What can you tell me about inpatient treatment

[loui50]

My T has suggested inpatient treatment as an option. She has not recommended it yet but I'm still spiraling down out of control. I'm afraid she might tomorrow. What can you guys that have been there tell me about inpatient treatment? Would I be able to talk to me family? I have kids! What does a typical day look like? What are "groups"? Are inpatient facilities typically all male or all female or mixed? What about clothes, sounds stupid but do you at least get to wear your normal clothes? I have so many questions. Anyone?

 

[Friday]

I haven't been to inpatient treatment. I have worked in a few & spent a great deal of time in a lot of hospitals. All of the answers to your questions are going to vary a whole helluva lot depending on what hospital, & which program you're in. There's no universal standard for psychiatric care... Which is actually a good thing, overall, as different disorders & different people need different things. It's also a pain in the ass, because it means finding a program that's a good fit for you.

My suggest would be going in to talk with your T, not about whether or not to do inpatient treatment, but about what programs and options are available & what might be a good fit for you. Looking at programs doesn't mean you have to do them. It gives you more information and allows you to make a better decision. :)

It also let's you plan ahead. In the event of an emergency, here, & this is what one can expect. If we have time to apply, here / here / or here... For these reasons, to meet these needs & wants, with these drawbacks... And this/ this/ & this is what one can expect. Remove the mystery.

 

[loui50]

Thanks Friday. I was afraid of that. Maybe some people can give me some ideas of what they went through. I"m so scared right now. I just need relief and I"m not getting it by caring for a family and dealing with the stress of life. I see T tomorrow and Wednesday. I'll get up the courage to ask.

 

[Muted]

I had to sit in the corner facing a wall with a plate of food that they wanted me to eat.

I think some are good and some are bad. The rules are different depending on where you are at and what you in there for. For example, if your suicidal they're going to be more strict. I think even the bad ones can be kinda ok as long as you don't speak up, follow the rules and you just always do as your told.

One more thing... if you do speak up or disagree be prepared for the staff to gang up on you and use any and all problems you've ever had against you.

In essence you're completely powerless and your voice doesn't matter, only theirs does because they're the ones with all of the degrees and they have the power and authority and can say anything they want to justify their behavior and how they treat you. I would recommend a place with lots of security cameras, because at least then if anything happens you'll have evidence.

 

[Joan]

I agree with Friday to gain information. There are all different levels and different types of facilities and programs. I have been to 2 different places for short term holds....neither of which were helpful and lots of restrictions. I also spent 4 months in residential treatment that was all female. This was a hard, but good experience. Before I went there I had a list of questions I was able to ask. Hopefully your T can help you identify some choices. Best wishes.

 

[Justmehere]

I'd look into seeing if you have the option of going to a partial hospitalization program (PHP) or an intensive outpatient program (IOP) in your area. Some of the intensive outpatient programs are quite good even when for a general pollination and most are better than an acute general inpatient psych unit.

If there are no such options like that, you can also look into to a specialized trauma treatment inpatient unit like Sheppard Pratt or McLean or others - there are a handful of them in them in the US.

I'd take almost any PHP, IOP, or specialized inpatient unit over an acute general inpatient psych unit any day.

Acute general emergency inpatient psych units vary wildly in how they are structure and run from area to area in the US. In general, they are better than death, might help get meds stabilized and possibly connect up with a greater level of outpatient care, provide some very basic groups for a couple of days. They almost always allow contact with outside family and visitors that the patient would like to have.

At worst, they can trigger trauma patients very easily and be retraumatzing. My therapist says they are good when someone is sucidial and can't keep themselves safe, and needs the safety of a locked facility to stay alive until more help can be set up as an outpatient afterwards. And that's about it.

So if you are able to stay alive and safe enough to set up more onetime outpatient care, or to get into a trauma focused inpatient program, I'd recommend trying to shoot for those options from the get go.

The IOP and PHP programs tend help a lot more with long term recovery. Some will run every other day, some are every day. Many are step down programs for folks coming out of the hospital. Your peers in any IOP program will tend to be more functional and stable and etc, and the work will be more practical and useful for the long haul.