Help What happens on psych ward?

[LittleJem]

Hi I'm being sent to a psych ward when they find the paperwork. They've held me for three days. What happens when I get there? Will they strip search me?

 

[Moonomyth]

Depends on the ward and how much of a risk they think you are, but they will take your phone and wallet and other things (no idea how you've still got the phone while in your 72-hour isolation but w/e), give you basic scrubs until somebody can provide you with an outfit from outside, and into a ward you go.

The general ward I was in was basically an exercise in the vaguely-supervised doing of nothing with occasional moments of Psych 101 group therapy. It was boring unless you wanted to act up. Waste of time overall. Once it's done, they sign you out and in theory give you back the things they took, but "loss" seems to be reported fairly often of things like phones.

 

[akana]

cant answer your question in full but it depends on which psych ward it is. for me they didnt take my phone i was allowed to use that. i had a bunch of stuff in a suitcase and they looked through it and any hazardous items they put in a locker. same as above theres just sessions that arent really sessions theyre just theyre as a tick box. very boring
psych wards stink btw. and for me i had to ask like a million times to actually find out why i was there and when i'd be out, staff are extremely unorganised theyre just there to make sure nobody does the deed.

 

[Lost in a Dream]

@akana How did you get so lucky as to be able to use your phone? Mine was stuck in a locker with all of the other stuff I had with me, but I think in some cases other people there were able to use theirs for a short period of time, with supervision. I could have asked I guess, but there wouldn't have been any browsing of SS going on if I had.

I guess that shows how different every psych ward is.

Will they strip search me?

They didn't do that to me when I went there, but I did have to get a drug test and I had to strip down for a nurse so she could check me out for signs of self harm. Other than that, the rest of my experience there was about the same as what was described above.

 

[LittleJem]

Thank you all, this is really helpful. I've been in A&E now for three days waiting to be transferred. They have lost the transport papers but if I'm lucky it's today.
What I really need to know is how to keep calm when I am being jailed. Watching the nurses all laugh and have their freedom while they jail me is just crap. Then they chat to you and they are my jailers.
What I really need to know is how to keep calm when I am being jailed. Watching the nurses all laugh and have their freedom while they jail me is just crap. Then they chat to you and they are my jailors.

 

[CursedSoul]

here in France, it's extremely boring, you don't do anything, and speak to a doc once a week, yeah, not crazy.

 

[Moonomyth]

Thank you all, this is really helpful. I've been in A&E now for three days waiting to be transferred. They have lost the transport papers but if I'm lucky it's today.
What I really need to know is how to keep calm when I am being jailed. Watching the nurses all laugh and have their freedom while they jail me is just crap. Then they chat to you and they are my jailers.

The thing about the nurses and the hospital staff generally is that what is, for you, a singular event is their day-to-day. They deal with this shit all the time and are completely desensitized to it. It's just a job. The only thing you can do is ask them to please not seem so happy to be there around you, with all the limited effectiveness that implies.

Once you're on the actual ward, you'll see hospital staff more consistently, and then they will generally ignore you in favor of patients that are harder to manage. Be an easy to manage patient and they're not a problem.

 

[outrider567]

here in France, it's extremely boring, you don't do anything, and speak to a doc once a week, yeah, not crazy.

Can you play Checkers?

 

[CursedSoul]

The thing about the nurses and the hospital staff generally is that what is, for you, a singular event is their day-to-day. They deal with this shit all the time and are completely desensitized to it. It's just a job. The only thing you can do is ask them to please not seem so happy to be there around you, with all the limited effectiveness that implies.

Once you're on the actual ward, you'll see hospital staff more consistently, and then they will generally ignore you in favor of patients that are harder to manage. Be an easy to manage patient and they're not a problem.

in some hospitals, yes, some no, i had a basket ball and a small library, depends where you go tbh, private or public, etc...

 

[Mtnwildflowers]

Depends on what type of unit you're on and location in the world. Most US will strip search you, drug test, nothing you can harm yourself with. What unit you're on is usually determined by risk. If you're severely acutely psychotic or have a risk of violence, a lot of time those patients are on a different unit than more basic suicidal depression/mania in my experience. Adolescent units I've heard have much better benefits than adult units. Adult unit was extremely basic. Quick visit with doctor. Minimal actual therapy other than coloring

 

[Graytaichi]

Its an animal zoo . Worse then jail. U get no sorts of communication in the outside world.

 

[LittleJem]

So far...I met the world's worst psychiatrist who is taking me off 40 mg Prozac abruptly. Which is dangerous. I was bedridden before Prozac and practicing hanging myself. She wants to 'observe' me off the only medication that ever worked for me. She is the only psychiatrist and is in charge of my care. She didn't listen to anything I said.

It's basically a zoo/farm here. I hate my family for not being on my team.

I'm really scared they will put me on something that will give me horrendous side effects against my wishes.

I've got a (free) solicitor coming on Friday morning to try and get out of jail.

It's basically my worst fears. My worst fear is an incompetent psychiatrist.

 

[UpandDownPrincess]

You will likely have to get naked in front of a nurse, but in my experience, they try to be sensitive and don't touch you or pat you down. You may have to cough and squat, but that varies by location.

They will go through the belongings you bring and take anything that might be risky to you or another patient. Expect to get the strings yanked out of your hoodies and waistbands, your shoelaces confiscated and perhaps even your hair care tools locked away with access by asking each day. It's not just about you at that point. Since room doors are not locked, they need to take anything that any patient might be able to use to self harm.

The best way to avoid some of this unpleasantness is to send home any of this stuff with your family before you get to the ward.

You may also be seen by a nurse to assess any medical needs you have. These might be anything from high blood pressure to wound care from a previous attempt. That's how you get your medical needs met. so if you need something, speak up.

One place I stayed did not allow me my stuffie because they'd had a previous bedbug incident and only allowed their bedding, sealed in plastic, and nothing else. That really sucked since that's still my comfort if my husband is not around.

Mostly, you'll waste a ton of time sitting around. Depending on the way the program is structured, you'll attend "groups" meant to be therapeutic that cover DBT, addiction issues, mindfulness, deep breathing and the like. There is usually lots of coloring - especially mandalas and other thing they think might be calming and/or spiritual for you.

You won't see the psychiatrist much. You'll mostly interact with the staff and other patients.

It will go a lot easier on you if you stop thinking of it as "jail." Yes, it sucks, and yes, you can't just walk out but the goal of most of these places is to get you out as quickly as possible, not to keep you as long as they can. It's much safer to have someone to talk to if you're coming off Prozac to begin with - SSRI withdrawals can be a bitch. At least inside, you can get anti-nausea drugs or maybe even a benzo to help you come off, even in the middle of the night.

Rather than act as if the staff were your "jailers" or the enemy, try to just take it one step at a time and go along to get along. Being combative - even being a smart ass - can lengthen your stay and keep you on short checks. Checks are just that - the staff will check on you every 5, 10, 15, 30 or 60 minutes depending on their policies and your behavior. This includes while you are sleeping during the night. You're less likely to wake up if they can see you from the doorway, so you may want to sleep with your head pointed that way. To get off short checks, you need to be cooperative.

Sooner or later it seems like most of us wind up going for a visit. It won't be fun, but you might gain an insight that is valuable (I did on my last visit) or at least catch some needed sleep. Hang in there and remember - this, too, shall pass.

 

[LittleJem]

Update: I am liking the psych ward. It feels like family. The staff are really kind on this one and it's like a community. Maybe I got lucky. I am also sober for the first time in years and feeling better without weed, which is really unexpected. So if anyone wants to go to psych ward, my method was to take 250 mg of THC, sleep rough on streets and got captured in the morning.

They took me off my meds so there could be a horrendous relapse coming my way. But psych ward much better than expected (and also can be super-boring)
The other inmates are doing me good for sure. It's kind of like seeing raw humanity but in a good way, without the front or pressure to be anything or anyone.

 

[Brianiskillingme]

For me they took all my sharps like my razor, nail clippers etc. Then I had to see the Psycologist daily and the psychiatrist once a week. We did crafts in the morning. Afternoon was outside time. Evenings were group therapy. It was ok but it was no cure for my depression, it just bought some time.

 

[Seeking_Peace]

My sis went to a psych ward for an attempt and said she didn't feel safe there. The girl next to her talked wild stuff all day and night and another person stared at her for no reason. Also, the staff are abusive and give you shots against your will.

 

[Al Cappella]

It depends on the hospital/ward, and why you're there. Usually they try to keep the violent folks separated from the garden-variety depressives, etc. If violent they'll take pointy things, etc. Otherwise they just ask/check for contraband, etc…

 

[LittleJem]

I agree, I don't think there is a cure here. It's more like a holding pen while they dope people. Many of the people here are homeless or living in hostels and some are in and out of psych wards all the time.

I've just read that it takes two or three weeks to relapse off Prozac, so I want to get out of here now before I get much worse. I don't want to go back to constant loud suicidal thoughts.

They don't consult with me, they just took me straight off Prozac which is my third med and the only one that ever helped.Considering Prozac took 12 weeks to work for me and doesn't always work second time round, this is going to take a lot of my life away.