hullo, yes I have had that experience too! The bond that can develop between us patient is a precious thing indeed! I remember the last admission I had there were these stupid rules about tea and coffee. The deal was that you couldn't have either after a certain time at night and early in the morning. I know "are you for real?", yep thats right. So a fellow inmate and I used to hide teabags in our socks, and as we were both 5am risers we could get a cup of tea then, as long as we avoided "bargearse" the night nurse who was hardcore. So there we were with our naughty tea at 5.15am feeling like kings! I guess the other thing that makes the time go a bit faster is the counselling that happens quite naturally between people in unusual circumstances, and acute psych wards are just that, strange place to find supporters or even friends I know but it happens! I still have regular contact with a bloke I met 12 years ago in the local ward. He and I struck up a frienship and we still have heaps in common even after we lost contact with each other for a while. I have to say that for the majority of the admissions that I had this did not happen outside tha ward all that often. I was very careful who had my number.....