What is a psych ward like

[yummers]

I think it's about time I check myself in before I do something. I want to know what it's like in there I've heard tons of different things. How disruptive will it be to my life? How long do they keep you there. How/when do they decide you can leave? I'm about to start college and I don't want to lose my admission but I'm also afraid of what I might do if I'm living alone

Thanks

 

[Carrot]

You become a free range chicken. You just exist there, get served food and It's like a very low quality boring holiday that makes you think "I guess I prefer working 9 to 5 over this.".

I've been there 2 months. Depends what you are there for, and are you there willingly or not. I recommend cooperating in general when possible, you don't want to be forced there by a court order. I've seen a case where a person stayed there indefinitely.

I haven't heard any horror stories. It was just pretty boring. You probably will have 1 TV for 40 people and maybe some other "attractions". You can talk to some patients, a lot of them are pretty chill. I don't know any horror stories or abuse. There is no way to lock doors, anybody can walk in when you are taking a shower or whatever.

 

[AsexualBarbieBoy]

Not much happens. They take your phone away, and you can either sit in bed all day or participate in the daily programme (which can be useful e.g. learning about DBT).

 

[pepperfarmer]

Depends wildly on the psych ward, I think. Some are just as others described, and some can be genuinely horrible. I've heard horror stories of patients there being shot up to the eyeballs with meds and basically just living there permanently as zombies.

I think it should be fine if you're voluntarily committing yourself. Maybe you can check which one you'd go to and look at the reviews?

 

[Carrot]

We could use out phones in the place I was. So it depends. Can charge it only during night though, since they take all cables away. It's pretty annoying.

It's just a boring place to be in. It's insane how absurdly high people claim to value life.

 

[discernment]

I can imagine that it varies greatly depending on the type of ward and the location. Both of my admissions were involuntary, so it would probably be a lot less restrictive if you voluntarily admit yourself. I had a 1-1 with me most of the time I was in the unit and I kind of felt like I had less freedom than even a prisoner would but the only thing i'd done 'wrong' was to be really mentally unwell. For the most part, it wasn't traumatic, but it was mind numbingly boring. Every day felt the same and was structured something like this:

- wake up, have breakfast in the kitchen area, get morning meds from the nurse
- ward rounds with nurses/psychiatrists etc (I didn't get to speak to them everyday, it was usually once or twice a week and we would discuss medication, goals, how things are going...)
- group therapy/group activity, usually something creative
- lunch
- 'free time'
- possibly an afternoon activity depending on staff availability. Sometimes I also had individual therapy sessions during this time
- dinner, get evening meds from the nurse
- 'free time', offered a drink and a snack before bed