Hospital Life

[Mole]

The food is good, the staff are brilliant

You buy 40 fags a day and give 15 away

There's Occupational Therapy during the week

But it's the weekends, there's no occupational therapy and there's nothing to do

They say it's is all down to funding - it's enough to drive you mad !

[coastalbaby]

What sort of stuff do you do in occupational therapy?

[Mole]

What sort of stuff do you do in occupational therapy?

There's a small Gym.

Thai chee

Art groups

Music groups

Creative writing

Relaxation

Cookery

Sumo wrestling - no just jokin'

[mimi]

Hi Mole

I had similar experience in hospital, things to do in week and OT but the weekends were horrible. Some people went home on leave, so it was quiet and there was nothing to do. I'm sorry that it is horrible for you too. It would be nice to think that the issue of weekends having no structure could be improved.

Hope you feeling better soon.

Mimi x

[tripper]

Mole, those music groups are enough to drive anybody to insanity (but hold on isn't that why we're there in the first place?)....

Nobody has gone through real pain until they've endured a singalong in Bamal!!!

[Ulrica]

Crikey, you guys have good hospitals in the UK. Ours over here offer no such things to do... We just sit around doing nothing... I am very jealous that it's so good...

[Mole]

Crikey, you guys have good hospitals in the UK. Ours over here offer no such things to do... We just sit around doing nothing... I am very jealous that it's so good...

The British have been mad for longer !

[coastalbaby]

When I was an inpatient the only thing we had was TV and scrabble. My ideal hospital would have:

trampoline

swimming pool

pet rabbits

computers

cooking

jigsaws

bean bags

giant care bears

endless free chocolate

Not sure what this would do to recovery rates.

[Ulrica]

When I was an inpatient the only thing we had was TV and scrabble. My ideal hospital would have:

trampoline

swimming pool

pet rabbits

computers

cooking

jigsaws

bean bags

giant care bears

endless free chocolate

Not sure what this would do to recovery rates.

I so agree! :D

[Ulrica]

Crikey, you guys have good hospitals in the UK. Ours over here offer no such things to do... We just sit around doing nothing... I am very jealous that it's so good...

The British have been mad for longer !

:lol:

[ramfan007]

What would make the weekends easier or less boring, I am genuinly interested as I work in an accute psyc hospital and its my job to see that the paitients who have to be there are looked after properly. I would love to hear some realistic ideas (bearing in mind that theres usually less staff at the weekends). I know im only 1 person but i can within reason try new stuff out with the paitients.

cheers all

Ram

[coastalbaby]

You calling me unrealistic? Shall I add that to my list of diagnoses? Seriously though, I tend to feel a bit better if I feel I have achieved something- obviously it would have to be stuff that didn't take much in the way of concentration. There is a charity that sends bears to sick kids in developing countries- theory is they recover more quickly if they have a bear. So you can knit or hand sew bears. Learning origame can be a helpful distraction if you self-harm and it can be difficult to learn from books. Making cards to raise money- plead with a craft shop for reduced price materials.

[rebeccaborderline]

Pub.....

Im only half kidding...some of the older nurses at my local psych ward told me of the days they used to take (selected) patients to the nearby pub; each patient was allowed up to two drinks from their own money, then back to the ward. It was eagerly looked forward to, as you can imagine.

I escaped to that pub many times, theyre pretty accomodating, even when the police turned up for me. Saw a man with his drip in there once, had "escaped" from the "normal" side of the hospital lol

rebeccaborderline

[mimi]

Ram

My immediate thoughts are to do with the staff. When I was in hospital the staff seemed to take weekend shifts as a chance to relax themselves. They just sat around and talked and drunk coffee. Lots of people had visitors as well and those that didn't just did nothing, I felt that the nurses could have used the time to talk to the paitents that were on there own or upset. Even nurses sitting down doing a jigsaw with people would of been nice. It was always them and us (patients and nurses) at weekends. Think I would want to change attitudes, lots could be done if wanted. Most wouldn't take money, just a want to do something positive.

Mimi x

Sorry if sounds harsh, there were a couple of nurses that were brill.

[messygirl]

sorry...but it succccccccccccckkksss! Being in that place is fucking hell, nothing to do even during the week if you ask me! I need more stimulation than doing some colouring in in some kids' book for an hour, that is known as 'art therapy'. All I did was smoke, and pace back and forth literally for hours like a blue arsed fly. When I was an inpatient (only just come out but still going as a day patient and still paced back and forth for hours) I told the doctors that I felt like one of those animals in those adverts that have been driven mad where theyre chained up all day. Ever seen the advert for animal cruelty where the bear has been literally driven insane, rocking and rocking by being chained up by its nose? I was like that. Sorry Im very upset at the mo :(

[icu_baby]

sorry...but it succccccccccccckkksss! Being in that place is fucking hell, nothing to do even during the week if you ask me! I need more stimulation than doing some colouring in in some kids' book for an hour, that is known as 'art therapy'. All I did was smoke, and pace back and forth literally for hours like a blue arsed fly. When I was an inpatient (only just come out but still going as a day patient and still paced back and forth for hours) I told the doctors that I felt like one of those animals in those adverts that have been driven mad where theyre chained up all day. Ever seen the advert for animal cruelty where the bear has been literally driven insane, rocking and rocking by being chained up by its nose? I was like that. Sorry Im very upset at the mo

RAMFAN 007

That is completely accurate. I spent 3 days in the acute ward and there is one tv high in the corner which is protected with a shield. There is nothing to do but do nothing. You have to rely on family to visit you and keep you entertained. All people do is smoke and sleep and just sit in the living room. Its a holding centre, there is nothing therapeutic about it. I was meant to be there for two weeks but I advocated for my release quite strongly and got out in 3 days. I thought I was going to go mad in there...I mean madder.

Oh one more thing...um...throwing somone in seclusion and forcibly holding someone down and giving them a needle in their backside because they don't want to go to bed at 11.00pm is also not good practice...two months later I still have flashbacks of my experiences at an acute psych ward.

[Humbledog]

My experience of living in psychiatric units in England was that it was no fun, but it was redeemed by the fact that most of the staff cared. The hospitals in France are a lot worse than the ones here. I've spent time in a French mental hospital They strapped me to the bed for giving a male nurse a kick up the bum. Which was out of character. They put stinky plastic socks on my feet, the thin plastic socks which slip on, with elastic to hold them on. Trust me, they are 50 years behind us in their care of mentally ill patients.

[icu_baby]

My experience of living in psychiatric units in England was that it was no fun, but it was redeemed by the fact that most of the staff cared. The hospitals in France are a lot worse than the ones here. I've spent time in a French mental hospital They strapped me to the bed for giving a male nurse a kick up the bum. Which was out of character. They put stinky plastic socks on my feet, the thin plastic socks which slip on, with elastic to hold them on. Trust me, they are 50 years behind us in their care of mentally ill patients.

I thought that France would be somehow more humane in its treatment of the mentally ill than England.

How long did they strap you to the bed? Did you kick the male nurse playfully or in a rage, was it worth it?

What the hell is the purpose of wearing plastic socks? This is just plain weired.

I was restrained to a bed to so enable my transportation to another psych ward. I used my teeth to try and free one of my wrists. If no one was there I would have been successful.

icu_baby

..

[Humbledog]

The French aren't more humane than the English.

I was strapped to a bed while the acuphase kicked in, then unstrapped. I would have preferred to have been knocked on the head with a baton than given acuphase, because from what i know of the drug from that experience, the way that made me feel was apalling. I could barely move. That could be because i hadn't eaten much previous to being given it, and i was in a poor health state when they gave it to me. I was shitting water. Perhaps i could write a post about why all of this happened, if anyone is interested in knowing how i ended up in a french mental hospital.

Kicking the nurse was cheeky in my opinion, but i felt maliciously towards him. if i had known they would react in that way, I would have thought twice about doing it. He muttered something to me in French as he was about to leave the room. What he muttered I don't know, but he seemed pleased and satisfied about saying it. I was strapped into the bed by that point. I managed to get free from one of the arm restraints, but they came back in and put the restraint on again.

Don't ask me why they put those socks on patients.

I thought that France would be somehow more humane in its treatment of the mentally ill than England.

How long did they strap you to the bed? Did you kick the male nurse playfully or in a rage, was it worth it?

What the hell is the purpose of wearing plastic socks? This is just plain weired.

I was restrained to a bed to so enable my transportation to another psych ward. I used my teeth to try and free one of my wrists. If no one was there I would have been successful.

icu_baby

..

[icu_baby]

The French aren't more humane than the English.

I was strapped to a bed while the acuphase kicked in, then unstrapped. I would have preferred to have been knocked on the head with a baton than given acuphase, because from what i know of the drug from that experience, the way that made me feel was apalling. I could barely move. That could be because i hadn't eaten much previous to being given it, and i was in a poor health state when they gave it to me. I was shitting water. Perhaps i could write a post about why all of this happened, if anyone is interested in knowing how i ended up in a french mental hospital.

Kicking the nurse was cheeky in my opinion, but i felt maliciously towards him. if i had known they would react in that way, I would have thought twice about doing it. He muttered something to me in French as he was about to leave the room. What he muttered I don't know, but he seemed pleased and satisfied about saying it. I was strapped into the bed by that point. I managed to get free from one of the arm restraints, but they came back in and put the restraint on again.

Don't ask me why they put those socks on patients.

I thought that France would be somehow more humane in its treatment of the mentally ill than England.

How long did they strap you to the bed? Did you kick the male nurse playfully or in a rage, was it worth it?

What the hell is the purpose of wearing plastic socks? This is just plain weired.

I was restrained to a bed to so enable my transportation to another psych ward. I used my teeth to try and free one of my wrists. If no one was there I would have been successful.

icu_baby

..

wow, ok I think I will think twice about going to France for a holiday.

I am sorry to hear about your experiences. That sounds absolutely dreadful.

It sounds like the holiday from hell.

I would like to know your story about how all this happened and how you wound up in a mental hospital in France. Did they tell you off for trying to set yourself free and did you do it with your teeth.

iuc_baby

[Humbledog]

It was the holiday from hell, but it was an experience that made me who i am today. I am going to write about it in the personal introductions forum. Look out for it over the next few days.

I used brute force to get free from one of the arm restraints. If they did tell me off for doing this, i wouldn't have been able to understand them, because I don't know the french language.

The nurses were a right lot, but the social worker who i spoke to was lovely. She was the one who got in touch with my country and the hospital i had escaped from here, so that i could be returned safely.

In hospital, have you ever been given a drug to knock you out?

[icu_baby]

It was the holiday from hell, but it was an experience that made me who i am today. I am going to write about it in the personal introductions forum. Look out for it over the next few days.

I used brute force to get free from one of the arm restraints. If they did tell me off for doing this, i wouldn't have been able to understand them, because I don't know the french language.

The nurses were a right lot, but the social worker who i spoke to was lovely. She was the one who got in touch with my country and the hospital i had escaped from here, so that i could be returned safely.

In hospital, have you ever been given a drug to knock you out?

Hi Humbledog, wow that's amazing, you escaped from your old hospital to France and then ended up in hospital there. I look forward to reading your story.

In my first hospitalisation, I woke up from a coma in the ER my hands were restrained. They took out the tube and I almost died from pain, I couldn't even move my hands and I lost my voice. My treating dr (who saved my life) told me that I was ok but now I am a scheduled patient and if I ever tried to escape security would be called (apparently he spoke to me like that because my family had said some things about me that made me look like I was at high risk of absconding). I asked for water and too brush my teeth but the nurses ignored me. I lost my voice so I could only whisper. I got so mad and I was so uncomfortable from lying in the same postion that I got my feet and started to use them to undo my hands. Everything was so blurry in terms of time.

I think after that I was lying about and I can't remember exactly how long it was but I remember I was taken by surprise by two (or three nurses) and turned on my side holding me in that positon while the other nurse pulled my pants down. I started to panic and the other nurse told me its ok. I think that knocked me out because I can't remember anything after that at all. I supspect I was knocked out immediately because I didn't have a chance to ask them what they had given me and when I woke up the nurses were gone. God knows how many minutes or hours later had passed but I think I woke up in another room I think. I really lost track of time/the events.

In my second hospitalisation I was given two sedations which didn't knock me out (it was with just a normal clear needle which I got for trying to run out the door. Later on that night when I barracaded myself in my room, I was given this huge needle filled with yellow stuff in my leg which resulted in a major black and blue bruise which didn't fade for weeks. I wasn't knocked out straight away. Two nurses held each side of my arm for like 3 minutes (until I was meant to calm down I thing). when they left I was about to barricade my room but I felt that it was useless (I doub't it was the effect of the injection) and lay down and I was asleep 5-10 minutes later. I think I slept for 11 hours straight.

The problem with injections is that it cuts out alot of your memory and you can't remember the sequence of events properly; you just remember pieces of the puzzle.

I have more of my hospital experience in the BPD "involuntary hospitaliation positive/negative experiences" if you would like to read mine. I find it theraphetic by sharing my story with other people.

I look forward to reading yours in the introduction.

Take care and feel free to pm me Humbledog.

icu_baby

[Mole]

It was the holiday from hell, but it was an experience that made me who i am today. I am going to write about it in the personal introductions forum. Look out for it over the next few days.

I used brute force to get free from one of the arm restraints. If they did tell me off for doing this, i wouldn't have been able to understand them, because I don't know the french language.

The nurses were a right lot, but the social worker who i spoke to was lovely. She was the one who got in touch with my country and the hospital i had escaped from here, so that i could be returned safely.

In hospital, have you ever been given a drug to knock you out?

Yes, I was held down by eight male Nurse and injected with chlorpromaxine - it was a really thick needle, this was repeated every few hours in those days they all wore white uniforms - it went on for two days

When I get out of control nowadays - they use Acuphase - it's brilliant - you feel better in 30 minutes

[icu_baby]

It was the holiday from hell, but it was an experience that made me who i am today. I am going to write about it in the personal introductions forum. Look out for it over the next few days.

I used brute force to get free from one of the arm restraints. If they did tell me off for doing this, i wouldn't have been able to understand them, because I don't know the french language.

The nurses were a right lot, but the social worker who i spoke to was lovely. She was the one who got in touch with my country and the hospital i had escaped from here, so that i could be returned safely.

In hospital, have you ever been given a drug to knock you out?

Yes, I was held down by eight male Nurse and injected with chlorpromaxine - it was a really thick needle, this was repeated every few hours in those days they all wore white uniforms - it went on for two days

When I get out of control nowadays - they use Acuphase - it's brilliant - you feel better in 30 minutes

Hi Mole,

Are you scarred by being forced to take an injection because I am and I don't think I will ever get over it for as long as I live. I have flashbacks about it all the time, will it ever go away?

icu_baby

[Mole]

No, not at all, they are experts

I use to get flashbacks, but I haven't had any for 10 years