That’s right. 666!999
I have lost count.
As soon as I am clear I discharge myself as it’s so boring I cannot stand it.
The first few times I mixed with the other people. but recently not so much.
Staff are ok, but much of the time they sit around talking and ignoring patients.
I have cut the chances of getting sent back by taking my meds and disengaging with the community team.
I enjoy writing too. (It’s nice to do it on this forum.) Not having access to a computer was frustrating for me. Creative people, especially, find the psych ward incredibly stifling. I was given paper, pencils and paint, but there were only so many times I could draw my scary, evil psychiatric nurses. My malevolent overlords.
I have been in the hospital like five times, i think, in four different hospitals. There were similarities and differences between them. Some were more boring, with nothing to do, where others had more therapy and stuff going on. I never had any problems with patients or staff and, overall, came out better than I went in.
It’s great that you came out better. I came out better, too. The smell of fresh air and the grass beneath my feet. Freedom from the psychological chains.
2 Likes
I found that too. It’s disgraceful. It’s their job to help the patients. The nurses ignored me most of the time, talking with each other. I was afraid to complain to the doctor in case he thought I was being too negative.
It’s been 36 years since I was in a psych hospital . From 1975- 1983 I was in one a dozen or more times. This was before care in the community really got started,and when it was easier to be admitted as an inpatient .
All were voluntary. Although with one it basically amounted to if I hadn’t gone in voluntarily I’d have been sectioned .
2 Likes
That’s a long time to be away from the psych ward. You must be doing relatively well. I haven’t “darkened their doors” for six years. It’s a big achievement for me.
It used to be that every time I went to see my psychiatrist I would be afraid that I’d be thrown into the ward for being too psychotic. Now, though, with care in the community, I don’t need to worry so much. Even if I was suicidal, they would probably not section me. No beds for the patients, due to cuts to the mental health services. Terrible. A lot of genuinely ill people who are not getting the proper support.
I’ve been in the hospital 5 times, and 4 against my will with police involved. I hate psych ward, the ones I were in were not as nice as some of you say yours are. I felt locked in a cage every time. All But one made me worse and only because they put me on lithium
Why, Walla? You okay?
1 Like
That’s awesome! Going that long without hospitalization I mean.
1 Like
That’s awful, @Moonwalker I can empathise with you, because I felt like I was being locked in a cage too. I was in on six separate occasions and they were all horrible. Totally bored and not allowed to go beyond the ward. Many people feel like they are in jail. And that is their punishment for being mentally ill. It’s really unfair, especially when people are psychotic.
1 Like
More than necessary
1 Like
Yes indeed. 
Never actually, I also make sure to take my meds on time. I drink rarely that’s about it.
1 Like
That’s a hard one to measure . There’s doing ok as in not meeting the criteria for admission vs doing well in terms of how you are functioning.
I’m not a suitable candidate for admission , but rely on quite a lot of support to maintain independence. I’m sure if I had come out of hospital by myself in 1983 I’d have ended up in psych hospital quite a few more times.
This is what my sister wrote re my ASD assessment -
He eventually met his wife, Brenda at one of the units and from that point he seemed to stabilise more and more. Brenda ran the household, cooked and cleaned and dealt with bills etc. This is not something Tim has ever been able to do without strong outside support.
As an adult by this point Tim was much calmer but frankly could not function without Brenda to organise his life. He always had (and still does) anxiety and panic attacks about going out in public on his own. He could not cook or clean, finding tasks like that confusing even though very straightforward.
At my old address without the level of support I’m now getting I was not doing as well , but was basically going under the radar, as apart from one visit to give me my depot no one was seeing the mess I was living in my flat.
Having described it to the council worker who came the other day as I’m supposedly a ’ vulnerable adult’ she said it sounded like self neglect.
1 Like
That’s fantastic, @Redliner Long may it continue. I hope you NEVER have to experience it.
I suppose you’re not doing too well, and I’m sorry about that. You really need a lot more support, but due to cuts in health services, it looks unlikely we’ll get much support in the near future.
My Community Psychiatric Nurse has SEVENTY-FIVE patients on his list. I’m lucky to see him every four months. And when he does arrive, I don’t like to complain about anything, and so we have just general small talk.
Everybody with a SMI (Serious Mental Illness) requires a lot of support and it’s simply not there. It’s no wonder the suicide rates are so high in people with psychosis.
@parallelmind Hello my friend just been Sectioned once had no choice as i had a very severe pyschotic episode and was put in back of Poice van and driven to hospital.Do get rid of the daily boredom for a month i played pool/table football with other patients.
1 Like
@Pikasaur agree some of patients i was with were gettin overly attached to me i only really talked to a couple who i became friendly with who were similiar age to myself
1 Like