topic Voluntary Admission advice in Treatments, health professionals and therapies

Voluntary Admission advice

tweetheart — Fri, 07 Oct 2016 10:36:17 GMT

Hey Everyone

I need some advice please, I was diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder and Anxiety last year. I was admitted to a private clinic and remained there for 7 weeks, I returned to work part time but have relapsed and have been off work since July, in July I was readmitted for 3 weeks but discharged myself due to being mistreated by some of the nursing staff, I went to see a new psychiatrist who suggested I increase me medication and see him in 2 weeks, I sought a second opinion and this psychiatrist wants to admit me for 2-3 weeks, given what occurred I am too scared to be admitted but this psychiatrist has made me feel comfortable and has assured me I will be safe, I've been off work since July and unsure when I will be well enough to return.

Voluntary Admission advice

romantic_thi3f — Mon, 10 Oct 2016 23:42:18 GMT

Hi tweetheart,

Thank you for posting.

It sounds like the issue is whether you feel safe in the private clinic so as to be re-admitted from your new psychiatrist.

I can tell you that none of us are counsellors or therapists here so in order to get some professional advice the best way would be to speak to your psychiatrist again, or alternatively another person who also works in Mental Health - such as the referring GP, a mental health nurse or a psychologist. Perhaps a different point of view might be helpful.

I think if I personally was being mistreated by staff and feeling unsafe, then my concern is that everything would be done to ensure that this was not going to happen again. Has the staff been reprimanded? Did they apologise/give an explanation? Is there a new plan in place incase you are feeling unsafe or mistreated again?

Not knowing when you are going to return to work can be difficult, but there are options between working and inpatient therapy. There are many different resources available for those that do not wish to attend inpatient therapy but are not able to work.

Ultimately I think it's about developing a strong therapeutic relationship with the psychiatrist so that he's able to work through any and all of your concerns. If you do not wish to up your medication then you have that right and if you do not wish to go to inpatient therapy you also have that right (in most cases).

Hope this is helpful.

Voluntary Admission advice

tweetheart — Tue, 11 Oct 2016 12:45:06 GMT

Hi romantic-thi3f

Thanks for your reply and suggestions. Yes I lodged a formal complaint and the nursing staff were reprimanded via formal counselling. I have found a new psychiatrist at a new clinic and let him know about this previous experience and how it made me feel. He assured me that nothing like that will happen so on that basis I am arranging an acute admission. Hopefully I will be well enough to recover and return to work soon.

Voluntary Admission advice

tweetheart — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 07:38:03 GMT

I'm being admitted on Friday thanks romantic-thi3f for your suggestions and my family are supporting me in this decision. I took your advise on board and openly discussed what happened at the previous facility and my new treating psychiatrist assured me none of that would happen under his care. I feel at the end of the day I need to put this unpleasant experience behind me and not allow it to interfere in accessing appropriate treatment. I also agree that it is best to report many wrongdoing to maintain high quality patient care.

Voluntary Admission advice

Kengy — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 09:23:29 GMT

Hi tweetheart

I think you're making the right decision to being an inpatient for treatment. I had a voluntary admission last year for my anxiety, and it was the best thing I could do. My anxiety was so bad I tried to kill myself, but once I was admitted and was receiving medication, counselling and occupational therapy in a safe environment, I could deal with my anxiety. Since then, I've worked full time and been socialising. I still get anxious, but I can deal with it better.

good luck, I hope everything goes well for you 🙂

Voluntary Admission advice

Yoga_has_changed_my_life — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 12:09:27 GMT

Hi there I have been through a similar experience.

My my suggestion is 'go with your gut' and what feels right. Don't be scared to speak about about your treatment plan or get a second opinion.

I live in Melbourne and see my Psychologist in Sydney. He is fantastic and operates at two private clinics.

I had had a very bad experience with a melbourne psychologist at the melbourne clinic. He was overmedicating me and all he wanted to do was admit me into hospital.

Just remember you are in control of your own heath and it's ok to question the dr advice. Your health your life.

I choose my own treatment plan as I did not want to be admitted into hospital. I had support at home and say the psychiatrist as an outpatient.

Hope this helps and I hope you return to work soon. Perhaps touch base with your manger and keep in contact they also need to know how they can best support you.

all the best

Voluntary Admission advice

tweetheart — Thu, 13 Oct 2016 05:38:34 GMT

Hey Kengy

Thanks for sharing your experience I know how debilitating anxiety can be and glad a combination of these therapies helped you on the road to recovery. Yes I decided on this voluntary admission after speaking to the psychiatrist 3 times and reading all these excellent reviews on his care and treatment. I know deep down this is the right decision. The hospital phoned me three times over two days to arrange my admission and so far all the staff seem pleasant. I also found out today I don't have to pay any excess and the psychiatrist also agreed to have his $500 gap covered through my health fund.

Voluntary Admission advice

tweetheart — Thu, 13 Oct 2016 05:44:16 GMT

Hey Yoga

Great advise going with my gut helped me make this decision, sorry you also had an unpleasant experience isn't it empowering that as humans and consumers we get to choose where to be treated and who t o avoid, I'm sure your instincts told you something wasn't right. As I said to the nurse who rang me today that we are already vulnerable by being admitted that we don't need to be made to feel scared as I was she agreed with me, the psychiatrist told me if any nonsense went on then he wouldn't tolerate it and would disassociate himself from the clinic.

Voluntary Admission advice

GuestYD — Thu, 13 Oct 2016 11:09:41 GMT

Hi Tweetheart

Your psychiatrist sounds great. Good luck for your admission.

Voluntary Admission advice

tweetheart — Sat, 15 Oct 2016 08:46:53 GMT

Thanks Little Cavvie, I was admitted yesterday, I'm not sure how long I'll be here but I've settled in well so far.

Voluntary Admission advice

Yoga_has_changed_my_life — Sun, 16 Oct 2016 11:08:20 GMT

Good luck tweetheart

let us know how you go 💪🏻👍🏻

Voluntary Admission advice

tweetheart — Mon, 17 Oct 2016 10:44:04 GMT

Hey Yoga

Ive settled in well the only thing I'm concerned about is that the first two meetings with my new psychiatrist went pear shaped and it's all because he insists on having a nurse present and I wasn't told this beforehand. It's made me feel uncomfortable and I let him know and he did it again. I then misinterpreted something he said and then he raised his voice slightly and said I'm not the bad guy and I told him not please not raise his voice and then he ended the session.

Voluntary Admission advice

romantic_thi3f — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 02:01:59 GMT

Hi tweetheart,

Sorry for the late reply -

Thank you for posting and letting us know how you got on. I'm really glad that the staff were reprimanded and that you were feeling supported in your decision. It's so important that you are feeling cared for and heard so it sounds like you have a great team of people working with you.

I'm sorry that the psychiatrist made you feel uncomfortable too but I'm proud of you for saying that it made you feel uncomfortable. Hopefully since he ended the session he thought about what he did and how he can make things easier for you. Sometimes it can help to have a little notebook to record what's been said or done - that way it can help if something needs reporting but helps you make sense of it too.

Voluntary Admission advice

Kengy — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 02:45:22 GMT

Hi tweetheart

Im glad you chose to go through with the admission, and I'm glad you stood up to your psych. I hope everything goes well for you 🙂

Voluntary Admission advice

tweetheart — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 10:04:19 GMT

Hey Kengy

Thanks it wasn't an easy decision I chose to follow my gut instinct and so far it's been really good, there's only 8 other patients on the ward and today I attended a mindfulness group and gardening with the OT.

Hopefully my third session with my psych runs smoothly and yeah thanks it felt very empowering standing up to the psych.

Voluntary Admission advice

tweetheart — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 10:11:52 GMT

Hey romantic thi3f

Thanks heaps for replying, yeah I'm so proud of myself and hopefully they've learned their lesson, this new hospital ward Im in has the best staff everyone I've interacted with so far have been caring and professional.

Yeah I needed to let my psychiatrist know I was uncomfortable if turns out the other patients under his care have expressed similar concerns, apparently it is part of the hospitals policy to have a nurse present as a chaperone, today a female GP came to do a consultation and let me know a female nurse would be present.

Im already recording our sessions with a little notebook

Voluntary Admission advice

tweetheart — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 10:16:18 GMT

One more thing I wanted to add today I chaired our regular community meeting with the nursing staff and other patients I was so anxious beforehand but it all ran smoothly so this has really boosted my self esteem.

Voluntary Admission advice

GuestYD — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 10:21:44 GMT

Good job chairing the meeting 🙂 it sounds like so far it's been a good experience.

Voluntary Admission advice

Kengy — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 10:27:20 GMT

That's so awesome, that you chaired your community meeting! I'm so happy that you got through it, and found it a boost to your self esteem.

I loved the mindfulness sessions I did when I was in hospital, I felt comforted, knowing I was in a safe space, and that others understood how I felt. I still practice mindfulness occasionally, but I really need to do it more often, it's very helpful. It sounds like a nice environment, where you will have the space and time to deal with everything. Please keep us updated about how you're going (but only if you want to :))

Voluntary Admission advice

tweetheart — Wed, 19 Oct 2016 06:50:37 GMT

Thanks Little Cavvie I was really nervous beforehand but the others didn't know !! I'm a good actor