i've been involuntarily hospitalized twice & never had a truly bad experience. just a creepyish nurse & a creepy patient. since urs isn't involuntary, they won't hold u for v long; prob a few days @ most, & u should be able to check urself out whenever u want if you're not a minor. i'm not sure if these rules differ state by state though.
it's like being @ the hospital, bc u are. there's a chance you're gonna see some crazy/fucked up shit. like if u were in the ER for a busted leg & some1 got dropped off in an ambulance & wheeled in on a stretcher. @ the 1st psych ward i stayed @ a girl tried to escape by climbing through the ceiling. it took 4 orderlies to get her down, restrain her, & take her to the isolation room where they sedated her. it didn't bother me, & i wasn't scared of the staff bc i wasn't planning on acting like that, & they were only doing what they had to. we (the patients) were all friends w most of the staff.
also, bring along some stuff you'd want in there w you. obv phones won't be allowed, & they'll make u remove any jewelry + piercings + strings, but u could bring books or puzzles or crosswords, etc. i learned origami, read, & socialized. i miss the psych ward sometimes. i miss the structured days, the sense of community, arts & crafts time, & the free food. there are a few ppl from there i still think abt.
obv don't say anything that'd raise any concerns or red flags unless u want to extend ur stay, but since u want to exhaust all options b4 deciding to kys (a v good idea), i'd recommend being honest
