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Mental Health psych ward?

T1gersxjaw

T1gersxjaw

Bluelighter
Joined
Aug 6, 2013
Messages
118
Location
hell
Hi everyone. Serious answers only please.
Well, recently I went through a break up with a girl you could call my first love. I am 16, and on meds (Prozac, wellbutrin,and xanax as needed) and have suffered with severe depression for the past 3 years. This is my first real break up, and I have been extremely distraught over it.. I have never had a suicide attempt but have had thoughts, and they have been getting much more severe.. frankly,I'm a little bit afraid for myself. Telling my parents this would most likely be a sure ticket to get in, but I am not sure if it's worth it.. I am about to start homeschool and I'm pretty much not able to function at all right now. What kind of consequences would being temporarily admitted bring? Could it affect my future, like with getting jobs or thing of that nature? I am not sure what to do, all I know is I have an overwhelming urge to relapse in self harm, and I want to die. I messed the relationship up and the guilt is overwhelming. Opinions on what I should do? I just don't want my future to be ruined if I can prevent it..

Thanks, t1gersxjaw
 
It depends on what jobs you're talking about. In the private sector for the most part it shouldn't effect your eligibility for anything. However I'm sure government jobs and military jobs will find out about this, and might hold it against you depending on how you ended up in the Psych Ward. With that said in my opinion I think a Psych Ward would be a very scary scary place for someone so young to be, and might cause way more harm than good. If I were you I would seek out some kind of outpatient therapy and talk out these issue's you're having with this break up. Seriously. Save the Psych Ward for later in life when you're having serious meltdowns and can't function in society. Until that point do you're best to go to whatever outpatient facility you think suits your needs.
 
I'm sorry you had a breakup and is this the first time you felt so terribly. You're taking some strong medication already. Do you see a psychiatrist that gives you these or a therapist? I am urging you to talk to your parents and have them schedule you an appointment so you can get some help. I don't think the psych ward is the first choice, see if talk therapy helps you first. Don't hurt yourself tonight. Talk to your parents in the morning and don't delay.

The psychiatric hospital would be last resort if you're completely out of hope. You don't want this, not because of future repercussions but because it's a rough place to be. My mother had me locked up when I was 15 and learned really fast I was not prepared for that. Once you're in it's very hard to get released. See if there is someone you can talk to and tell them what's happening, how you feel and what you're going through.
 
T. Calderone said:
Once you're in it's very hard to get released.
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He's not joking. When I was in there most of the people by the second day could care less about feeling better, and were just doing whatever they had to do to get out only to stay much longer than they intended. In a lot of ways I think unless you are out of touch with reality to an extreme degree the Psych Ward does more harm than good.
 
^True. Psych wards are miserable places most of the time. Not to say you can't have fun if you ever end up at one. But the only times I've had fun was when I was totally off my rocker and given the right medications. Coming back to reality slowly was like a trip for me.
 
I'm in a posh one right now. It's more like big shared student house. Just not in the mood to go up for take-away pizza.
 
I was moved from a more regulated crisis-ward that wasn't too bad but now I've been transferred to a new, open ward where no one are really watching me and I can come and go pretty much as I want. It's kind of like a hotel, but cleaner and with free food, and medical staff. But it's still stressful and I don't know how long I'll last.

I just prefer to be here at the moment for two reasons:

1. Benzo addiction which has gotten out of hand and I've endured countless withdrawals the last months, sometimes as much as 3-5 a month, due to lack of control or problems with supply. As long as things are that unstable I might as well be in a place like this, besides, in withdrawal all I want is to be somewhere I can be supervised and kept on a taper to keep me without symptomps.

2. My landlord is currently selling the house with the apartment I'm renting so there's constant pressure to keep it spotless and presentable at all times and that is very hard during withdrawal. Especially after my last seizure when I couldn't lift my left arm. I don't need the extra stress so I'd rather stay away when all that's going on.

If I blow it I'll probably not get a second chance at something as cushy as this though (and free).
 
I got a bad rap in my community after I left a psych ward. I smashed a toilet and a sink because the staff were Nazi's imo. The sink and toilet were the electronic eye type by Kohler (R).
If it aint broke don't fix it.
 
Ninae said:
I was moved from a more regulated crisis-ward that wasn't too bad but now I've been transferred to a new, open ward where no one are really watching me and I can come and go pretty much as I want. It's kind of like a hotel, but cleaner and with free food, and medical staff. But it's still stressful and I don't know how long I'll last.

I just prefer to be here at the moment for two reasons:

1. Benzo addiction which has gotten out of hand and I've endured countless withdrawals the last months, sometimes as much as 3-5 a month, due to lack of control or problems with supply. As long as things are that unstable I might as well be in a place like this, besides, in withdrawal all I want is to be somewhere I can be supervised and kept on a taper to keep me without symptomps.

2. My landlord is currently selling the house with the apartment I'm renting so there's constant pressure to keep it spotless and presentable at all times and that is very hard during withdrawal. Especially after my last seizure when I couldn't lift my left arm. I don't need the extra stress so I'd rather stay away when all that's going on.

If I blow it I'll probably not get a second chance at something as cushy as this though (and free).
Click to expand...

>we protect the anonymity of all our members so if you want to know where they live then please just ask and see if they respond.. and if you think a post is false then please state your opinion in a respectful way.. thanks<
 
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I think the lines may be blurred a bit as far as pysch ward goes where Ninae resides. She's in the UK and I believe it's been some time, a few weeks now? inside for her. It is hard to imagine, being in the US we do not get these luxuries do we? First, going into mental health hospital where I live you are not allowed to keep your cell phone, let alone have internet access. You are in lockdown from the minute you are admitted, no coming and going as you please. Just like jail.

Next, they check your clothing for drawstrings because they must be removed for your own safety. You can't be trusted to not hang yourself. And no shoelaces either, open toed sandals are issued, just like jail. You are expected to go to group meetings as mandated, even if you don't have a substance abuse problem. If you have a drug problem, they are very sorry and can only give medications that your doctor approves. If you didn't see the on-call doctor that day, too bad maybe tomorrow they can see you.

Good luck sleeping. You are in a room with two other people and not a mattress. More like a plastic mat with a sheet over it. You may be uncomfortable without your drug of choice. We already had this talk, no meds for you. Every 20 minutes is bedchecks where the staff shines a flashlight on you to make sure you're still breathing. Then they make you get up at 6am for vitals. You're encouraged to stay in the dayroom with everyone else until breakfast. I would try to go back to sleep but they would make me get up even if I didn't want to eat.

Your day is filled with help sessions and occasional cigarette breaks outside. You look forward to the chance to see a doctor, sometimes they don't come but you can see a substitute. The next day is the same, you see your doctor who promises you should be fine to go home tomorrow. Tomorrow comes and you're dealing with a different doctor after waiting in line 25 minutes. This person asks you about the voices you're hearing. "What? I don't hear voices. I just want to go home" No there's been a mistake, today's Friday we don't discharge over the weekend. Talk to your doctor next week...

This is my experience here in the US with mental health institutions. Every single time the same bullshit. Why in the world would anyone want this?
 
No, I'm North of the UK, where it's probably even easier.

They took all my cords the first night when I came into the emergency/crisis unit because "They didn't know me yet", but let me have them back when they saw I didn't try to do anything crazy like smash up a glass to cut myself.

What bothered me the most was that the window could barely be opened so there was no circulation and too warm in the summer heat. And the bedclothes were too heavy/coarse so I felt really hot and smothered and couldn't breathe. But I was able to go home and get a fan and my own bedclothes and after that it wasn't so bad.

Just bear in mind I checked myself in voluntarily and haven't been on a lock-down. I'm sure there are far worse places to go down the hierarchy and I'm not going there

Luckily I'm just in for substance addiction and emotional problems and haven't lost my MIND or control of my actions.
 
USA is practically a Third-World Police state that would even make Hitler flinch (and the sorry thing is that is only a semi-joke).

But I've worked out by now that where I'm at now is more like a rehabilitation center, and I probably haven't seen the inside of a real psych-ward yet, even though I would expect them to be a lot more humane.

The place I was before (an old much smaller place) is more like a temporary emergency/crisis unit where all kinds of people are sent. People who has been temporary traumatised, people in some kind of state due to substance abuse, and people with different psychological problems. A lot of them will just turn out to be normal people having a break-down or needing detox. But they are observed and quite closely watched for them to see what they are dealing with.

Someone generally don't stay longer than 10 days and after that they are either released to go home or referred somewhere else deemed suitable. So I was recommended for this new rehabilitation unit and I was accepted - meaning they probably see me as a more of a hopeful case or not that bad. From their impression my problems are mainly a "house-wife" type substance abuse problem and trauma-based emotional problems.

Either way, I must say I'm impressed with this place. The rooms are about 3 times larger and you have your own bathroom, TV, and a stable broadband connection. The only real restriction is you can't open the windows much (as if I'm going to jump out), but there is new air-conditioning so it doesn't matter much. It's what is termed an "open unit", meaning I can pretty much do as I want, just let someone know when I'm going out and can also apply to go home for a few days.

You're also not forced to get up at a certain time, even though it's preferred you get up for breakfast you can wake yourself up and skip breakfast if you don't feel like it. There are some scheduled activities, like exercise and creativity groups, but most are voluntary apart from some meetings and doctor consultations in the morning. But you're not constantly monitored like the last place I was at.

Taking or bringing any drugs in is forbidden though. They don't check your stuff like the last place, but take urine samples if they suspect anything, although they said they won't necessarily kick me out for taking some extra benzos if I'm honest about it. Anyway, it's nothing like I could have imagined, and good to see there are some good places/people in the world (like humanism pushed to the extreme given the circumstances).
 
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I went into a secure mental health care unit in the UK a few years back, I'd become so suicidal amongst other things that are difficult to explain, de realisation and outright delusions.

Mr partner took me to the hospital as she no longer knew what to do and they admitted me from there, first to one place temporarily then to somewhere closer to home.

At first a had all my possessions removed, no shoe laces etc but I had my own room and the place seemed quite nice.

To cut a long story much shorter, I felt safer there being watched and not having to deal with the outside world. The staff were great, especially the general carers / nurses and I got some much needed therapy and they sorted some better meds. I learnt a lot in those few weeks and met some great people, it helped me start putting myself together and informed family and friends about the situation in one foul swoop.

I did see people forcibly injected with drugs and others in a disturbing state but all were dealt with with respect, I don't have a bad word to say about the facility.

I've managed to avoid ending up in such a place again so far, but if a felt then need I would not hesitate to self admit.
 
Not to make light, but women are the ultimate drug. You can experience the best highs, and the worst withdrawals imaginable. I know, I just recently effectively broke up/went on hiatus with someone who I really thought was the one. We're still talking and remaining friends but it's hard and still hurts real bad knowing that the romantic aspect may be gone forever. My advice would be to not admit yourself unless you really feel suicidal (not just thoughts but actually thoughts of carrying it out) or are hurting yourself. You're only 16, you got your whole life ahead of you. As far as the guilt is there any way for you to contact this person and apologize for anything you did wrong?
 
Op, Tiger let us know how you're doing. I have a son your age who's been in a bit of trouble with drugs. Hope you can talk this over with your parents and tell them you're struggling. Perhaps get an appointment with a counselor too and talk about coping strategies. Wish you luck! <3
 
Thank you everybody for your very informative replies. Today I finally told my parents about the break up, and informed them of my increasingly depressed state of mind. I already meet weekly with a psychologist, and we have discussed coping strategies.. although coping has never been easy for me, with anything, so I am trying my best but have still resorted to some substance abuse.. mostly just of xanax and hydrocodone, but I am trying to keep that under control. My parents have started to keep a much more watchful eye of my frame of mind, and they are pretty good at telling when I am more depressed than usual, so if things take a turn for the worse and the suicidal thoughts continue to get worse, I will no doubt inform them of it. I have been trying to hangout with my friends and keep myself distracted, but my depression generally results in isolation so I have spent a lot of time alone. Me and my exgirlfriend are still talking, and we are still "friends", but it is not any easier. I hope that with time I can heal, and the suicidal thoughts/self harm urges will lessen. But, until then, I will make sure to try and keep my parents and therapist updated, and maybe talk to my psychiatrist about upping my xanax prescription or discussing new meds to help control the situation...
but thank you to everyone who replied and provided input, I'm glad I didn't impulsively tell my parents to submit me to a ward. I will definitely keep that as a last resort type option. And nuttynutskin, I could not agree more.
 
I'm glad you're doing alright and your parents are helping. Try not to over-do your meds because that can leave you feeling worse once they wear off. For right now it's good you and your girl are on friendly terms. Just try and concentrate on your studies to keep yourself occupied.
 
Psych wards should be for people who are completely off their rocker. Even if you're in for some depression and suicidality they will keep you for a VERY long time. Psych wards need to be reserved for emergencies. It's not a good experience.
 
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