Discussion How bad are psych wards

[mrpeter]

If I attempt suicide and fail, I know I will be sent to a psych ward. I've heard horror stories about psych wards, I am aware that a lot of nurses who work in mental hospitals are evil psycopaths, and abuse patients.

Is this the case for most psych wards, and what are the chances of me being sent to a really bad one are?

 

[schrei_nach_liebe]

They vary a lot. Some staff are great, but you'll be dealing most with nurses. Some nurses who have the job consider it their calling and they do good work. Some nurses are there because they couldn't cut it anywhere else and they're miserable. The nurses don't make many decisions on their own, it's usually the attending MD. That being said the nurses can "color" their reporting to try and get a certain result. I feel like what I read paints the UK wards pretty badly in particular. As far as the anglosphere, I'd probably most desire to be in a US psych ward, but there's certainly a lot of granular variation between them, you can't use a broad brush when talking about the US, but you can use a more broad brush talking about a system like the NHS or HCA. To an extent you'll get out of a psych ward what you put into it. I've had about 8 stays over 25 years most not due to an attempt but always some form of suicidal ideation. Some not in the US.

 

[Alo the obvi alien]

If I attempt suicide and fail, I know I will be sent to a psych ward. I've heard horror stories about psych wards, I am aware that a lot of nurses who work in mental hospitals are evil psycopaths, and abuse patients.

Is this the case for most psych wards, and what are the chances of me being sent to a really bad one are?

Honestly, I have been to the hospital a few times. The first time was terrible because I actually didn't try to ctb and they didn't believe me
The second time, I went to "get better" and it was okay. If you take the meds the force you to.
The third time was okay with the doctors because I knew what I wanted and kind of "demanded" it. I wanted one on one therapy instead of just the groups especially. I told them when the meds were stupid and I didn't like them.

But the patients, that's always a toss up. I had made great friends the last time, but also saw the most craziest shit too.

 

[willitpass]

The chances are really not calculable and dependent on where you live and (if in the US) what places take your insurance. But in my opinion, they are hell. I've been through a lot of trauma, and the worst of it has been from psych wards. Trauma so bad that I haven't told anyone the extent of how bad my mental health is since I last left one over four years ago for the crippling fear of being sent back. I have backed out of multiple attempts due to the paralyzing fear of failing and being sent back. If I survive my attempt this weekend I will do just about anything possible to avoid going to a hospital because I would rather pull my finger nails out one by one than ever end up back in one.

 

[Romanticize]

I was twice in psych ward, both for 2 weeks long. Both after hurting myself (cutting arms, wrists, neck).

If you arent cooperating, they use straps and strap/restrain you to the bed, for few hours straight. You cannot scratch yourself or you cannot take a sip of water.
I was strapped 3 times in my first 2 days. Even this didnt help, they sent me to solitary confinement.

On first day I was beaten by 3 ripped personnel dudes, because I was taking my shoes too slowly. Psychiatrist saw that but when I complained, she negated everything.

I was strapped with belts to a bed right away. After 3 hours without water and beaten up, I asked guys in my room for a sip of tap water. One guy asked "oh, you want to drink?" and squeezed his pee wetted pants (underpants) all over my face, and smeared it.
I was restrained, couldnt do a shit. I complained to a shift nurse (they had cameras in the room, if after 22 you werent asleep, they were in the room in 10s.) However when I complained about the pants incident when restrained, they told me to "man up", and "no way this never happened during 15 years of this ward", even though it happened to me during First three hours.

I was so pissed, to this day I got PTSD when I think about it. This is treatment for suicidal patient? After this incident and now I even want to kms even more.

I believe in US for this "action" I could fight for a big reparation/compensation money.

22:00 its night time (silence) and you have to be in your bed. If you stand up, walk in circles or even go to toilet too often, guess what happens? strapping or confinement. And they dont care if u scream at 100% of your capacity, waking everyone up at 2am, making everyone hate you.
I was addicted to morphine and benzos, I was experiencing withdrawal. It was hell.
I didnt know when I was going out, 0 info.

Patients are mental and some of them are saying 1 sentence 24/7, they dont sleep, they steal from your belongings. Every piece od food, sweets, juice or milk will be shared among inpatients even without your consent. Unless you are super scary 200cm 120kg dude, which I suppose you are not. Even then, some dudes dont care at all.


Food is so-so, like 3/10, often not salty or sour enough (dull taste) but hey, youre hungry, so you eat.


There are frequent blow-ups of schizo/psychotic patients, fighting with personnel, screaming at the top of your lungs.
Of course all the ppl are ordered to take medicine, during my talks with a lead doctor I COULDN'T even get information what I was treated with (only on the release document). They treat you like you are a stupid, poor, alone, almost homeless person (some of patients are). But when I told them I have Uni finished and an office job, dean psychiatrist said "pfffft, yeah sure you are". I was so angry at that time. And that dude was like the leader of the place and the boss of all doctors.

Some people say about murdering people and that the court can do nothing because they are mental. At worst they could end up here. Some people were locked up for YEARS, some guys (young, like 20yo) said its their FIFTEENth stay in the ward.


The ward ive been to is in like 100k town in Poland but it doesnt have like detox or drug section, so all patients are treated almost the same.
80% of patients are schizophrenics or hardcore alcoholics. Smart, introverted, depressive or suicidal persons are minority, maybe 5% at max. During my stays, I hadn't any single person to relate with.


Most people smoke cigs, only in dedicated place. I hated cigs, but started smoking as well, to fight BOREDOM. I was a witness of a short fight of 5 dudes vs 1 (annoying dude, but didnt deserve to be beaten) - it was on cig smoking area - it only took 15 seconds, but when 5 dudes are kicking you on the head on the ground, the guy pissed himself hard.




Boredom and nights are the worst thing in a psych ward.
You cannot have a smartphone, only an old phone w/o camera. They're afraid you will take photos of people inside (but real reason is they fear you will document all the abuse inside).

So prepare an old phone, like this nokia 3310 or so, prepare an iPod or a MP3 player, and many books or crosswords/magazines/sudoku/playing cards / w/e u like to do.

It is a new story, happened in 2023 and 2024, in Poland.



EDIT: To the people who already read my post, please read it again, I described the situation when I was restrained, and a dude peed all over my face. Camera monitored room, personnel did nothing. I came out 10x as suicidal as I was admitted.

 

[schrei_nach_liebe]

Yeah US, no personal phones, last time I saw smoking personally was 2003, you basically can't have any personal possessions other than clothes in the US. Restraints are to be avoided in most cases unless thought to be the least worst option. They used to be pretty good about segregating psychotic and detoxing patients from non-psychotic patients, but accountants always end up deeming it too inefficient. There are never enough beds.

 

[mrpeter]

I was twice in psych ward, both for 2 weeks long. Both after hurting myself (cutting arms, wrists, neck).

If you arent cooperating, they use straps and strap/restrain you to the bed, for few hours straight. You cannot scratch yourself or you cannot take a sip of water.
I was strapped 3 times in my first 2 days. Even this didnt help, they sent me to solitary confinement.
22:00 its night time (silence) and you have to be in your bed. If you stand up, walk in circles or even go to toilet too often, guess what happens? strapping or confinement. And they dont care if u scream at 100% of your capacity, waking everyone up at 2am, making everyone hate you.
I was addicted to morphine and benzos, I was experiencing withdrawal. It was hell.


Patients are mental and some of them are saying 1 sentence 24/7, they dont sleep, they steal from your belongings. Every piece od food, sweets, juice or milk will be shared among inpatients even without your consent. Unless you are super scary 200cm 120kg dude, which I suppose you are not.


Food is so-so, like 4/10, often not salty or sour enough (dull taste) but hey, youre hungry, so you eat.


There are frequent blow-ups of schizo/psychotic patients, fighting with personnel, screaming at the top of your lungs.

Most people smoke cigs, only in dedicated place. I hated cigs, but started smoking as well, to fight BOREDOM. Boredom is the worst thing in a psych ward.
You cannot have a smartphone, only an old phone w/o camera. They're afraid you will take photos of people inside (but real reason is they fear you will document all the abuse inside).

So prepare an old phone, like this nokia 3310 or so, prepare an iPod or a MP3 player, and many books or crosswords/magazines/sudoku/playing cards / w/e u like to do.

It is a new story, happened in 2023 and 2024, in Poland.

sounds like a living hell but this is poland and hopefully the us is different

 

[willitpass]

Restraints are to be avoided in most cases unless thought to be the least worst option.

In my many experiences in wards, they say this, but in practice it is still very much abused. I myself have been restrained 5 times and only twice was I a danger to myself. I've never been a danger to others. The other three times it was used as a power move for non-compliance. I've seen the same happen to too many other patients during my stays. They say it's a last resort, but they find loopholes.

 

[sharpiemarker]

I was twice in psych ward, both for 2 weeks long. Both after hurting myself (cutting arms, wrists, neck).

If you arent cooperating, they use straps and strap/restrain you to the bed, for few hours straight. You cannot scratch yourself or you cannot take a sip of water.
I was strapped 3 times in my first 2 days. Even this didnt help, they sent me to solitary confinement.
22:00 its night time (silence) and you have to be in your bed. If you stand up, walk in circles or even go to toilet too often, guess what happens? strapping or confinement. And they dont care if u scream at 100% of your capacity, waking everyone up at 2am, making everyone hate you.
I was addicted to morphine and benzos, I was experiencing withdrawal. It was hell.


Patients are mental and some of them are saying 1 sentence 24/7, they dont sleep, they steal from your belongings. Every piece od food, sweets, juice or milk will be shared among inpatients even without your consent. Unless you are super scary 200cm 120kg dude, which I suppose you are not.


Food is so-so, like 4/10, often not salty or sour enough (dull taste) but hey, youre hungry, so you eat.


There are frequent blow-ups of schizo/psychotic patients, fighting with personnel, screaming at the top of your lungs.

Most people smoke cigs, only in dedicated place. I hated cigs, but started smoking as well, to fight BOREDOM. Boredom is the worst thing in a psych ward.
You cannot have a smartphone, only an old phone w/o camera. They're afraid you will take photos of people inside (but real reason is they fear you will document all the abuse inside).

So prepare an old phone, like this nokia 3310 or so, prepare an iPod or a MP3 player, and many books or crosswords/magazines/sudoku/playing cards / w/e u like to do.

It is a new story, happened in 2023 and 2024, in Poland.

jestes z polski?

 

[MxTuesday]

If you are in the UK you can certainly blag your way out of getting sectioned if ctb fails. Got numerous examples.

 

[schrei_nach_liebe]

In my many experiences in wards, they say this, but in practice it is still very much abused. I myself have been restrained 5 times and only twice was I a danger to myself. I've never been a danger to others. The other three times it was used as a power move for non-compliance. I've seen the same happen to too many other patients during my stays. They say it's a last resort, but they find loopholes.

It's often perceived that way but they can't see what you're thinking or predict well what you might do. The penalties for us if found improperly restraining are really steep. It's often less a conspiracy and less a power trip. When nurses power trip they are usually taking it out on other nurses and not the patients. It doesn't mean what you said can't happen, I just haven't seen it ever.

 

[willitpass]

It's often perceived that way but they can't see what you're thinking or predict well what you might do. The penalties for us if found improperly restraining are really steep. It's often less a conspiracy and less a power trip. When nurses power trip they are usually taking it out on other nurses and not the patients. It doesn't mean what you said can't happen, I just haven't seen it ever.

I was once restrained for sitting on my bathroom floor catatonic. They told me if I didn't get up they would take me to seclusion. I did not get up, I did not move, I did not speak. There was no evidence of me trying to hurt myself and I very much was not trying to hurt anyone else. They then picked me up and pinned me to the floor, I naturally started screaming and fighting because I was 13 and traumatized. They then carried me through the unit with my shirt up exposing me, had multiple male security guards tear my clothes off when I refused, gave me the classic "booty juice", and locked me in seclusion in a yellow paper gown and told me I could get out when I calmed down all the while refusing me a phone call to my dad or any other way to cope with what had happened to me.

Another time I was out of my bed past bed time. I was sitting in the day room refusing to talk to anyone and would not go back to my room. They warned me multiple times that I needed to go back. I was pissed that I was there and had no interest in being compliant. But I was still simply sitting in the day room ignoring them. I may have been crying, I can remember, but I was not hurting or threatening anyone and had nothing on my person that could be used as a weapon. They picked me up, carried me into the hallway, held me on the standing restraint position known for killing people, and interrogated me for an hour. They kept asking the same questions over and over of what I did wrong to end up here and what I would do better to prevent it in the future. I had unsavory words for them but none of them were threatening. This facility frequently restrained other residents the same way and would tell them they would press harder when told it would hurt. Staff would threaten restraints for non-compliance all the time despite knowing it was illegal. They did a lot of illegal things, but somehow have avoided being shut down.

In my experience, who is the government going to believe if there are complaints? The mentally ill (especially if it's teenagers) or the facility who seem to have perfected covering their tracks? I work in healthcare, albeit not psych. I know what is illegal and not. I know what is poor patient care and what is simply perceived as such due to a mental health crisis. I know some of my experiences were bad because I was in a bad spot, but I can confidently say I have been and witnessed genuine abuse and maltreatment in many mental health facilities. Some got shut down, but many have evaded consequence to date.

 

[Romanticize]

jestes z polski?

no tak wiadomo

 

[schrei_nach_liebe]

I was once restrained for sitting on my bathroom floor catatonic. They told me if I didn't get up they would take me to seclusion. I did not get up, I did not move, I did not speak. There was no evidence of me trying to hurt myself and I very much was not trying to hurt anyone else. They then picked me up and pinned me to the floor, I naturally started screaming and fighting because I was 13 and traumatized. They then carried me through the unit with my shirt up exposing me, had multiple male security guards tear my clothes off when I refused, gave me the classic "booty juice", and locked me in seclusion in a yellow paper gown and told me I could get out when I calmed down all the while refusing me a phone call to my dad or any other way to cope with what had happened to me.

Another time I was out of my bed past bed time. I was sitting in the day room refusing to talk to anyone and would not go back to my room. They warned me multiple times that I needed to go back. I was pissed that I was there and had no interest in being compliant. But I was still simply sitting in the day room ignoring them. I may have been crying, I can remember, but I was not hurting or threatening anyone and had nothing on my person that could be used as a weapon. They picked me up, carried me into the hallway, held me on the standing restraint position known for killing people, and interrogated me for an hour. They kept asking the same questions over and over of what I did wrong to end up here and what I would do better to prevent it in the future. I had unsavory words for them but none of them were threatening. This facility frequently restrained other residents the same way and would tell them they would press harder when told it would hurt. Staff would threaten restraints for non-compliance all the time despite knowing it was illegal. They did a lot of illegal things, but somehow have avoided being shut down.

In my experience, who is the government going to believe if there are complaints? The mentally ill (especially if it's teenagers) or the facility who seem to have perfected covering their tracks? I work in healthcare, albeit not psych. I know what is illegal and not. I know what is poor patient care and what is simply perceived as such due to a mental health crisis. I know some of my experiences were bad because I was in a bad spot, but I can confidently say I have been and witnessed genuine abuse and maltreatment in many mental health facilities. Some got shut down, but many have evaded consequence to date.

Yeah I'm not saying you didn't, but there's your subjective sequence of events colored by your own perception and there's a sequence of events the other party has which is also subjective and colored by their own perception. A reasonable person (in the sense of a jury) is usually going to side with the party without a MH diagnosis. Wrong or right? Sometimes it's wrong sometimes it's right. Most people do not enjoy putting someone in restraints, some might enjoy it in a sick way.

 

[-Link-]

I feel like what I read paints the UK wards pretty badly in particular.

Echoing this as, anecdotally, stories out of the UK have seemed more consistently negative compared to the US.

Here in Canada, my impression is more favourable to that of anywhere else except maybe Scandinavia.

Asking this question mostly anywhere, but especially on a suicide forum, I think is going to result in a pretty negative-slanted impression. In reality, there is a wide range of experiences with a wide range of outcomes, and it's virtually impossible to predict how any one person's experience would be.

I just posted about this in another thread, but for anyone who has a bad experience with inpatient (especially anything abusive), I'd encourage them to tell their story for purposes of pushing for changes and improvements to the system. It won't do anything to help what's already happened. You might not hear a response. You might even feel dismissed and invalidated. But your story counts. It's kind of like filling a bucket, one drop of water at a time. Each drop feels absolutely useless and pointless, but in the end, that bucket requires every one of those drops, and it does end up filled.

 

[mrpeter]

I was once restrained for sitting on my bathroom floor catatonic. They told me if I didn't get up they would take me to seclusion. I did not get up, I did not move, I did not speak. There was no evidence of me trying to hurt myself and I very much was not trying to hurt anyone else. They then picked me up and pinned me to the floor, I naturally started screaming and fighting because I was 13 and traumatized. They then carried me through the unit with my shirt up exposing me, had multiple male security guards tear my clothes off when I refused, gave me the classic "booty juice", and locked me in seclusion in a yellow paper gown and told me I could get out when I calmed down all the while refusing me a phone call to my dad or any other way to cope with what had happened to me.

Another time I was out of my bed past bed time. I was sitting in the day room refusing to talk to anyone and would not go back to my room. They warned me multiple times that I needed to go back. I was pissed that I was there and had no interest in being compliant. But I was still simply sitting in the day room ignoring them. I may have been crying, I can remember, but I was not hurting or threatening anyone and had nothing on my person that could be used as a weapon. They picked me up, carried me into the hallway, held me on the standing restraint position known for killing people, and interrogated me for an hour. They kept asking the same questions over and over of what I did wrong to end up here and what I would do better to prevent it in the future. I had unsavory words for them but none of them were threatening. This facility frequently restrained other residents the same way and would tell them they would press harder when told it would hurt. Staff would threaten restraints for non-compliance all the time despite knowing it was illegal. They did a lot of illegal things, but somehow have avoided being shut down.

In my experience, who is the government going to believe if there are complaints? The mentally ill (especially if it's teenagers) or the facility who seem to have perfected covering their tracks? I work in healthcare, albeit not psych. I know what is illegal and not. I know what is poor patient care and what is simply perceived as such due to a mental health crisis. I know some of my experiences were bad because I was in a bad spot, but I can confidently say I have been and witnessed genuine abuse and maltreatment in many mental health facilities. Some got shut down, but many have evaded consequence to date.

Jesus Christ these people are literally sub human. I heard about a mental hospital called "Shadow Mountain Youth Psych Facility" who were basically infamous for absuing kids, they would got over 340 calls from the police, and eventially the hospital chose to shut down.

Echoing this as, anecdotally, stories out of the UK have seemed more consistently negative compared to the US.

Here in Canada, my impression is more favourable to that of anywhere else except maybe Scandinavia.

Asking this question mostly anywhere, but especially on a suicide forum, I think is going to result in a pretty negative-slanted impression. In reality, there is a wide range of experiences with a wide range of outcomes, and it's virtually impossible to predict how any one person's experience would be.

I just posted about this in another thread, but for anyone who has a bad experience with inpatient (especially anything abusive), I'd encourage them to tell their story for purposes of pushing for changes and improvements to the system. It won't do anything to help what's already happened. You might not hear a response. You might even feel dismissed and invalidated. But your story counts. It's kind of like filling a bucket, one drop of water at a time. Each drop feels absolutely useless and pointless, but in the end, that bucket requires every one of those drops, and it does end up filled.

I'm asking cause I hear mostly negative stories, and people tend to tell their stories if they're negative, because people are more attracted to negativity.
I know some experiences are relatively neutral, not good, but better then living in an actual prison.

 

[sharpiemarker]

no tak wiadomo

w ktorum psychiatryku tak chujowo? chyba ze n chcesz mowic

 

[apeaceofmind]

If I attempt suicide and fail, I know I will be sent to a psych ward. I've heard horror stories about psych wards, I am aware that a lot of nurses who work in mental hospitals are evil psycopaths, and abuse patients.

Is this the case for most psych wards, and what are the chances of me being sent to a really bad one are?

in my experience; hospital food sucks and the psych saw me for 1 single minute before she fucked off.

 

[watamote12]

Personally, I was diagnosed as bipolar and hospitalised for a month after swallowing 1g of oxazepam.