positive as some might be more on the negative side.

 

[tera_forest]

because when you're back in the real world there will be nothing stopping things from getting worse or preventing you from hurting yourself

Completely agree with this. I stayed in one for about a month and while it was okay, I came back to the exact same life as before. Nothing really changed. It probably works well for some and useless for others

 

[sorrowful]

Just got out of one, I believe you can only help someone who wants to be helped, not force help upon them. Otherwise, you get a bunch of people with similar problems stuck together eventually planning a meth get-together when you all get out. Aside from that, staff are overworked and underpaid, mistreatment everywhere, I've witnessed many disturbing things and overall it was traumatic. You can 100% come out worse or little to no change from before.

 

[Foreverix]

I was hospitalized years ago in your typical, underfunded inpatient program. They keep you alive for a week, medicate you, do some version of group therapy, and send you right back to the shithole existence you came in from. There's good reason that those who are at highest risk of suicide are recently released from a psych unit.

 

[homebound]

ive been inpatient 4 times, 3 of the visits 1 month long, and another 1 week. i do not believe they help, no. you do nothing most of the time, no staff really talk to you, some people are very weird. no one there really cares. only 1 hospital near me has a psych unit. before you get admitted you go to a "waiting" area. there are very few beds and most people either sleep on the chairs or the floor. all you do there is wait to talk to the doctors. there is nothing to do, it's disgusting most of the time and always packed with people. the longest I've stayed in the waiting area for a time was a week because they had no beds available. i now avoid psych wards at all costs.

 

[maidens]

absolutely not, I've been to psych wards several times and NONE of them have helped in the slightest. if anything, they made things much worse

 

[Meteora]

I've never been to one, my best friend has been to 2 and he said the first one was the worst, and that the second one helped him a little but there was shit and piss everywhere. I don't see how it can be beneficial for someone suicidal to withdraw them from their daily life and take away the ability to hurt themselves, because when you're back in the real world there will be nothing stopping things from getting worse or preventing you from hurting yourself. Maybe there's more to it that i don't realize, though, idk

I ve been to psychiatric wards over 20 times.... and here I am....
It depends what your problem is. For some it works. They can help you see other ways, ohter solutions than suicide. For me it did not work out, unfortunately, and I never ever want to got to one again!

For some maybe for me no. The last time I was in there the idiot staff actually gave me the means to attempt, I wish it would've worked.

Know this, was the exact same for me .....

 

[denix66]

Nunca he estado en un pabellón psiquiátrico... Sí, estuve en prisión un tiempo en mi juventud... pero nunca... En mi país, hasta hace muy pocos años, había un centro penitenciario psiquiátrico. una máquina de CANCELACIÓN TOTAL de la personalidad por medios... bastante ilegales... Prefiero 6 años de prisión que 1 en un Centro Penitenciario Psiquiátrico... al menos en mi país...

 

[MyLuckyStars]

i know a guy who went. said it was like a shitty summer camp. also, the food and pills made him obese, which probably fucked his life more than the original issues. didnt paint a very pretty picture for me

 

[neutralmilk]

I've never been to one, my best friend has been to 2 and he said the first one was the worst, and that the second one helped him a little but there was shit and piss everywhere. I don't see how it can be beneficial for someone suicidal to withdraw them from their daily life and take away the ability to hurt themselves, because when you're back in the real world there will be nothing stopping things from getting worse or preventing you from hurting yourself. Maybe there's more to it that i don't realize, though, idk

The first time I was admitted, I was physically abused by staff and symptoms were falsely reported. I said I would kill my self before going back again. But I recently self admitted cause I couldn't get out of bed without trying to slit my throat again. That was also the only way I could get connected to a psychiatrist. I came out of the hospital feeling more suicidal but less ready to act. The only upside is I am now with a psychiatrist and finally got off lithium.

 

[Argo]

Psych wards could be a learning experience, if they don't succeed in turning your brain to mush. Leaving one with your mind in tact means you could connect the dots that these places don't treat you like a human being, they are not about therapy, and you may see the nature of the world more easily. Should you ever actively admit yourself to a psych ward, or should you engage in behavior that causes you to find yourself in one? Definitely not. The lunatics run the asylum here, but if you do find yourself in one, it's not the end of the world, and you can learn something as with every terrible experience.

 

[Princess_Kitty]

Nope, I've been to psych wards so many times. Every time I leave I end up worse than before. Being inside a psych ward makes you just more and more depressed and suicidal.

 

[LaVieEnRose]

Only if you are having trouble summoning the resolve for CTB.

 

[Sluggish_Slump]

A psych ward might offer you resources that could potentially be helpful but the stay itself is unpleasant imo

 

[UKscotty]

Never been but being surrounded by a bunch of fruitcakes does not sound fun to me so I have managed to avoid going at all costs.

I can't see how being dumped with a load of messed up broken people can help. I think for me it would make me feel worse.

Some people say it saved their life though, so I guess we will never truly know unless we try it ourselves.

 

[Trakehner]

Absolutely not. I've been sent twice and was treated like total shit. I had to sleep on the floor for most of the time and wasn't even allowed to shower. They gave me a bunch of pills that turned me into a zombie. Then they try to milk your insurance. I will kill myself before I go back to another one.

 

[LaVieEnRose]

Never been but being surrounded by a bunch of fruitcakes does not sound fun to me so I have managed to avoid going at all costs.

I can't see how being dumped with a load of messed up broken people can help. I think for me it would make me feel worse.

Some people say it saved their life though, so I guess we will never truly know unless we try it ourselves.

Many people who have been there say it is the camaraderie with fellow patients that helped them the most., if not the only thing. Assuming everyone is on the same general level.

 

[Janine]

Never was and never will be, in my case. I'm currently forced to pull my plans forward as I'll be put back into one soon. Keep in mind it is still an useful anchor to turn to in case you're seeking help/recovery. Best wishes

 

[bluville]

It depends on the hospital, some are very abusive some are good. It's too risky for my to want to try but I do see the appeal of it. Being able to leave the real world for a while and 100% focus on your mental health...Having people constantly help you with routine too also seems nice. I almost feel like this is the only mental health that could help me, but like I said it can be risky. Once you're in there and if you're honest about being suicidal they're not going to just let you leave.

 

[greatgooglymoogly]

I've never been but in my area it seems like a thing where the principle is good but the execution not so much