Venting Mental Hospital Stay

[Cloud4youu]

I 19F, am going to be voluntarily putting myself in a mental hospital for a while. It sucks because this is one of my last attempts at trying to improve my mental health, and all I see online is people shitting on mental hospitals/ psych wards.

This February, I almost made an attempt but I decided it wasn't fair to ctb without at least trying to make an effort to enjoy life. I've been passively suicidal since I was 12, and for the past year it's been almost anything I can think about. I can't stop thinking about how I would do it, where I would do it, how people would react, making checklists for things that need to be done beforehand, etc.

I know to some it seems ridiculous that I'm willingly institutionalizing myself, as when I was planning my attempt in February that was my biggest fear, but on some level I don't want to die. I want to want to live, but I'm just so done. I don't like myself, I've dropped out of college, and all I've ever thought, even as a kid, was that I'd never make it to my age. I don't know what I want in life. I don't see anything in my future.

I really hope the stay will actually help me. I don't know what'll happen if it doesn't. I just wish I was normal and liked living, you know?

Any advice leading up to my stay would be great. I think I'm struggling hard with undiagnosed personality disorders/bipolar, so my stay might be long. Thanks for reading.

 

[NZkiwi]

Wishing you all the best

From my experience of a psych ward


Bring a book/things to keep you busy (it gets real boring)
Rubiks Cube / toys/stress ball
ipod with music on it (a freind gave me a 3ds, I wasn't allowed access to my phone)
colouring in pencils
a journal
snacks

***

Permission for your friends you trust to come visit you (when I was in respite my friends came and played video games with me)

 

[Cloud4youu]

Wishing you all the best

From my experience of a psych ward


Bring a book/things to keep you busy (it gets real boring)
Rubiks Cube / toys/stress ball
ipod with music on it (a freind gave me a 3ds, I wasn't allowed access to my phone)
colouring in pencils
a journal
snacks

***

Permission for your friends you trust to come visit you (when I was in respite my friends came and played video games with me)

Thank you for this, honestly one of the things I'm most scared of is my family finding out, as I'm still connected with them. Other then that, I'll keep this list in mind. My friend is going to be lose, as she's taking care of my animals.

Again, thank you for this :)

 

[bagel12]

I 19F, am going to be voluntarily putting myself in a mental hospital for a while. It sucks because this is one of my last attempts at trying to improve my mental health, and all I see online is people shitting on mental hospitals/ psych wards.

This February, I almost made an attempt but I decided it wasn't fair to ctb without at least trying to make an effort to enjoy life. I've been passively suicidal since I was 12, and for the past year it's been almost anything I can think about. I can't stop thinking about how I would do it, where I would do it, how people would react, making checklists for things that need to be done beforehand, etc.

I know to some it seems ridiculous that I'm willingly institutionalizing myself, as when I was planning my attempt in February that was my biggest fear, but on some level I don't want to die. I want to want to live, but I'm just so done. I don't like myself, I've dropped out of college, and all I've ever thought, even as a kid, was that I'd never make it to my age. I don't know what I want in life. I don't see anything in my future.

I really hope the stay will actually help me. I don't know what'll happen if it doesn't. I just wish I was normal and liked living, you know?

Any advice leading up to my stay would be great. I think I'm struggling hard with undiagnosed personality disorders/bipolar, so my stay might be long. Thanks for reading.

i haven't gone to a mental hospital, but two of my friends have. both of them went to the psych ward after ctb attempts. one was in for less than a week. iirc the other was in the psych ward for a few weeks, then in a partial hospitalization program for a month or two, then an intensive outpatient program after that.

these are people in two different parts of the US, i can't speak to how mental hospitals are elsewhere. but going to the psych ward helped both of them. the mental hospital found a therapist and psychiatrist for them which helped a lot. my friend who was there longer also was involved in a group/class where they taught coping skills and he said it was really useful. both of them seem happier and more functional now, it's been years since either of them expressed ideation to me or attempted ctb afaik.

the main issue with the psych ward was the loss of autonomy, that was hard for both of them. if there are multiple mental hospitals you can choose from, it might be a good idea to look at reviews ahead of time or check local facebook groups/subreddits for recommendations. you'll see some bad reviews no matter what, but some are better than others.

both friends complained of feeling bored and not comfy. bring comfy items from home if you can! and bring earplugs, books, puzzles/games, coloring books with crayons, etc.

you mentioned bipolar, one of my best friends (who is one of the two friends who went to the psych ward) has bipolar. i saw how much he used to struggle every day. he didn't want to live, and he didn't see a future for himself, he felt like his brain made living impossible. he had a couple serious ctb attempts so he was in the psych ward for a while. they diagnosed him, put him in a partial hospitalization program that focused on DBT, and put him on meds. it took some trial and error, but once he found the right therapist and the right combination of meds, it really helped. he still deals with some symptoms, but it's so much better compared to before. he genuinely seems to enjoy life now. to my knowledge, ever since he found the right combination of meds a few years ago, he hasn't attempted to ctb.

i wish you the best of luck i know i'm just a stranger, but i'm proud of you for seeking help!

 

[nayomi]

maybe look for alternative to hospitalization? hospitals are more for short term treatment rather than long term rehab

 

[Cloud4youu]

maybe look for alternative to hospitalization? hospitals are more for short term treatment rather than long term rehab

I absolutely would, but right now because of my circumstances I can't stay at a rehab place long because my family cannot find out. I'm relying on friends to help me while I'm gone, and they're all going to be extremely busy with college coming up, let alone with them living quite far away from my home.

Right now. I figure short term treatment is better than nothing at all, you know? If my circumstances change in the future, I will look more into a long term solution if one isn't provided where I'll be staying

i haven't gone to a mental hospital, but two of my friends have. both of them went to the psych ward after ctb attempts. one was in for less than a week. iirc the other was in the psych ward for a few weeks, then in a partial hospitalization program for a month or two, then an intensive outpatient program after that.

these are people in two different parts of the US, i can't speak to how mental hospitals are elsewhere. but going to the psych ward helped both of them. the mental hospital found a therapist and psychiatrist for them which helped a lot. my friend who was there longer also was involved in a group/class where they taught coping skills and he said it was really useful. both of them seem happier and more functional now, it's been years since either of them expressed ideation to me or attempted ctb afaik.

the main issue with the psych ward was the loss of autonomy, that was hard for both of them. if there are multiple mental hospitals you can choose from, it might be a good idea to look at reviews ahead of time or check local facebook groups/subreddits for recommendations. you'll see some bad reviews no matter what, but some are better than others.

both friends complained of feeling bored and not comfy. bring comfy items from home if you can! and bring earplugs, books, puzzles/games, coloring books with crayons, etc.

you mentioned bipolar, one of my best friends (who is one of the two friends who went to the psych ward) has bipolar. i saw how much he used to struggle every day. he didn't want to live, and he didn't see a future for himself, he felt like his brain made living impossible. he had a couple serious ctb attempts so he was in the psych ward for a while. they diagnosed him, put him in a partial hospitalization program that focused on DBT, and put him on meds. it took some trial and error, but once he found the right therapist and the right combination of meds, it really helped. he still deals with some symptoms, but it's so much better compared to before. he genuinely seems to enjoy life now. to my knowledge, ever since he found the right combination of meds a few years ago, he hasn't attempted to ctb.

i wish you the best of luck i know i'm just a stranger, but i'm proud of you for seeking help!

I started tearing up reading this, so thank you for taking the time to reply, I really needed to hear this right now.

I'm not too worried about being bored, as I've always been able to keep myself occupied for hours with very little to do. The lack of autonomy is a bit scary to think about, but I figure having a schedule will help me at least do things I haven't been regularly doing because of my mental health (ie showering, brushing my teeth, eating and drinking)

Thank you for talking about your friend who has bipolar. Since I was younger I've been struggling with the dichotomy of one week feeling absolutely incredible and feeling like utter shit the next, and in recent months it's gotten even worse with every few hours seemingly having that black and white change among other issues. I tried bringing this up to some of my friends/family, and they all dismissed it because they didn't believe it was that serious lol.

I really am so glad that it helped your friends. Truly. Thank you for sharing this with me :)

Oh god I'm so new to this site this thread looks like shit

 

[bagel12]

I absolutely would, but right now because of my circumstances I can't stay at a rehab place long because my family cannot find out. I'm relying on friends to help me while I'm gone, and they're all going to be extremely busy with college coming up, let alone with them living quite far away from my home.

Right now. I figure short term treatment is better than nothing at all, you know? If my circumstances change in the future, I will look more into a long term solution if one isn't provided where I'll be staying


I started tearing up reading this, so thank you for taking the time to reply, I really needed to hear this right now.

I'm not too worried about being bored, as I've always been able to keep myself occupied for hours with very little to do. The lack of autonomy is a bit scary to think about, but I figure having a schedule will help me at least do things I haven't been regularly doing because of my mental health (ie showering, brushing my teeth, eating and drinking)

Thank you for talking about your friend who has bipolar. Since I was younger I've been struggling with the dichotomy of one week feeling absolutely incredible and feeling like utter shit the next, and in recent months it's gotten even worse with every few hours seemingly having that black and white change among other issues. I tried bringing this up to some of my friends/family, and they all dismissed it because they didn't believe it was that serious lol.

I really am so glad that it helped your friends. Truly. Thank you for sharing this with me :)

Oh god I'm so new to this site this thread looks like shit

i'm really happy to hear that my comment was helpful :,) getting structured professional mental health support really did help my friends and i really hope it will help you too. there are lots of programs out there--if the first program you try isn't a good fit for you, don't be afraid to try a different one! in case it's helpful, here's a little more information on how these programs work in my region (it may be different in your region).

when it comes to the psych ward, be prepared if you have to stay a little longer than you anticipated. for example, one of my friends was supposed to be at the psych ward for 3 days but she was there for 5 or 6 instead. in my area, even if you voluntarily admit yourself to the psych ward, you cannot necessarily leave as soon as you want. the hospital still needs to approve of it and they may hold you a few days longer if they don't think you're safe to leave. psych wards are helpful for crisis intervention, to ensure safety and stabilization, to get assessed by professionals, and to get medication prescribed, but they don't do much therapy or skill building. usually they can help set you up with a psychiatrist and therapist for after you're out of the psych ward. one of my friends only went to the psych ward and they set her up with a psychiatrist who she still goes to.

if you are not in danger of ctb and if you have a little more time, i agree with nayomi that other options might be better. based on what you've said, i think partial hospitalization programs (phps) might be helpful to look into. my friend with bipolar went from the psych ward to a php (you can also go to a php directly without going to the psych ward). the psych ward stay ensured he was safe/not in active crisis anymore, and the php helped him with improving his mental health and developing coping skills. his php program focused on a therapy called DBT (dialectical behavior therapy) which is designed for people with intense emotional dysregulation, personality disorders, and desire to ctb or sh.

phps have a lot of structure and they focus on group therapy and learning coping skills. on weekdays you spend most of the day at the hospital with a structured schedule, but you leave the hospital in the afternoon. weekends are free. my friend who did a php was evaluated at the beginning, given meds, and met with a psychiatrist once a week during the program, i think most programs work this way but idk. phps usually last 2-6 weeks. but unlike the psych ward, they can't force you to stay there, so you can leave early against medical advice. usually they can help set you up with a psychiatrist and therapist for after the program ends.

intensive outpatient programs (iops) are also an option. they are a few hours a day for a few days a week. they usually offer in person options after work/school hours, so people can maintain their work/school schedule, and some have online options. it sounds like you are looking for more support and structure than these programs offer, but i still wanted to mention it.

phps and iops are voluntary, so unlike the psych ward, they can't force you to stay there. you can leave them early against medical advice. however, if someone is in danger of ctb, or in a crisis, then the psych ward is best for safety and stabilization.

i wish you the best of luck with everything!! you got this!! i'm rooting for you!!

 

[never mind me]

I can't say anything about psych wards themselves, as I have never been to one. However, what I learned from friends that have been is that although it can be a good start for getting diagnosed, getting medication and a general idea on how to start getting better, the stays in psych wards are usually not sufficient to completely fix mental health issues on their own. The time you stay there is limited and afterwards you are back at home, where you face the same problems as before. So you should try to ensure you continue treatment after your psych ward stay in order to become more stable long term. Depending on the severity and type of your problems you might find it helpful to continue afterwards with outpatient therapy or with a partial hospitalization program. It might also make sense to look up the laws in your country or state that dictate under which circumstances you can be forced to stay in a psych ward against your will. Contrary to what bagel12 writes there are countries where you can leave a psych ward against medical advice as long as you are not an immediate danger to yourself or others. So you may wish to look up the laws for your jurisdiction to know what you can expect.

 

[Cloud4youu]

Thanks you guys for the tips. I always get super nervous doing things for the first time, so it's nice having advice from people who know more than me :)

Not to vent or anything, but from what you all said I think having a stay at the ward then going to a php will be the best option for me. While I'm not going to just impulsively ctb, I've just been spending my days either sleeping or laying down making plans staring at the ceiling, or sh (cringe saying it like that) and without that intervention, I likely would make a serious attempt before the end of the year. I'm hoping the stay at the ward will at least break that cycle and give me a good starting point to then find the motivation to do a php, as I'm fairly sure the closest one is almost an hour or so away.

I'm grateful that I'm not currently working/in school, so I can afford wiggle room in my stay at the ward, otherwise I'd hate not being able to plan out my schedule.

Having access to a psychiatrist/therapist after the ward stay would be amazing, as about a month or two ago when I was feeling slightly better, I tried to get set up with one only to be told there was a three month waiting period :(

I'll look more seriously into the phps near me, as I do think that the access to better coping skills would help me tremendously. In my family, mental health is a super taboo topic, even though my parents struggled heavily with their own issues and still do. I'm so so SO grateful that you guys took the time out of your days to write to me and to help me in this journey, thank you :)

 

[StarryEyed]

@Cloud4youu you're so brave to be considering admission even though you've heard it might go sideways. What a relief to have people here sharing the other possibilities.

I've been admitted many times. How you're treated gets progressively more difficult the sicker you are, as they put more restrictions on what you are allowed to have of your personal items, on your movement, on your interactions with copatients and on your rights to make pretty much all decisions, including your medications. So the more healthy you are when you get admitted, the better your stay will be.

It's pretty standard as to what is and isn't allowed for personal items. NZkiwi made some good suggestions. I ran an AI summary search, and it's really actually quite good. I'll post the results, but if you can't see the image for some reason, just search "What can you and can't you bring on a psych ward?" You can also check the hospital website to see if their policy is listed, or even call them. What you pack can be a game changer. Oh, and don't bring anything of value because as you probably know stuff often gets stolen in hospitals.

Hang in there and good luck!

 

[byec560]

I absolutely would, but right now because of my circumstances I can't stay at a rehab place long because my family cannot find out. I'm relying on friends to help me while I'm gone, and they're all going to be extremely busy with college coming up, let alone with them living quite far away from my home.

Right now. I figure short term treatment is better than nothing at all, you know? If my circumstances change in the future, I will look more into a long term solution if one isn't provided where I'll be staying


I started tearing up reading this, so thank you for taking the time to reply, I really needed to hear this right now.

I'm not too worried about being bored, as I've always been able to keep myself occupied for hours with very little to do. The lack of autonomy is a bit scary to think about, but I figure having a schedule will help me at least do things I haven't been regularly doing because of my mental health (ie showering, brushing my teeth, eating and drinking)

Thank you for talking about your friend who has bipolar. Since I was younger I've been struggling with the dichotomy of one week feeling absolutely incredible and feeling like utter shit the next, and in recent months it's gotten even worse with every few hours seemingly having that black and white change among other issues. I tried bringing this up to some of my friends/family, and they all dismissed it because they didn't believe it was that serious lol.

I really am so glad that it helped your friends. Truly. Thank you for sharing this with me :)

Oh god I'm so new to this site this thread looks like shit

If you're 19, assumedly your family would also find out if you were institutionalized no? Hospitals be costing a good amount of money too unless you have really good insurance. When I was institutionalized the police showed up at my door and put me in handcuffs so it wasn't exactly lowkey but idk what the process looks like if you are not sectioned.

i'm really happy to hear that my comment was helpful :,) getting structured professional mental health support really did help my friends and i really hope it will help you too. there are lots of programs out there--if the first program you try isn't a good fit for you, don't be afraid to try a different one! in case it's helpful, here's a little more information on how these programs work in my region (it may be different in your region).

when it comes to the psych ward, be prepared if you have to stay a little longer than you anticipated. for example, one of my friends was supposed to be at the psych ward for 3 days but she was there for 5 or 6 instead. in my area, even if you voluntarily admit yourself to the psych ward, you cannot necessarily leave as soon as you want. the hospital still needs to approve of it and they may hold you a few days longer if they don't think you're safe to leave. psych wards are helpful for crisis intervention, to ensure safety and stabilization, to get assessed by professionals, and to get medication prescribed, but they don't do much therapy or skill building. usually they can help set you up with a psychiatrist and therapist for after you're out of the psych ward. one of my friends only went to the psych ward and they set her up with a psychiatrist who she still goes to.

if you are not in danger of ctb and if you have a little more time, i agree with nayomi that other options might be better. based on what you've said, i think partial hospitalization programs (phps) might be helpful to look into. my friend with bipolar went from the psych ward to a php (you can also go to a php directly without going to the psych ward). the psych ward stay ensured he was safe/not in active crisis anymore, and the php helped him with improving his mental health and developing coping skills. his php program focused on a therapy called DBT (dialectical behavior therapy) which is designed for people with intense emotional dysregulation, personality disorders, and desire to ctb or sh.

phps have a lot of structure and they focus on group therapy and learning coping skills. on weekdays you spend most of the day at the hospital with a structured schedule, but you leave the hospital in the afternoon. weekends are free. my friend who did a php was evaluated at the beginning, given meds, and met with a psychiatrist once a week during the program, i think most programs work this way but idk. phps usually last 2-6 weeks. but unlike the psych ward, they can't force you to stay there, so you can leave early against medical advice. usually they can help set you up with a psychiatrist and therapist for after the program ends.

intensive outpatient programs (iops) are also an option. they are a few hours a day for a few days a week. they usually offer in person options after work/school hours, so people can maintain their work/school schedule, and some have online options. it sounds like you are looking for more support and structure than these programs offer, but i still wanted to mention it.

phps and iops are voluntary, so unlike the psych ward, they can't force you to stay there. you can leave them early against medical advice. however, if someone is in danger of ctb, or in a crisis, then the psych ward is best for safety and stabilization.

i wish you the best of luck with everything!! you got this!! i'm rooting for you!!

Yeah, a week is p standard. My stay was around 6 days and I'm under the impression mine was a relatively short one. There was one woman who had been there for months because she kept causing trouble and getting her stay extended lol. Also, yeah I think something like outpatient might be more what OP is looking for if their financial situation allows.

 

[bagel12]

Thanks you guys for the tips. I always get super nervous doing things for the first time, so it's nice having advice from people who know more than me :)

Not to vent or anything, but from what you all said I think having a stay at the ward then going to a php will be the best option for me. While I'm not going to just impulsively ctb, I've just been spending my days either sleeping or laying down making plans staring at the ceiling, or sh (cringe saying it like that) and without that intervention, I likely would make a serious attempt before the end of the year. I'm hoping the stay at the ward will at least break that cycle and give me a good starting point to then find the motivation to do a php, as I'm fairly sure the closest one is almost an hour or so away.

I'm grateful that I'm not currently working/in school, so I can afford wiggle room in my stay at the ward, otherwise I'd hate not being able to plan out my schedule.

Having access to a psychiatrist/therapist after the ward stay would be amazing, as about a month or two ago when I was feeling slightly better, I tried to get set up with one only to be told there was a three month waiting period :(

I'll look more seriously into the phps near me, as I do think that the access to better coping skills would help me tremendously. In my family, mental health is a super taboo topic, even though my parents struggled heavily with their own issues and still do. I'm so so SO grateful that you guys took the time out of your days to write to me and to help me in this journey, thank you :)

i know doing something new for the first time can be scary, but i hope things feel a little less daunting with more info on what to expect. it sounds like you have a good plan, and i hope the structure and access to professionals will be helpful :)

for my friend who went to the php, i believe the psych ward directly referred him to one. but iirc he could have tried to go to a different one if he wanted, or he could have transferred from one php to another if the first one wasn't a good fit.

and yes, they can set you up with mental health professionals for after you leave, this is set up during discharge planning so make sure to communicate to them that you're seeking a psychiatrist and therapy for long term support and ask if they can help set that up for you. this is how my friend got a psychiatrist, in the psych ward they put her on meds that they didn't want her to stop taking, so they set her up to see a psychiatrist on a regular basis after she left the psych ward. the specifics will depend on the region you live in though. the most important thing is to ask for help and ask for resources, you don't have to figure it out alone!

last thing, i don't know how long you're waiting before you go to the hospital, but if it'll be a while, there are lots of youtube videos, websites, and free online workbooks for learning coping skills. they aren't as good as actual therapy but it's better than nothing. for me, DBT resources have been helpful for learning coping skills and dealing with intense emotions. after that i looked at ACT resources which were helpful for accepting difficult things in life, finding meaning, and taking action according to my values. CBT helps some people too but i haven't looked into it. i'd be happy to link some websites or youtube channels if that would be helpful. it's not a long term solution but it can be a temporary stopgap until you can access professional help.

you got this! im just an internet stranger but im cheering you on! :)

 

[telekon]

When I was institutionalized the police showed up at my door and put me in handcuffs so it wasn't exactly lowkey but idk what the process looks like if you are not sectioned.

wtf is wrong with the police ... sorry that happened to you

 

[bagel12]

If you're 19, assumedly your family would also find out if you were institutionalized no? Hospitals be costing a good amount of money too unless you have really good insurance. When I was institutionalized the police showed up at my door and put me in handcuffs so it wasn't exactly lowkey but idk what the process looks like if you are not sectioned.

Yeah, a week is p standard. My stay was around 6 days and I'm under the impression mine was a relatively short one. There was one woman who had been there for months because she kept causing trouble and getting her stay extended lol. Also, yeah I think something like outpatient might be more what OP is looking for if their financial situation allows.

that really sucks about the police handcuffing you, that's fucked up! i'm sorry that happened to you.

laws vary by jurisdiction, but hypothetically if op lived where i live: since op is a legal adult, their parents won't be informed by the hospital unless op directly requests for them to be informed. if you're involuntarily committed, they legally have to notify someone, but most places let you choose who is notified. but since op plans to go voluntarily, this wouldn't apply to them--the hospital wouldn't notify anyone unless op wanted them to.

if op is on their parents' insurance: by default, the parents would probably find out a couple weeks after op leaves the psych ward, when they receive the eob from their insurance company. the information op's parents would see on the eob depends on their jurisdiction's privacy laws for dependents. some jurisdictions keep this information confidential for mental health care. but if their jurisdiction doesn't keep this information confidential by default, there should be a way to request confidentiality. in my jurisdiction, this would mean op needs to call their insurance company, tell them that disclosing this information to their parents would put their safety at risk, and submit something called a confidential communications request.

even if the eob protects op's confidentiality and doesn't reveal that they sought mental health treatment, the parents might still be suspicious when they receive it. so op would need to contact the insurance company to request that the eob and other info about op's medical care is sent to a different address.

tldr if op plans to bill their parents' insurance, then it would be best for them to look into their jurisidiction's laws and to call their insurance company to see what options are available to protect their confidentiality.

there are other options though. one option is that op could avoid insurance entirely and choose to self-pay. this would be very expensive where i live, but in other countries it is more manageable. another option is to switch to a different insurance plan. where i live, there are health insurance options for unemployed low income adults. if op is a legal adult on a separate insurance plan, i don't see how their parents would be notified.

when op goes to the mental hospital, they should make sure that the mental hospital has the right information about their insurance plan, their address, and their contact info to make sure parents won't receive the eob or other mail. and op should emphasize why confidentiality is important for their safety. this isn't uncommon tbh so they'll understand.

again this is just in my jurisdiction, so op should look into laws in their jurisdiction. regardless, if the choice is either to ctb or to upset your parents by seeking help, it is better to risk upsetting your parents!

 

[Cloud4youu]

If you're 19, assumedly your family would also find out if you were institutionalized no? Hospitals be costing a good amount of money too unless you have really good insurance. When I was institutionalized the police showed up at my door and put me in handcuffs so it wasn't exactly lowkey but idk what the process looks like if you are not sectioned.

Yeah, a week is p standard. My stay was around 6 days and I'm under the impression mine was a relatively short one. There was one woman who had been there for months because she kept causing trouble and getting her stay extended lol. Also, yeah I think something like outpatient might be more what OP is looking for if their financial situation allows.

Right now. I'm under my parent's insurance, but it's Medicaid, so theoretically a mental health intervention like this should almost entirely be covered for (my parents have had multiple of these). As for them knowing, my friend who is in the medical field and is helping me figure things out said that I can request confidentiality because of HIPAA. I can afford to pay any out-of-pocket expenses, as I have a bit of money saved up, but not a whole lot. (Sorry, I've never had to deal with insurance before, so I'm not knowledgeable)

As long as I can maybe request to call each of my parents at least once during my stay, I think I could get away with them not knowing and just use an excuse like school starting up (they also don't know I'm not going back.)

Either way, I'll check ahead of time with the hospital and my insurance to get things sorted out.

i know doing something new for the first time can be scary, but i hope things feel a little less daunting with more info on what to expect. it sounds like you have a good plan, and i hope the structure and access to professionals will be helpful :)

for my friend who went to the php, i believe the psych ward directly referred him to one. but iirc he could have tried to go to a different one if he wanted, or he could have transferred from one php to another if the first one wasn't a good fit.

and yes, they can set you up with mental health professionals for after you leave, this is set up during discharge planning so make sure to communicate to them that you're seeking a psychiatrist and therapy for long term support and ask if they can help set that up for you. this is how my friend got a psychiatrist, in the psych ward they put her on meds that they didn't want her to stop taking, so they set her up to see a psychiatrist on a regular basis after she left the psych ward. the specifics will depend on the region you live in though. the most important thing is to ask for help and ask for resources, you don't have to figure it out alone!

last thing, i don't know how long you're waiting before you go to the hospital, but if it'll be a while, there are lots of youtube videos, websites, and free online workbooks for learning coping skills. they aren't as good as actual therapy but it's better than nothing. for me, DBT resources have been helpful for learning coping skills and dealing with intense emotions. after that i looked at ACT resources which were helpful for accepting difficult things in life, finding meaning, and taking action according to my values. CBT helps some people too but i haven't looked into it. i'd be happy to link some websites or youtube channels if that would be helpful. it's not a long term solution but it can be a temporary stopgap until you can access professional help.

you got this! im just an internet stranger but im cheering you on! :)

Thankfully it's not going to be too much longer, as I'm planning on going the 17th of this month, so I feel safe enough until then :)

I'm completely new to seeking this kind of help or treatment, so I'll look into those resources when I'm out. I probably should be doing more now, but like I said before, I can barely get out of bed to take care of myself (I make sure my pets are alright though #priorities), so I haven't had the energy or motivation to focus on 'healthy' coping skills, mostly on just trying to get me through every day.

From what people have said here, I'll probably pack a few pajama pants, my favorite jeans, (no drawstring) sweatshirts, a couple books, composition notebooks/sketchbooks (I read somewhere that spiral-bound books aren't allowed), crayons (or other drawing supplies if I'm hopefully allowed), and a hairbrush. I'm going to call them on the 14th to double check the insurance issue, to see if they have beds available, if I have to bring my own toiletries, and if I'll be allowed to make calls on my cellphone.

The closer the day gets, the more I'm looking forward to it, but also the more nervous and scared I get. This will also be a test of my iatrophobia (fear of doctors/medical situations), so not really looking too forward to that lol.

 

[bagel12]

Right now. I'm under my parent's insurance, but it's Medicaid, so theoretically a mental health intervention like this should almost entirely be covered for (my parents have had multiple of these). As for them knowing, my friend who is in the medical field and is helping me figure things out said that I can request confidentiality because of HIPAA. I can afford to pay any out-of-pocket expenses, as I have a bit of money saved up, but not a whole lot. (Sorry, I've never had to deal with insurance before, so I'm not knowledgeable)

As long as I can maybe request to call each of my parents at least once during my stay, I think I could get away with them not knowing and just use an excuse like school starting up (they also don't know I'm not going back.)

Either way, I'll check ahead of time with the hospital and my insurance to get things sorted out.



Thankfully it's not going to be too much longer, as I'm planning on going the 17th of this month, so I feel safe enough until then :)

I'm completely new to seeking this kind of help or treatment, so I'll look into those resources when I'm out. I probably should be doing more now, but like I said before, I can barely get out of bed to take care of myself (I make sure my pets are alright though #priorities), so I haven't had the energy or motivation to focus on 'healthy' coping skills, mostly on just trying to get me through every day.

From what people have said here, I'll probably pack a few pajama pants, my favorite jeans, (no drawstring) sweatshirts, a couple books, composition notebooks/sketchbooks (I read somewhere that spiral-bound books aren't allowed), crayons (or other drawing supplies if I'm hopefully allowed), and a hairbrush. I'm going to call them on the 14th to double check the insurance issue, to see if they have beds available, if I have to bring my own toiletries, and if I'll be allowed to make calls on my cellphone.

The closer the day gets, the more I'm looking forward to it, but also the more nervous and scared I get. This will also be a test of my iatrophobia (fear of doctors/medical situations), so not really looking too forward to that lol.

that's great that you have a friend in the medical field helping you! :) my understanding is that you'd just need to call your insurance,
tell them that disclosing your medical information to your parents would put your safety at risk, and submit a form called a "confidential communications request". it might take a few days for it to be processed so i would do that soon if you haven't already. a few states already make mental health care info confidential for adult dependents on their parents' insurance, but it's still better to make sure.

when you talk to the insurance company you'll also want to request that the eob and any other mail about your medical care is sent to a different physical address, email, phone number, etc.

and then when you get to the hospital, double check about insurance and contact info and confidentiality, and you should be good to go!

the things you plan to bring sound good! i believe all of those should be allowed, as long as the pajama pants don't have strings (or if you're ok with them cutting or removing the strings). a few more things to consider:

• ask about the psych ward's phone policy ahead of time! both of my friends couldn't use their cell phones at the psych ward. they had to make a list of family and friends' phone numbers ahead of time and once a day they could use the hospital's phone for a short phone call.
• bring your id and your insurance card
• if you take medication, ask the psych ward what you should do. sometimes they want you to bring your meds, sometimes they just want a list of your meds.
• wear shoes without laces
• bring bras without underwire
• lip balm and deodorant might be nice, even if they provide other toiletries
• my friend brought foam earplugs and she said they were helpful for sleeping. she had a roommate, and the doors were left open at night for safety reasons, so it was loud.
• my other friend was there for a couple weeks and he said that coloring books and puzzle books like sudoku, word searches, spot the difference, etc were nice to have. but the puzzle books couldn't have staples in the spine, so he brought ones that were glued instead. and only paperbacks were allowed at his ward, no hardcovers.

i'm glad you don't have to wait! the hospital resources will be better than the youtube videos i was gonna recommend lol

 

[StarryEyed]

Wishing you the best!

 

[byec560]

that really sucks about the police handcuffing you, that's fucked up! i'm sorry that happened to you.

laws vary by jurisdiction, but hypothetically if op lived where i live: since op is a legal adult, their parents won't be informed by the hospital unless op directly requests for them to be informed. if you're involuntarily committed, they legally have to notify someone, but most places let you choose who is notified. but since op plans to go voluntarily, this wouldn't apply to them--the hospital wouldn't notify anyone unless op wanted them to.

if op is on their parents' insurance: by default, the parents would probably find out a couple weeks after op leaves the psych ward, when they receive the eob from their insurance company. the information op's parents would see on the eob depends on their jurisdiction's privacy laws for dependents. some jurisdictions keep this information confidential for mental health care. but if their jurisdiction doesn't keep this information confidential by default, there should be a way to request confidentiality. in my jurisdiction, this would mean op needs to call their insurance company, tell them that disclosing this information to their parents would put their safety at risk, and submit something called a confidential communications request.

even if the eob protects op's confidentiality and doesn't reveal that they sought mental health treatment, the parents might still be suspicious when they receive it. so op would need to contact the insurance company to request that the eob and other info about op's medical care is sent to a different address.

tldr if op plans to bill their parents' insurance, then it would be best for them to look into their jurisidiction's laws and to call their insurance company to see what options are available to protect their confidentiality.

there are other options though. one option is that op could avoid insurance entirely and choose to self-pay. this would be very expensive where i live, but in other countries it is more manageable. another option is to switch to a different insurance plan. where i live, there are health insurance options for unemployed low income adults. if op is a legal adult on a separate insurance plan, i don't see how their parents would be notified.

when op goes to the mental hospital, they should make sure that the mental hospital has the right information about their insurance plan, their address, and their contact info to make sure parents won't receive the eob or other mail. and op should emphasize why confidentiality is important for their safety. this isn't uncommon tbh so they'll understand.

again this is just in my jurisdiction, so op should look into laws in their jurisdiction. regardless, if the choice is either to ctb or to upset your parents by seeking help, it is better to risk upsetting your parents!

The insurance issues is what I was thinking of. Even if you have confidentiality, you can't pay for it unless you have insurance and if the hospitalization is paid for by your family's insurance plan then that would naturally entail contacting them even with HIPAA protections. Plus, hospitals are not always so great about protecting HIPAA when it comes to teenagers and dependents. Even as a grown ass man, my doctor at the psych ward outed my SH to my parents without my permission. The privacy situation tends to be even worse with teenagers. Ofc I also agree that telling parents is probably ideal but also I can understand why you wouldn't want to because it is a big pain.