I feel like I need to go to the hospital but I am terrified. I am terrified because I’m afraid it won’t help or possibly make things worse and then what?? I would love to hear any positive stories about the hospital where they actually helped you feel better. I need to get better for my family. Thanks so much
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I am in the same boat.
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I’ve had several experiences being in psych wards and mental health facilities, both inpatient and outpatient. There is good and bad about it.
The good is they had classes and group sessions where they teach you coping skills like meditation and stuff about psychology. The bad is it can be boring as hell when your locked up on the psych ward for weeks on end, there isn’t much to do.
Finding the right medication can be tricky, sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t, so you may have to try several meds over the period of months before you find something that works. You also need to deal with side effects of the meds, I got fat and developed diabetes…but I am stable now so it was a trade off I had to make.
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Here are my hospital stories (voluntary admissions only):
I started having hallucinations, and I told my friend who was a psych major. She said I need to see a psychiatrist, so I tried to find one. Everyone was booking out at least 6 months, but one of the receptionists told me if I had a hospital admission, they would be able to fit me in next week. So I checked into the hospital. I was ignored in a waiting room for 18 hours, so I stood up in front of the main desk to wait. The staff did NOT like this and told me if I didn’t sit down they would throw out all my stuff. Mind you, I wasn’t saying or doing anything. Just standing silently in front of the desk. After 5 minutes of that, they suddenly managed to find me a room. They gave me pills, I fell asleep, and then in the morning they sent me home with an appointment to see the pdoc. It sucked being there, but I got what I needed from it.
The second time, I went to a different hospital. I hadn’t slept in 7 days and desperately needed sleep aids. I checked myself in, and they tried to convince me I was fine and should just go home and drink chamomile tea. I told them if they didn’t shoot my ass full of something that made me sleep a whole night, I would definitely not be safe to go home. I wasn’t suicidal, but I was so desperate for sleep that I was considering taking unsafe amounts of prescription sleep aids. They gave me 5 different sleeping pills over the course of the night (I kept waking up) and a private room with explicit instructions I was not to be disturbed. I managed 6 hours, and then said I felt well enough to go home and talk to my doctor about a new long-term sleep aid.
So, in my experience, the hospital really sucks, and the only reason to go there is if you need immediate care that cannot wait until you see your doctor. It is good at its purpose. Its purpose is to tweak your meds and release you to see your doctor once you feel safe enough to wait for your appointment.
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Can I ask how long it took you to find the right meds that work for you?
That makes sense, thank you!
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Hmm. . .
Well, My Personal Experiences Were Many Entries Against My Will Into Facilities.
The Emergency Room Takes Your Blood. And You Sit And Wait. And Get Sent To The Facility.
If You Admit Yourself They Assign To You Where You Will Stay And You Have Done Half Of The Battle.
Jus Be Honest And Open With Counselors And Doctors.
Meet Some Interesting New People.
Take Your Med’s. Possibly New Ones. Relax. Enjoy The Food. And The Therapy Sessions.
Learn What You Think Will Help When You Get Back Out.
Take Some Notes.
And Rest A Bit.
It’s Been Designed For Your Interest And Comfort In Mind.
Maybe Remind Yourself That The Professionals Are Not The Enemies.
Good Luck (!!!).
~P.s. Hope, Trust, True Love, Honesty, Joy, And Endlessly Eternal Peace!.~ 
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My first stay was in a mental health facility. I was there for 5 months before they where satisfied with my progress and released me. The medication they had me on was called Olanzapine, but the side effects were pretty bad. A few years ago I reduced that medication because it stopped working with respect to my psychosis, but at a low dose it helps me with my anxiety so I am now on a low dose of Olanzapine. My main medication now is called Lurasidone(Latuda) and it prevents my hallucinations and delusions remarkably well.
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In regards to your psychosis, if I can ask which symptoms were worst that the meds helped with?
I had auditory, visual and tactile hallucinations, and delusions(false beliefs) about all the hallucinations. It was a surreal experience. The meds got rid of all that. However, Olanzapine stopped working after about 15 years. I am now on Lurasidone and I feel it works even better.
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Had a positive experience. Gave me some some structure.
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I should add I have tried medications with bad results. Either they didn’t work or had intolerable side effects. It’s a bit of a guessing game, you might find the right medication on the first try, but maybe not. Everyone reacts differently to different meds.
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They lie.
I asked to get blood thorough check
But it was only
For blood-alcohol levels.
Then they tell you on the unit
That you’re getting caffeinated coffee
But nope.
They throw
You in with insomniacs
And drug addicts and you’re lucky
If you get your own room.
And you get
10 minutes a day
With a doctor.
Exactly what I’m scared of, I’m sorry that happened to you
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Ditto this. ^^^^ Both parts.
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Hmm?. . .
When I Signed Myself In, For The First And Last Time.
I Was Mixed In With, Those Having, ‘Bipolar’, Problems.
I Thought That Was Strange. Since I Had Schizophrenia.
Later On Realized That I Was Actually Labelled With Schizoaffective Disorder.
It Was A Slightly Strange Experience. And Felt Completely Out Of Place.
But!, On The Professional Side Of Things, Not Much Was Different Than SZ, or SZA.
Either Way, All Worked Out Jus Fine.
~P.s. Hope, Trust, True Love, Honesty, Joy, And Endlessly Eternal Peace!.~ 
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I guess I was wrong thinking you’re a troll. Sorry about that. I am known here to have irritability/agitation issues but they got better on meds and since increasing my risperdal to 6mg.
My worst symptoms were agitation/irritability which made me violent sometimes with my family. Lower dose meds didnt work, neither weaker meds, only Risperdal worked out of Abilify, Risperdal, Latuda, Seroquel and Zyprexa. I was completely refusing seeing a Dr and taking meds. 4 cops brought me to mental hospital after my parents called 911 and told them that I am saying non sense, paranoid and violent.
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That’s ok, I can see you might think because I post so much. So I take it the hospital was useful for you and felt better when you got out?
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Depends on the hospital if its a state hospital its gonna suck but private hospitals are nice
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Yes felt a lot better, much more stable. I have almost no more positive symptoms now on meds but I have severe negative symptoms. Imo positive symptoms can be worse than negatives. Also my parents are now happy and told me to never stop my meds again if I want to live with them.
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