# My stay in the psyche ward...



## Solomon's Tomb (Aug 14, 2012)

Several months ago, back in March, I tried to commit suicide. My doctor told me to go to the hospital and check myself into the psyche ward immediately. Instantly, thoughts of green walls and straight jackets came into my head. I thought I'd be dragged, kicking and screaming by orderlies dressed in white coats with bird catchers down a dingy hallway to a cell with padded walls... but it wasn't anything like that at all. 

In fact, it wasn't so bad. It was in a normal hospital in a sectioned off part of the building. I got a room with a cozy bed and was allowed to read my books and played ping pong with the other patients, or went into the rec room and watched old movies on VHS on TV. I got to share one of my favorites, "Escape From LA" with the other patients and they really enjoyed it! There was good food and it was a pretty stress free environment. I was anxious and depressed, sure-- but all in all, it wasn't bad, it almost felt like I was living on my own, just with a bunch of crazy room-mates, like a sitcom gone horribly wrong-- and frankly, I kind of liked it. I know sooner or later I'll wind up there, again. And this time, I'll be ready and I'll be able to handle it better than I did the first time.


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

Well, the point of the hospital is that you don't want to have to come back.


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## targetbuddy (Jul 31, 2012)

I know what you mean. The first time I was admitted I was dreading it. I thought it would be all white walls and straight jackets, but it was alright. Obviously not something I'd want to do again, but it was certainly better than being suicidally depressed AND alone.


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## Solomon's Tomb (Aug 14, 2012)

millenniumman75 said:


> Well, the point of the hospital is that you don't want to have to come back.


It's not that I really _want_ to go back, but I'm saying that if and when I do go back, I'll be ready, this time.


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

Yeah, they don't have straightjackets unless it's a hard core sanitarium. You would not be quite that bad. I am sure you still knew what day it was and who is President and stuff.


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## anti-socialsocialite (May 1, 2011)

Sounds like a wonderful break from the usual day to day problems and fears.


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## MobiusX (Nov 14, 2008)

I always thought about how it would be. I hate how people exaggerate how bad it is like it's something from a movie. I wish I could experience it. I also wish I was in a SA boot camp, lol. I was I could dream of being a kid and having this SA boot camp experience.


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## ChadsWick1234 (Oct 31, 2009)

Serum said:


> Several months ago, back in March, I tried to commit suicide. My doctor told me to go to the hospital and check myself into the psyche ward immediately. Instantly, thoughts of green walls and straight jackets came into my head. I thought I'd be dragged, kicking and screaming by orderlies dressed in white coats with bird catchers down a dingy hallway to a cell with padded walls... but it wasn't anything like that at all.
> 
> In fact, it wasn't so bad. It was in a normal hospital in a sectioned off part of the building. I got a room with a cozy bed and was allowed to read my books and played ping pong with the other patients, or went into the rec room and watched old movies on VHS on TV. I got to share one of my favorites, "Escape From LA" with the other patients and they really enjoyed it! There was good food and it was a pretty stress free environment. I was anxious and depressed, sure-- but all in all, it wasn't bad, it almost felt like I was living on my own, just with a bunch of crazy room-mates, like a sitcom gone horribly wrong-- and frankly, I kind of liked it. I know sooner or later I'll wind up there, again. And this time, I'll be ready and I'll be able to handle it better than I did the first time.


 This is great and hopeful.


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## Strwbrry (Jun 28, 2012)

Cool! This definitely a triumph!


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## copper (Nov 10, 2003)

Most states are coming down on using restraints. I work in the Mental Health field here and they aren't allowed where I work. Instead we have to use more less intrusive ways. Every year I have to do 4 hours of training on this.


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## tk123 (Jun 27, 2012)

I don't have such fond memories of the time I was admitted, back when I was 17. I was really homesick since it was the first time I was away from my family. The first thing I noticed when I entered my room was a lot of urine which the previous person left in the drawer. My room didn't have heat at night so it was cold. There was a couple of kids who had severe issues, one would scream all night and they would tie her to a bed with belts in a restraining room. But most of the other adolescents were fairly normal. There was an orderly who would walk the halls all night and peek through the door every couple of seconds to make sure no one killed themselves. The bathrooms also didn't have locks.

I was on my best behavior trying to be as cheerful as possible so they let me out after a week. Definitely wasn't fun but it wasn't torture either. Funny thing is at check in I had to give them my jacket and shoes. When I left I noticed the 10 bucks I had in my jacket was gone.


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## Openyoureyes (Jun 13, 2012)

That's amazing, I'm jealous in a weird kind of way. I always wanted to go to one, I'm surprised I've never been to one maybe it's because no one knows I'm even depressed.

I recommend watching Girl, Interrupted.


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## MobiusX (Nov 14, 2008)

how much do you have to pay? does the price change if you go there voluntarily compared to if you go there without a choice? they should let me take a tour for 1 day at least.


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## blue the puppy (Jul 23, 2011)

im glad you had a positive experience, ive been to the hospital twice and theyve been good, the first time was involuntary and i was really dreading it because i didn't know what to expect. but it went well and this last time i went (a couple weeks ago) i went voluntarily. 

its not scary at all, its more boring than anything, but its SAFE and thats what i needed.


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## DeeperUnderstanding (May 19, 2007)

I was about your age when I went through the same thing, and survived. I think it made me a stronger person; it certainly made me want to survive.


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## godhelpme2 (Apr 4, 2012)

That's amazing and brave. What did the doctors and nurses do though? Like, do they talk to you about your problems or is it just a place to get away?


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## Solomon's Tomb (Aug 14, 2012)

godhelpme2 said:


> That's amazing and brave. What did the doctors and nurses do though? Like, do they talk to you about your problems or is it just a place to get away?


They just sort of observe you while you eat, sleep and engage in the activities (things like painting, ping pong and exercise) they have set up.


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## TrcyMcgrdy1 (Oct 21, 2011)

Serum said:


> They just sort of observe you while you eat, sleep and engage in the activities (things like painting, ping pong and exercise) they have set up.


Lol, hopefully no painting creepy pictures and babblign to yourself. I wonder what they can observe if you just go and have fun.


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## godhelpme2 (Apr 4, 2012)

Serum said:


> They just sort of observe you while you eat, sleep and engage in the activities (things like painting, ping pong and exercise) they have set up.


Oh I see. I feel like them watching my every move would creep me out lol


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## blue the puppy (Jul 23, 2011)

there's a lot of group therapy. at least in the hospitals i've been in.


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## estse (Nov 18, 2003)

I was once in the addicts wing of the psyche ward. Everyone just slept and watched movies, and calmed their homicidal ideation with massive doses of medication. A lot of withdrawal in that group. People hallucinating and vomiting as I read Tolstoy of all ****. Couldn't sleep at night due to my roommates incessant snoring and lithium coma. I quit smoking and drinking (for a short while) during my stay. Wondered how different the place was since the days of Lovecraft and his family's stay in the Providence, RI institution.


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## Laura1990 (May 12, 2012)

I was in an adolescent psych ward when I was 15 and it was good and bad. There was some scary parts, like when a boy who was in there due to severe anger issues would blow up and he would have to be pinned down and given a needle in his *** to calm him down. 
There was some really nice people in there though and it was kind of like a little holiday from life for a couple of months.
I was suffering from an eating disorder then, and they wouldn't let me have a cigarette unless I ate, which was really hard.


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## Solomon's Tomb (Aug 14, 2012)

TrcyMcgrdy1 said:


> Lol, hopefully no painting creepy pictures and babblign to yourself. I wonder what they can observe if you just go and have fun.


Well, they asked me to paint a picture of a flower that represented how I felt at the moment, and because the new pill I was on was making me extremely drowsy I painted a sleeping Piranha Plant from the "Super Mario" games.


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## harrison (Apr 14, 2012)

I've had experience with 2 types of places - the first were detox centres - I used to go to public detox places to try and get off the benzos I was on. I didn't know about the private places back then, and probably didn't have health insurance, so I thought that was where you went to stop them. It was horrible - everyone else was either coming off heroin or alcohol - the conditions were pretty rough and the staff were very rude and aggressive.

The other places were the complete opposite - private psych hospitals - very comfortable with great facilities, classes, dining rooms, yoga 3 times a week and nice people. Most of the staff are OK, and you can often come and go almost as you please. (It's determined by your shrink who puts in your file what sort of leave you are allowed.) I spent most of my days going into the city, and would just go back there to eat and sleep.


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## Barette (Jan 17, 2012)

It's good to hear that, Serum, I've been thinking about something like that. To take a mental break where I'm away from the world with no responsibilities and can just be alone and upfront with my problems, no hiding them. I feel at that point, that I can't take anymore. I always figured psych wards would be intense though, but that doesn't sound like what I imagined. Maybe I can really think about it.


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## Solomon's Tomb (Aug 14, 2012)

don36 said:


> I spent most of my days going into the city, and would just go back there to eat and sleep.


Yeah, I wasn't allowed outside of the building. It's probably the longest I've ever gone without going outside.


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