what happens at the hospital ?

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-24-2004
what happens at the hospital ?
8
Fri, 04-20-2007 - 6:50pm
Hello, Abby here. I have a question please, something I often think about and wonder about. If one's doctor decides to put you into the hospital, well, just what happens there? Do they dope you up so you can't do yourself or anyone else any harm? Having never been hospitalized for 'how I can be' sometimes it is a question I just really need some answers to. I want to know out of curiousity and need to know should that day come when my doctor thinks I need to be admitted. Thank you for anything you have to offer me.
Abby
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Registered: 02-12-2004
Fri, 04-20-2007 - 10:07pm

Hey Abby,


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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-11-2004
Sat, 04-21-2007 - 9:13pm

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Hi, Abby! I have to agree with what Lori has shared. That is how I remember it. I also recall being relieved that I was safe from my thoughts & fears. I felt the staff were available for me @ any time. I was assigned to a nurse every shift & I could talk with the nurse when I needed too. I was able to share some thoughts that were very troubling & was *un-burdened* for once. I hadn't slept for ages & was finally able to get some much needed shuteye. Also, though hospital meals are NOT world class cuisine, for once I didn't have to worry about preparing a meal. I had been so wrapped up in my depressive thoughts, that fixing a meal

 

 


 



iVillage Member
Registered: 10-19-2003
Mon, 04-23-2007 - 3:31pm
Hi Abby,
Going into the hospital is a very scary thing to do. If you think that they may want you admitted, it would be best that you did it yourself, at least it is here in the states.
I was lucky that my Dr. recommended an excellent hospital for me. This was a hospital that only dealt with mental illness and disablities. I went in for suicide because of PTSD cause by child abuse. I was very scared, but it was the best thing for me. The program was for two weeks give or take. It just depended on what your needs were and how you responded. The intake was the worse part for me, I dissoicated thru most of it. After I signed the papers, my family was brought in to say good bye. They were not allowed to go back with me. I do remember talking to a lot of people. I had one nurse/aid that stayed with me the whole first day. She went thru my clothes and things. Then she had me change and did an scan with this metal detector like thing on the outside of my body. After I was shown around. Rules and and other things were explain to me, like when things where open. Next I ate dinner and was introduced to others. We were all in different groups. I was in the tramua group. And the food was actually good. After dinner there was different classes we could go to. Nothing was forced on us. We could go to any class we choose or stay in out rooms. The rooms were checked very 15 minutes. I slepted most of the next day, which was more than I did forever. The day after that was still scary. The day was full of different classes. You could go to what ever one you wanted. It was very tired. bed for quit time we had a close of day session. Here we talked about our day and set goals for tomorrow. the classes showed many different things. After that we could go in the gym, watch tv in a group room. There was a special room that only the trauma group could go in. I know this is a lot of infor. I can give you more if you want. Just post and ask. My name is Joan
gentle hugs.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Mon, 04-23-2007 - 9:17pm

Hey there Abby. I too was very lucky. Thank God for good insurance. The place I went (8 times over 4 years) was really awesome. I checked myself in, but with my pdoc strongly recommending it. It was just like Joan described. It helped me so much...saved my life.

It was scary the first time. But if you think you need it, you should really really consider it.

Hugs!

Keli

Avatar for markshay
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-04-2003
Tue, 04-24-2007 - 5:31pm
My hospital stay was really pretty blah! The hospital I went to stinks. I got admitted, much like Lori describes, but then dumped onto the unit. Then our day went as follows, vitals (bloodpressure, temp, etc), breakfast, meds, goals group with some occupational group, with breaks every hour for smokers so they could smoke but alot of hospitals have gone totally non-smoking, then lunch, then sometimes an activity group (making a craft or playing cards) for about an hour, then left to our devises until dinner, then visiting hour, then 9 pm meds and bed. on the weekend it was way less structured! not like there was much structure during the week. lol. Every unit/program tho has their own set up and program. IF you need to go tho, do so! Sometimes it can help you get to feeling better quicker than trying it outpatient.
Sandra.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-24-2004
Tue, 04-24-2007 - 9:19pm
Hello and thanks to all who kindly responded to my post and shared their experiences. Right now I don't think my psychdoc is suggesting hospitalization though some of my sessions makes me wonder if he is considering it. Especially since my 'episode' he is looking at me a little differently now. He is asking me many questions, some of them like,'do you lose a sense of time?' and dreams, he asks me alot about my dreams (I have crazy vivid dreams always) He asks if my dreams are about things with abuse and my brother. Hopefully I won't have to ever go to the hospital, but it is just in the last while after what I did and how I still SI that I worry he might just bring that up in a session sometime. I would be so so afraid, more afraid of what others would think than anything I think. The stigma of going to see a psych doc every week and being on meds is hard enough for me. Anyway, again I want to thank you all for your time and your insights,,,,,they mean a lot to me and help me because I am not knowledgeable about being hospitalized for,,,,,,well for,,,,,,'this.'
Thank you for being here,,,,,,,hugz Abby
Avatar for alsmith32
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Fri, 04-27-2007 - 7:27pm
Hopefully you won't ever have to go there! I have similar questions about making a call if you are at that point, but so far I still can't really imagine it ... my T asked me at our last session if I am hearing "voices" which made me laugh because it sounds so ridiculous! At least for me. I had told her that I have a voice (better word: thought) that says that if I spent so much time and energy on thinking about IT why don't I just do it, otherwise I am a failure. Admittedly that is nonsensical. I agree. On the way home I thought about it and it is a very pervasive thought for me! !! Sorry about all the exclaimation points. I am still struggling with going into my thoughts of suicide again after being on the generic wellbutrin for just a couple days ... amazing how fast I disintegrated. I am now back on the label brand. I am still struggling with weight control too, it is very beguiling once you learn you can control your food intake, I have been trying to restrict my food because of my stupid mental state lately even thought I know it's wrong. I don't know why I am so mean to myself at these times. Anyway today somebody asked me if I lost weight and told me how GREAT I look!! It's a hard situation to deal with.
take care
allie
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-11-2004
Fri, 04-27-2007 - 7:57pm
Thx for sharing, Allie. That question about voices comes up on every admission form or history gathering form & it amazes me. Having been in the mental health field, people who are hallucinating rarely admit to it. Just wanted to tell you that I KNOW what you meant;) HTH (((hugs))) jan

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