Yet another reason why I despise mental wards, hospitals, and administrators; I bought a plastic-potted live flower for my partner, but they won't let patients keep flowers in their rooms. So I called the patient advocate, and she told me that its a safety issue, because some patients may try to eat them, because some flowers are dangerous (eg morning glories 8) ).... yet its never happened.
What the fuck?!?
And they also refused to let her have my extra phone with music (but no service), because headphones have cords. I figured as much, so I brought her my Bluetooth headset instead of normal headphones; yet they also denied that on the basis that patients aren't allowed personal electronic devices; that all patient phone calls must be made from the orderly station so they can be monitored.... regardless of the fact that my extra phone demonstrably has no service. It's essentially a small MP3 player with some basic games.
At that point I requested to speak to the a hospital administrator, and wanted know if they consider people on that ward patients or inmates. They denied my request, got rude, told me to leave..... and I almost lost it. So I left before they could call the law on me.
To really rub it in... patients are allowed 1hr for visitors, but that hour happens to be when they're serving dinner. So they have a choice; visit for the whole hour, or miss dinner and go hungry. I saw what they're fed, and its no more & no better than jail food.
And she's supposed to be able to heal there??!
It's so sickening; they have her on so many meds that she doesn't remember all of them, and she's definitely developing a thorazine-shuffle & is definitely not the same person. But hey, at least they gave her nicotine patches.
Worse, is that all this is my fault. I should've never believed that love, support, understanding, a safe environment, and privacy would be enough to keep this from happening to that girl. I gave her my word that I'd never send her to potentially be put into inpatient mental treatment, and that we could stop being homeless. I did my best, and still I failed.
I hate for-profit health institutions, and have no faith in doctors attempting psychotherapy with nothing but isolation, medication, and control. Dedicated group and private individual therapists are much different, and I have more trust & experience with their methods. However, those aren't available without insurance or money up front.... and having neither, they're far beyond our means.
. I wish i was on a nice warm beach in Australia or somewhere instead of up to my neck in snow 
