Psych ward experiences?

[Sunoo]

My family said they were gonna try admit me to a Psych ward because they are sick of me. They said that they won't do anything bad and try to help me but since I'm not a minor they can't make me right??? I know those places are bad just wondering if anyone here has been admitted there, like what did they do? Did it help?

 

[アホペンギン]

It definitely depends on the psych ward.

From my experiences (in a ward for adults, not children. There is a difference), it wasn't that bad since it was low security. I had enough privacy, a private room (not a private bathroom, though). Of course there were specific furniture modifications that prevented you to be able to hang yourself. The food was terrible but the staff was alright I guess but every once in a while I got forced to take meds and I just obliged since I didn't want anything too bad to happen to me.. I just wanted to get out as soon as possible. And, I got woken up every once in a while after 7am and I had to be asleep by 11pm.

That's all I can think about at the moment.. probably missed some things but oh well. You get the general image.

 

[Kundalini Guy]

I have avoided the psych ward even in my worst moments, definitely don't go if you got a chance. There's horror stories of people being forcibly injected with medication while screaming "NO NO NO". They will use force if you decline medication

 

[reallysleepy]

I'm in Argentina so I guess it's not the same but I can recommend not to refuse to take meds, they will make you take them by force and if you act peacefully they keep that in mind on letting you go. They want to get you out of the crisis you are on and that you leave with a plan for the future, so try to keep that in mind when talking with the psychiatrists.

I don't think your parents can make you go to the ward but in most countries they can call the cops saying you have a crisis and they will go visit you and ask you a few questions to see if they have to intern you.

 

[spacehardware]

I imagine it hugely varies depending on which country you're in. In the UK you are usually allowed your phone, usually have your own room (some wards still have dorms) but again experience does vary ward to ward. I've been on wards that are settled, relatively quiet, with groups and activities to keep you occupied. But I've also been on chaotic wards with constant alarms, really acutely unwell patients, been attacked, seen horrendous things, etc. In short, it's luck of the draw. In the UK (with the exception of ED/PD units) they are not places where you get better, they are holding bays for people who are a danger to themselves or others and there isn't much in the way of treatment (other than medication).

 

[skybluesuicide]

Depends on the country, but here's my experience:

my mum used to force me to be admitted into a psych ward every time she found me self-harming, so a few times. I guess they saw me as a danger to myself, and that's why I could be forced into one. My experience was shit. They didn't allow us to keep our electronics but I managed to convince them to let me use a Walkman which made my multiple stays much more tolerable. This was because my daily routine involved one group session which lasted half an hour, as well as a visit from a psychiatrist (not my usual psychiatrist) which lasted around 10 minutes. So most of my time spent in there was listening to music. It was 2 people per room, and the bathrooms/showers were shared. I never encountered problematic roommates that made me uncomfortable. The other patients were quite pleasant actually, and were the best part of the experience. I can't say the same for the staff there. The nurses were uncaring and somehow on the phone all of the time, so when I actually needed help I couldn't get it. All in all, they were shit experiences and it made me stop self-harming in fear of getting sent back into one (I guess my mother's tactic worked?????)

 

[asian.neet]

Avoid if you're in the US.

They will take your phone away and give useless platitudes basically everywhere in group activity. But ATTEND ALL GROUPS and if you're not feeling well but wanna get out just fake your recovery that's the only way you're gonna get out.

Be prepared for abuse some hospitals are run to profit off their patients and drug people even more just so big pharma can make more money

 

[IsThisEverything]

I've been in psych wards a few times in the UK. Everyone's experience is different, but I found each time pretty awful. You have no privacy and no freedom. You are at the mercy of the staff and particularly the consultant. You are essentially forced to take medication that you may not want. You are treated as an idiot and as mentally incapacitated.

I have been on a few acute wards, in each case for a few months at a time. There is no treatment - no therapy and no one to talk to, the nurses are too busy. You are left alone with your thoughts and expected to get better somehow. People generally just spent all day sleeping, or smoking/vaping.

I have had some terrible consultants who have lied to me, told my parents about things I've said (I'm 30 and there was no reason to involve them), and threatened me.

The joke is, they say that going to the psych ward is to keep you safe, but it is not a safe environment. On the wards I've been on, people were always bringing in drugs, were violent, or snuck in other contraband like razor blades and lighters.

Some of the nurses were nice, but they were so rushed off their feet that there wasn't much time to talk to them. Some wards have activity workers who will take you out, do cooking or sports with you. But the second ward I was on didn't have that due to low staffing levels.

I was in the UK and in all the wards I've been on I've had my own room. Sometimes I've had my own bathroom too. Generally you are allowed phones, tablets, etc. but not anything with wires (including chargers, unless you buy a special short charging cable like I did).

If psych wards had more staff, had therapy, and had consultants with much less power, they would be better. Sorry for the ramble.

 

[Mechanical Dance]

My family said they were gonna try admit me to a Psych ward because they are sick of me. They said that they won't do anything bad and try to help me but since I'm not a minor they can't make me right??? I know those places are bad just wondering if anyone here has been admitted there, like what did they do? Did it help?

Pretty similar stuff to what everyone's saying here: being forced to take medication, barely any privacy and no real help is offered to patients. In my personal case, I have regular nightmares related to the two times I've been to a psych ward.
Definitely try to avoid getting sent there at all costs, stay safe

 

[tiredcat]

hello! i have been admitted 3 times in the past in the u.s. here's my thoughts:

wards are accessible to most people, meaning there will be people who are more mentally unwell than others. the one time i was in an adult unit there were genuinely some really nice and cool people, with a few being in need of more help than the hospital i went to could provide them honestly. at times it got very uncomfortable since the person i was roomed wasnt very aware of how indecent they were being.

as soon as a bed is open another person will come in, so basically anyone with the means to afford it can come in, which means endless possibilities of people with different conditions and mental states can come in. it really is just a matter of luck. had fights happen, heard of sa situations, dating and sex even (which is a little weird but wtv lol)

when it comes to the services, some nurses can be very attentive and overall helpful while others not so much. there's also different policies within each hospital and different schedules. schedules include group therapy, art and physical activies, and outside/smoke breaks (at least at all of the ones i've been to) some hospitals allow phones only at a designated time of the day and others only have wall phones. unfortunately, some also arent so good at following their policies, like patients being given medicine after refusing it. i've even seen a patient be over medicated because she was a little more aggressive since she had been there for a week already and was told by a doctor she'd be staying more when i and everyone else saw she was doing good. basically she wasnt able to normally react to something upsetting.

i know sometimes i would be getting calls from my family and they would never notify me about it and i would only find out when i call them myself.

that's all i can really think of for now though!

 

[Solo]

intelligent guy but drug dealer
guy who plays with his own shit on floor(final boss)
some old fuck with dementia
4ude with anger issues punching wall
crazy fucker with drug induced physchosis and their still drugging him up

 

[MatrixPrisoner]

Homeless Shelter + Prison = Pysch Ward

 

[CPY]

There are almost no psych ward in my country since mental hospitals were outlawed and there are not enough beds in general hospital.I prefer it this way actually.They will send you home unless you actually attempted.If you actually get admitted they will keep you for 7 days max.They generally allow electronics.

 

[Division Day]

I was only in for a few days but it sucked pretty bad. We could keep phones but not allowed to charge them (not because we'd strangle ourselves with cables but because someone claimed their phone had been bricked by charging it there and they were worried about legal stuff) so you had to kinda ration your battery so it lasted long enough for a visitor to charge it. Single rooms but we were banned from them except night time. A couple of shared shower rooms (one person at a time, but they didn't lock). The other patients weren't aggressive or anything but you couldn't really talk to them. Staff basically had nothing to do with patients; no groups or therapy or activities and you could spend all day crying without anyone checking on you.

It didn't make me feel better, but it did make me resolve to never go back so I guess it worked? I left there still desperately wanting to die, but now scared of failing and being there long term.

 

[venin.n]

It definitely depends on the psych ward.

From my experiences (in a ward for adults, not children. There is a difference), it wasn't that bad since it was low security. I had enough privacy, a private room (not a private bathroom, though). Of course there were specific furniture modifications that prevented you to be able to hang yourself. The food was terrible but the staff was alright I guess but every once in a while I got forced to take meds and I just obliged since I didn't want anything too bad to happen to me.. I just wanted to get out as soon as possible. And, I got woken up every once in a while after 7am and I had to be asleep by 11pm.

That's all I can think about at the moment.. probably missed some things but oh well. You get the general image.

How long have you stayed?

 

[アホペンギン]

How long have you stayed?

A bit over a week. I managed to fool the therapist there that I was fine and I attempted for attention.
That's what I can do I guess if I'm forced to lie to my father every day as a child, I know how to lie very well to people in the right situations.

 

[venin.n]

A bit over a week. I managed to fool the therapist there that I was fine and I attempted for attention.
That's what I can do I guess if I'm forced to lie to my father every day as a child, I know how to lie very well to people in the right situations.

Me too

 

[lopsidedcrawdad1]

I have avoided the psych ward even in my worst moments, definitely don't go if you got a chance. There's horror stories of people being forcibly injected with medication while screaming "NO NO NO". They will use force if you decline medication

This is misinformation. They would only do this if you were out of control or trying to hurt the staff or yourself. I declined medication multiple times and although one of the psychiatrists who was working with me was pretty pushy about it, I was never forced to take anything. Psych wards can be very helpful for some people. Its always worth a try if youve never been to one. I dont see why you wouldnt exhaust every option before commiting suicide.

 

[LetMeBeSad]

I have only gone once and I did so voluntarily. I picked the hospital that I went to and I ended up picking one that focuses on mental health. From what I have read of others experiences, I believe that made the difference for me. The staff were very attentive and it was a well fleshed out program. It still didn't help. All they did was give me meds that made me manic. I think they confused it with stability because I didn't have any great reasons to live still. I was just really medicated. After I actually stabilized, the meds turned out to be just like any other drug. A giant waste of time and pain in my ass. So, while I had a good experience there, the experience was limited (I went in voluntarily and never had to go to PICU), and I got to pick the hospital I went to. I live in Canada, just for reference. I have no idea what other hospitals would be like.

 

[Outsidelessness]

My family said they were gonna try admit me to a Psych ward because they are sick of me. They said that they won't do anything bad and try to help me but since I'm not a minor they can't make me right??? I know those places are bad just wondering if anyone here has been admitted there, like what did they do? Did it help?

I have been to a psych ward 3 times, almost 6. All of my stays ranged from 3-9 days. I'll describe the pattern between my 3 visits.

• Psych wards aren't generally helpful to people's situation, it feels like being forced into a cult of positivity that inadvertently facilitates negative things.
• The nurses profile everything about your behavior and can sometimes misinterpret what you're doing, which doesn't help your case for your discharge.
• Usually, assigned psychiatrists would almost never be available to you and would only visit a few times a week, the most you can do is tell the nurses or social workers to relay messages to them.
• Talking to the psychiatrist is like talking to the police, anything you say can and will be used against you for longer imprisonment; only the vague/lying ones actually leave, any other situation would be extremely rare provided that the hospital is actually responsible for "bettering" someone.
• If you tell them anything about a psychotic symptom, they will shower you with brain-damaging antipsychotic pharmaceuticals. Unless if you are SURE the symptom is effecting your life too much and are willing to resort to medications that put your cognition at risk, DON'T tell them about anything, even including your belief system or any unusual events that you experience.
• They only serve food at 3 specific times with a paper catalog you fill out beforehand in the mornings, which can sometimes be annoying your appetite cycle is different.
• There will sometimes be some patient freakouts, but it's not something to worry too much about as long as you know your boundaries. If a patient directly confronts you in any way, avoid the conflict. If you feel like you are being threatened then just immediately tell a nurse or security.
• You will be left with everyday essentials that are suicide-preventing alternatives to real ones. You will get edible soap, washcloths, no shoelaces, you can't even lock your door.
• You cannot jack off in your bed for more than 15 minutes because nurses check your room every 10-15 minutes during the night, I know from experience.
• In some of the hospitals, they have different pavillions separating new patients from fully inducted ones. You're going to want to stick with someone and socialize with them, the nurses will see that and take note of it so that when you move to the next pavillion you'll likely have the same room as with them.
• Some hospitals don't like the idea of patients contacting each other after they leave for some reason, so you can just pretend you're drawing something out for your friend on a piece of paper and write down "put contact info here" and they will quietly do so; you'll then put it inside of your folder if you have one.
• Sometimes you'll have papers and stuff you wished to draw or write things down on. If you don't have a folder to hold your papers then you can ask the nurses for one.
• You can't do shit like hurt people or break their property (don't do that), they will try to charge you for that regardless if you're of sound mind.
• Read all of the fucking documents they give you before you sign them, ask your questions. If you disagree then ask what happens if you don't sign it.
• If you are in the United States, you have a right to refuse certain medical services. Say a doctor wants to give you Benadryl because you're staying up too much, just politely tell them you refuse. What's bullshit about this is that refusal may impact your discharge, so it's best to refuse within reason and willfulness to explain. However, you cannot just say "I refuse" and leave the hospital whenever you want. The discharge process is only manually approved by your psychiatrist regardless if you're on a forced hold or not.

Anyone can reply to this post and add onto this list if they wish.