What are the benefits of going to hospital?

These are good questions, and they deserve better answers than I myself can provide. A few thoughts, from my own experience, might be helpful however.

I have been all too frequently a voluntary patient within the private psychiatric hospital system. Often this has occurred twice or more within a year (though it has not occurred thus far in 2016, and I hope that it never will occur again). Overall, I would sum up my experiences of inpatient hospitalisation as follows: (a) nothing spectacularly horrible happened to me there, but (b) I do not think it did me any real good.


I found that being around patients who, unlike myself, had lots of family members and friends visiting them at almost every hour of the day or night, telephoning them, holding their hands, etc., etc., was very triggering. Since I have no such family members and friends, I found that it increased rather than decreasing the isolation which was making me so ill in the first place.


At times inpatient hospitalisation can seem like boarding school. There are certain hospitals in my experience where the existing rules against alcohol consumption, and so forth, are surreptitiously but routinely violated by patients.


Also, such hospitalisation can be very expensive even if a patient has private health insurance. Not as hideously expensive as it is by all accounts in the USA. But still very costly.


Another thing: you really find out who your friends are. Some people are so freaked out by visiting any patient in a psych ward, even if the treatment is perfectly reasonable, that they will end the friendship rather than visit you. I learned that the hard way.


Unfortunately the concept of voluntary admission to a public, as opposed to private, hospital seems to be dying out. I have known of cases (at least here in Melbourne) where public hospitals would refuse to admit a person even if that person was in the middle of a florid psychotic episode and actively suicidal.


As I say, I wish that I could provide better answers.

I've been both voluntary and involuntary as a patient in psych wards.
In fact, I'm admitted at a hospital right now, and I'm just on a 2 hours pass at my home.

In my opinion, voluntary is much better, as they see that as you're willing to get help, and involuntary is sometimes a two-bladed sword. Either you stay for a long time, or the doctor hates you so much they kick you out on the streets. I've been in a children's psych ward, and it's harder to stay in a children's psych ward because they believe that kids don't need a lot of time to recover.
Keep in mind I'm in Canada, and only vocalizing my own challenges and experiences.
I was in a PICU - psych intenstive care unit - and that was involuntary. I stayed there for around a month, and all the injections they were giving me actually helped, so in my opinion if you're so psychotic or suicidal or dangerous, you would be better off involuntarily committed.
If you realize that you need help, by all means, go to the hospital and be admitted voluntarily.

I'm involuntarily commited, even though I went on my own will, because of my flight risk.

So there are a lot of sides to this.

Some private hospitals do have outreach programs whereby a community nurse can visit you in your own home after you have been discharged. This can be useful, but it is worth bearing in mind that such services can also be obtained from other sources - including, for all I know, SANE itself - without the large private-health-insurance expense involved.

It is a similar story with day programs and evening programs on an outpatient basis. I go to the fortnightly group sessions run here in Melbourne by ARCVIC, and these - which are nothing to do with hospitals - cost very little. (You are expected to make a small donation in order to cover the cost of tea, coffee, biscuits and so forth.) Whereas if I was going to the evening sessions that my former private hospital organises, I would be incurring large health insurance premiums.

My advice would be to bear all these things in mind before becoming a private hospital inpatient. Perhaps others can get more out of the inpatient setting than I ever did. But as mentioned before, I can't, in retrospect, justify my inpatient admissions.

Thanks @Robertmelbourne

Really appreciate your input. The costs of private treatment, and also now as my Medicare rebate has run out for psych sessions are putting a strain on me. I am also worried about the "break" and how I will cope going back into the work force after the "break". Work has always been important, not only for my back pocket but also for my mental health. It stops the constant ruminating that I experience at home - and I guess will also when in hospital.

I am feeling and questioning myself at the moment. Whenever a doctor before told me pop a pill, I would investigate all other options - a pain killer does not heal the source of pain. Now I am sitting here and it feels like I have to counter one med with another med to bring me into some sort of level - surely an anti depressent and other things counter act each other?

I think tomorrow at the psychiatrist will be a big disappointment as there will be no time at all to discuss all that is on my mind...

Hi @Former-Member

I have been admitted to a private hospital a few times over the past 4 years. I couldnt fault anything. From the admin staff from admission, the nursing staff, the unit manager, the kitchen staff.

The very first time I was admitted I was so scared and nervous, but that's to be expected But once I met the staff and settled into my room I was okay. There were lots of programs and groups I had to join in and some were really good - yoga, CBT, walking group, relaxation techniques etc etc.

For me, being admitted meant I could have a break from my family and work. It meant I could be on my own for a while and recharge myself. I had time to think about things, and I wrote quite a lot while in there

If at any time I felt anxious, upset or something triggering I would get the help from the staff and they were fantastic.

I work as well and when I went back to work I was anxious, but no one knew of my admission except for my manager/owner of the pharmacy. And I had his full support and reassurance that my job was still there when i got back.

I was lucky that I have private health cover and once the excess is paid I don't pay anymore.

I wish you all the best @Former-Member. Maybe write down a list of questions and hand them over to your pysch.

Good luck tomorrow. Let us know how you go. Take care xxxooo

@Former-Member

I forgot to mention that after being discharged I did outpatient program the following week. I was going at least 2-3 times a week. And it kept me in touch with the staff as well as the psychologists running the groups.

But when I got more hours at work I had to cut back (to my disappointment) so now I have just gone back again and I go once a week but do 3 groups. Where I go I need to do at least 3 hours min of group therapy otherwise I am not covered by my health funds.

Also, going in to hospital for me was like - recharging my batteries. Refocusing on what I want; where I want to go and who is important to me.

And yes like @Robertmelbourne said you do find out who your friends are. I have only 2 friends come to visit me; no family (that's another story) and the rest of my family/friends kept away.

But I still had my hubby and children - that's what counts to me.

@BlueBay @Robertmelbourne @Kurra @Snuchu @Former-Member

I've just read all your responses again. Thank you once again for your input!

My appointment with my psychiatrist is tomorrow. I have written down a lot about how I feel and also many questions for him to answer.

I've taken it very easy in the last couple of days and am feeling a little more settled. Hopefully I will be able to stay strong through my discussion.