Involuntary Hospitalisation

[icu_baby]

Jen91, that is completely terrible and insensitve in having you monitored by a man. This is a classic example of how sometimes hospitalisation can be more harmful then helpful. They should have gotten a lady nurse for you. When I was in a general ward after my overdose I had to have a 1:1 nursing special where the nurses just sat outside my room on a table and chair and observed me 24 hours a day. Some of the nurses where male but they were outside my room, its not like they were sitting on a chair next to my bed.

When you say you ran out of hospital, did you actually leave the grounds and who brought you back? I tried to leave the ICU before they had a chance to transfer me to the psych ward and the security guards just grabbed me by the arms and put me back in my bed. It was also quite humiliating. That happened twice.

Hey ICU

A classic example of a hospital not helping, no kidding, but it sounds like your experience was pretty bad too. They said no women were available, it was all very innapropriate with the implication basically being that I was a mental patietn and thus had lost my rights - or at least that's how I felt. I really wanted to write a letter to the administration when I got out, but I didn't want to put my situation in the spotlight. It just doesn't encourage a trusting relationship, so when hosptialized I put on a smile and my best behaviour and I am out within a few days, albeit with no help.

As for running out of the hospital, yes I actually left the grounds. I outran my doc and his staff. He called security but I was long gone by the time they arrived. But they chased me, I got pretty far from the hosptial before they caught up. They basically gave me a choice - I walk back or I go back in handcuffs. Since we were on a busy street where I could have seen someone who knew me I chose to walk back with him. The hospital staff called me "legs" during that stay. The whole experience was like a joke to them, meanwhile I was scared to death as no one explained what was happening. The ironic thing is at the time I was in a day hospital program that was suppose to be helping me. I was having a bad day and the doc got worried and so he sectioned me. I just think there could have been a better way.

But I am still glad I ran (as bizarre as that sounds), before I got sick I was a fighter and that always reminds me that the real me is still in there somewhere.

Good luck with your studies, I hope your work can make a difference.

jen

Hi Jen, see my PM

Cheers

icu_baby

[Rachel_31_uk]

hiya, just been reading the posts, i too was what i thought was an voluntary patient in a physc ward, but really there is no such thing as voluntary, when i tried to leave i was told i couldn't and had to see the dr first obviously i kicked up a fuss because i didn't wanna be there and was placed on a 5.2 i think its called nurses holding power. i didnt get to leave anyway after like 3 months of being there and trying numerous occasions to harm myself i was sectioned and placed on a section 3, i was livid i had been there like 3 months and nobody did nothing, no therapy no nothing and then they slapp a section 3 on me. which in itself made me laugh, this was placed one for being at risk to myself refusing medication and a few other factors, yet the nurses just left me to sleep didnt wake me up or even give me my medication regular so it seemed a whole waste of time! i escaped there a few times too and was always put on 1-1 or even 2.1 at one point , i don't think my experience in there helped me at all, nobod understood me and because when i have flashbacks etc....i disisociate and start violently bangin my head up the wall to a point where i was bleeding,that is just how i obviously bring myself out of a flashback,but nobody could understand that not even the nurses, they would all just grab me like i was some sort of ragdoll! I also started burning my hands while i was in there with ciggarettes some nurses tried to intervene and stop me some just let me carry on.......i guess its just how it goes.....i'm suffering again right now but i dare not tell anyone for fear off goin back in there i just do wat i do and don't tell anyone...its jsut easier for me that way. anyway sorry to have gone on but that was some of my experiences in a physc ward. x : :wacko:

[messygirl]

I found my whole experience horrific too. Nothing to do all day long, staff were sloppy as hell, I attempted suicide twice in there whilst supposedly being on obs. Then I was told my notes had me down as high risk yet they didnt do anything to monitor me. Drink and drugs were rife, property stolen, nutters everywhere etc. Im terrified of being sectioned again.

[icu_baby]

hiya, just been reading the posts, i too was what i thought was an voluntary patient in a physc ward, but really there is no such thing as voluntary, when i tried to leave i was told i couldn't and had to see the dr first obviously i kicked up a fuss because i didn't wanna be there and was placed on a 5.2 i think its called nurses holding power. i didnt get to leave anyway after like 3 months of being there and trying numerous occasions to harm myself i was sectioned and placed on a section 3, i was livid i had been there like 3 months and nobody did nothing, no therapy no nothing and then they slapp a section 3 on me. which in itself made me laugh, this was placed one for being at risk to myself refusing medication and a few other factors, yet the nurses just left me to sleep didnt wake me up or even give me my medication regular so it seemed a whole waste of time! i escaped there a few times too and was always put on 1-1 or even 2.1 at one point , i don't think my experience in there helped me at all, nobod understood me and because when i have flashbacks etc....i disisociate and start violently bangin my head up the wall to a point where i was bleeding,that is just how i obviously bring myself out of a flashback,but nobody could understand that not even the nurses, they would all just grab me like i was some sort of ragdoll! I also started burning my hands while i was in there with ciggarettes some nurses tried to intervene and stop me some just let me carry on.......i guess its just how it goes.....i'm suffering again right now but i dare not tell anyone for fear off goin back in there i just do wat i do and don't tell anyone...its jsut easier for me that way. anyway sorry to have gone on but that was some of my experiences in a physc ward. x :

hi Rachel,

It is unfortunate that you were there for 3 months. Had you seen a psychiatrist on a regular basis, been involved in some occupational therapy etc it would have helped but its like being in jail for 3 months when you are not a criminal. For me the first day (after my dramatic day) was a novelty in terms of meeting my fellow inmates (lol patients). I did meet some really nice down to earth amazing people but after one day I realised that if I were to stay there for more than 3 days I would actually die of boredem -pardon the pun.

Like you said there was nothing to do all day except rely on your family to bring you entertainment from the '"outside" world such as books and magazines. What I missed most after like 2 hours was my mobile phone and internet and ofcourse my GHD straightner, lol. I mean you don't realise the things youve got until they are taken away from you !!!!.

On a serious note though I think psychiatrists are the crazy ones - they force you to be a "voluntary patient" and if you don't agree you are made an involuntary patient - I mean look out how circular the logic is and I told my psychiatist this (I happened to be fond of him too) and my dad laughed. My psychiatrist "exerted pressure" to have me voluntarily seek out-treatment threrapy and if I didn't he would put me on a community treatment program where I would be forced to go. I agreed knowing that later I can change my mind (because in OZ once a CTO is invoked by the mental health tribunal it can be difficult to get out of).

The ironly is that I agreed and have only seen my psychiatrist once since I have been out two years ago. I was very fond of my treating psychiatrist, he genuinely cared about me in pressuring to get me help but it goes to show you the logic of reasoning.

On the other end of the spectrum, you see people who do want to be voluntarily and they are rejected because they are "sane" enough to want to get help. Again another example of how the psychiatry profession is insane themselves.

I was scheduled for two weeks but got out of 3 days because I did the following things (remember this was after a serious suicide in which I was in a coma for 4 days:

HINTS AND TIPS FOR THOSE WHO EVER FIND THEMSELVES IN HOSPITAL (OR IN HOSPITAL AGAIN AND VALUE THEIR FREEDOM OF LIBERTY:

- Act as "normal as you can"

- participate in activities, show and interest and interact with the other patients

- a smple friendly smile or good morning, good night, how are you today to staff (including nurses, security, orderlies, and ofcourse your treating psychiatrist) goes along way to securing your freedom.

- Don't sleep in, get up same time in the morning. Its important to have a shower everyday, apply make-up, brush hair and look presentable - they observe all these trust me and they record them down in their observation sheets.

- Try and look busy - read, play ping pong, chess, whatever so they think that you are taking pleasure in life even though you are feeling so depressed.

- If you self harm or rage your stay is likely to be extended

Ofcourse, hospitals have helped alot of people and have made them feel safe and secure. This advice is only to those who fee they are not benefiting from being involuntarily detained.

[bibiddi]

I'm sure I read somewhere on here, that you are encouraged to enter as a voluntary patient, because then its was your choice, you may feel like you have more control and responsibility over the situation.

Whereas if you are an involuntary patient, you have handed all the control over to someone else.They try and encourage you to maintian some control, because thats what will help you get strong again.

[Rachel_31_uk]

I'm sure I read somewhere on here, that you are encouraged to enter as a voluntary patient, because then its was your choice, you may feel like you have more control and responsibility over the situation.

Whereas if you are an involuntary patient, you have handed all the control over to someone else.They try and encourage you to maintian some control, because thats what will help you get strong again.

bibiddi, they do say if u go in voluntary then its ur choice but believe me its not true, my own physciatrist told me there is no such thing as a voluntary patient, and like i said in my thread when i asked to leave i was placed on nursing holding power until a dr assessed me and then i was told if i was adament i was gonna leave they would have no choice but to section me which they did later on down the line. xx

icu_baby i'll pm u back x

[bibiddi]

I'm sorry about your experience Rachel.

Thats kind of what I tried to say, but I just said it really badly.

The doctors have already decided that the best place is in hospital,but they try and encourage you to make the decision yourself, so you are taking some responsibility for your own welfare. However if you insist on not going in, or staying, then they will admit you themselves.But they'd rather not because the feeling of being forced to do something can be a negative thing in getting better.

I hope that makes better sense.

Take care.

[Rachel_31_uk]

Yeh i see what ur saying, sorry i'm just really tired today, and a little tipsy right now u take care too xx

[hoodbran1]

on 2 occasions i raged and on both occasions i was kicked out like i was a peice of sh*t.

[jen91]

on 2 occasions i raged and on both occasions i was kicked out like i was a peice of sh*t.

It must depend on where you are. Here if you are "voluntary" they often tell you to go home (ie well enough to know you need help). We never have enough beds. The logic is messed up.