Help Experiences in a psych hospital?

[LaughingandSmiling]

If my next round of bipolar disorder medication doesn't work (It likely won't) "the next step in my medical treatment will be involuntary hospitalization."

What are your experiences with psych hospitals? Specifically teen psych wards as I'm a minor, although any experience is appreciated. I've heard things ranging from "literal prison and hell" to "Kinda boring but I made some friends." Where were you and what was it like?

I'd like to know because once I'm inside suicide will be essentially impossible for between a week and a month (however long I stay). I'm weighing if I'd rather hurry up and die than be locked up and I'd appreciate any insight.

 

[chronicpainnomore]

I spent an entire summer in one when I was 9 years old. It wasn't even needed, I had a medical issue that should have been handled surgically, but they sent me to a loony bin. It sucked. If you did anything to act up, they'd put you in "4 points", basically stap you to a bed. Or just throw you in the "quiet room." They could do "wrist to waist" which is tying your wrists to a belt on your waist. Or tether you to an employee. Then there's the meds that they force you to take that make you a zombie. It was HELL.

And in my case, they finally figured out I needed medical intervention.

 

[ImNotBatman]

First advice. Trust no one inside. Once you walk in, if you can manage to hide symptoms, do it.
Second, do whatever they ask. Being uncompliant will get you a needle in the ass or neck and a groggy feeling for a few days.
Thirdly, participate.

I met some really cool people when I was in at 15. Decent food, more privacy than adults get, more family time. It wasnt bad. But keep your guard up. People are snakes inside. If you confide in a person you can trust, or so you think...theyll rat just because they think theyll get out earlier for it. Avoid politics too. If its a large enough facility, kids will polarize and create cliches.

 

[Meena]

I have bipolar disorder as well. Wish u luck.
Try to not argue with nurses. Do whatever they ask u to do. Hope u will meet interesting people. This the advantage of being in mental Institution. U can share ur experiences with other patients.

 

[Meena]

Once i refused medication in a hospital in france. I was transfered to a severe unit. I was like hell.

 

[Sonnenblume]

I spent an entire summer in one when I was 9 years old. It wasn't even needed, I had a medical issue that should have been handled surgically, but they sent me to a loony bin. It sucked. If you did anything to act up, they'd put you in "4 points", basically stap you to a bed. Or just throw you in the "quiet room." They could do "wrist to waist" which is tying your wrists to a belt on your waist. Or tether you to an employee. Then there's the meds that they force you to take that make you a zombie. It was HELL.

And in my case, they finally figured out I needed medical intervention.

I was sent to one as a teen too. They labeled me nuts because I was in almost constant pain and stopped going to school. I'd had back surgery for scoliosis and it turns out one of the rods in my back broke causing issues. Fuckers.

 

[chronicpainnomore]

I learned what a cottage industry "mental health" is. They have dollar signs in their eyes. Label you crazy, and once you're in, keep finding "reasons" to keep you in. They milk you for every penny they can get. It's bullshit.

 

[Maya]

I havent been in the looney bin but im currently hiding that i stopped my meds for bipolar and ocd. Getting nervous they will find out and throw me in there. What happens to my service dog? Does she go with me? Do they take her??? Oh god its making me scared just thinking about it

 

[Varosha]

I spent 9 months in one when I was 18-19.

Rather than helping people it's easier for them to shoot you up with mega doses of anti-psychotics and leave yout in bed most of the day.

It was just the mental health nurses there, some were ok but some wouldn't look out of place in a gulag. We had a psychiatrist that was only there for a few hours on a friday and that was about it.

We even had to clean the ward because we were told they struggled to get anyone to do it and they had the dishonesty to tell us they considered it theraputic for us.

One of the nurses humiliated me and I had enough and ran away. They didn't even seem to be concerned about this at all apart from one nurse who was actually a decent guy who said I can still have my bed back if I want.

I'd rather die than go back there. I swear these places are just to keep people like us away from everyone considered normal. Society has changed a little but alas human nature never does.

 

[Sonnenblume]

I havent been in the looney bin but im currently hiding that i stopped my meds for bipolar and ocd. Getting nervous they will find out and throw me in there. What happens to my service dog? Does she go with me? Do they take her??? Oh god its making me scared just thinking about it

Why did you go off the meds? If you dont mind me asking

 

[Gumby]

Why did you go off the meds? If you dont mind me asking

I went off my bipolar meds about a year and a half ago and it was a disaster.

 

[Sonnenblume]

I went off my bipolar meds about a year and a half ago and it was a disaster.

Pretty much ever bipolar person Ive known has said the same, that they were a mess off meds. Im not a huge fan of medication but I think with bipolar disorder it's usually necessary. If I were bipolar I'd definitely take them.

 

[Gumby]

I wanted to get manic and I succeeded unfortunately....

 

[Maya]

Why did you go off the meds? If you dont mind me asking

Its sort of a case of oh im ok these are dangerous i dont need them and its not like a sudden on a sudden off youve got to ween yourself off of them. Ive been clean a week so far i have 10days till my psychiatrist sees me. Im pretty sure shes gonna notice im kind of a crazy mess atm i cant do anything right now. And i agree about wanting to go manic um... its kind of a great fucking feeling you tend to find yourself waiting for it to do certain things or whatever...

 

[Sonnenblume]

Its sort of a case of oh im ok these are dangerous i dont need them and its not like a sudden on a sudden off youve got to ween yourself off of them. Ive been clean a week so far i have 10days till my psychiatrist sees me. Im pretty sure shes gonna notice im kind of a crazy mess atm i cant do anything right now. And i agree about wanting to go manic um... its kind of a great fucking feeling you tend to find yourself waiting for it to do certain things or whatever...

I get ya. Sometimes I'd wish I'd have some sort of manic episode just so I could get shit done for once.

 

[Gumby]

In my case it was getting into fights on the street and trying to convert people to a religion I invented.

 

[FakeNews]

In my case it was getting into fights on the street and trying to convert people to a religion I invented.

That's fantastic! Well, not the fights - but the conviction of getting others to convert to your own religion. I love it!

Reminds me of a joke - what's the difference between a psychotic, a cult, and a religion? The number of people who claim to hear the voices.......

Hopefully you created some literature that you could share with us, maybe even get a few more souls in your flock! Can't be any worse than most other religions.

 

[ImNotBatman]

That's fantastic! Well, not the fights - but the conviction of getting others to convert to your own religion. I love it!

Reminds me of a joke - what's the difference between a psychotic, a cult, and a religion? The number of people who claim to hear the voices.......

Hopefully you created some literature that you could share with us, maybe even get a few more souls in your flock! Can't be any worse than most other religions.

Agreed! Ill join if suicide is smiled upon!

 

[Maya]

In my case it was getting into fights on the street and trying to convert people to a religion I invented.

Yea i get that. I dont go full religious manic i go to the cant sleep at all super focused super dumb decisions risky af behavior talk insanely fast- but you feel really good while all thats occuring youre never actually tired lasts for a few weeks to a few months for me.

 

[Maya]

Why did you go off the meds? If you dont mind me asking

Um. I guess ill answer its not like you know who i am. On top of swelling meds caused in my leg they sort of... they do genuinely help with bipolar. 100%. But bipolar is never the only issue. I found myself almost constantly dissasociating. I never could tell what was me my realy response whats the meds whats bipolar... it exacerbates a feeling of not knowing who you are. If youve got ptsd with dissociation issues it makes it worse.

 

[Gumby]

That's fantastic! Well, not the fights - but the conviction of getting others to convert to your own religion. I love it!

Reminds me of a joke - what's the difference between a psychotic, a cult, and a religion? The number of people who claim to hear the voices.......

Hopefully you created some literature that you could share with us, maybe even get a few more souls in your flock! Can't be any worse than most other religions.

Lol sh*t was crazy. Maybe I'll try again:) Scary thing was that no one pointed out that this behavior was abnormal...

 

[RainAndSadness]

My girlfriend (18 years old) was in an open asylum. 'Open' because she could stop it whenever she wanted. She made a lot of friends in there and apparently you can meet nice mind-liked people. But everything else was lame, boring and not helpful in any way. The doctors didnt care much. I dont know how much this relates to your situation but I assume it would be similiar in a locked facility. My girlfriend said the people in there, the other patients, helped her the most. The doctors and nurses, the therapy itself... not so much. They talked to her like once a week in a therapy and gave her antidepressants. That's it. She spent there 2 weeks. I had the impression that it wasn't terrible but not really helpful in any way either.

 

[Liblib]

I only spent a couple day on the crazy floor but it's kinda like prison honestly and I'm sure I was in a mild place compared to others. Days days were basically 3 meals a day with different therapy sessions in-between. Horrible really but I guess it helps some people

 

[IQof87SadButTrue]

Last year I was in one. It is like a prison environment because you lose your freedoms but not full of violent criminals which is a good thing for you. I enjoyed my time in there since my real life is a disaster. Made friends, played games, won rewards, flirted with attractive nurses and most important saw life in a different perspective. There are two things that pissed me off. The first is that it's a waste of time and life is finite you can't get your time back. Second the doctors and nurses are very manipulative they trick you into taking medication which they have no power to force on you. They lie about your legal rights. They hide documents and information from you so you can't fight back legally.