Deuce

[Scrabbling]

What can I say I got a very unexpected visit at my house late at night last week from the crisis team. Probably don’t need to embellish but totally put on the spot to go voluntarily or they would take that decision away as well. Don’t know why they call it a choice? To say I was a tad upset is an understatement so here I am for the past 3 days In a perfectly safe room that I cannot believe how much thought they have put into avoiding incidents. I have been studied like a bug and I found it extremely unsettling when I can normally bluff my way through things. The staff seem nice but there are some really scary people hence I have remained in my room. The tablets have helped a bit with sleep so I’m hoping to go home today. Do they normally use the element of surprise to throw people?? Signed Scrabbling.

[Sophie_M]

Hi Scrabbling,

Thanks for updating us here, we're really glad you could share this. It's good to hear you feel safe where you are, but can imagine how distressing it must've been to have the crisis team arrive late at night and suddenly. 

Please know that we’re here for you, and you can call the Beyond Blue counsellors on 1300 22 4636 if you’d like some support at any point. We're here 24/7, or you can reach us via webchat between 11am and midnight AEDT each day. 

It might take the lovely community a bit of time to spot your update, but we’re sure they will in time. In the meantime, feel free to keep us updated on how things are going, how you're feeling, and if your stay is helping you at this time. If you feel comfortable, it might be useful to update your other thread also, just to make it a bit easier for the community to spot your message. 

Kind regards,

Sophie M

[mmMekitty]

Hi Scrabbling,

Yes, it must've been distressing to have the Crisis Team turn up like they did. I couldn't say if the way they treated you was usual or not. I've never had something like that happen in my life. Sort of wish it had, except in those years, I'm sure the experience would have been very traumatic, but then again, maybe not. I was hiding things even from myself, back then.

I imagine, making a decision yourself, to go with them would be much better than them having to remove your choice. Whether you choose to go vulentarily or if they have to insist, they are there to save your life. One way or another, because your life is valuable, & because of that, the distress you've been in has been taken seriously.

Very deep down, would you rather someone sees, hears, & tries to help, or have your needs neglected & ignored?

I imagine I'd be staying in my room, too. I think I would just feel safer, & it would be quieter, too.

The staff aren't there to play 'hide & seek' with you, so, please, try to help them to help you. It's completely up to you how much you get out of the help offered. That's a very powerful choice you can make.

I hope to hear again from you soon

😸 mmMekitty

[Scrabbling]

Still stuck here and not allowed to go home. Really struggling with a roller coaster of emotions, I’m still not convinced I want to live but absolutely no chance of doing anything here !!! I have been diagnosed with depression and add a bit of anxiety and PTSD just for good luck!! I’ve talked to so many different people but only had one real in-depth discussion which kinda set me right off ,as I had tucked so much stuff away ,never to be thought of again. (so I hoped) I thought I would have been in and out of the facility as that’s all you hear about the system failing people,, but all avenues like that have been closed to me. Still not sleeping/ eating very well but I did have a brighter start today before the sadness’s took hold, my psychiatrist said to expect that .The staff are nice but also so busy it’s like organised chaos here, all a bit overwhelming.

scrabbling.

[YorkeYorke]

Sounds like the rollercoaster that must be confusing at times. Having a good morning and then having the turn later on. I suppose its good the psychiatrist could warn you about that. Good to hear the sleeping tablets have helped a little even if there is plenty of room for improvement.

To have thoughts of not wanting to live can feel pretty intense. Sometimes to do with wanting the pain to stop more-so than wanting to die? I wonder if that's something the staff can help with. Well done for reaching out to different people in the past to see what works for you. I appreciate what you're saying about delving too deep sometimes causing more hurt. Certainly you control the pace and what you choose to share, and the staff as well as us are here to listen.

I thought mmMeKitty summed it up beautifully about the resources being there to support you. Much like the crisis intervention team seeing your value, the staff at the facility watch you because they care for your safety.

Please keep us posted with your journey, we are here for you.

[mmMekitty]

Hi Scrabbling, 😺

I’m really happy to hear from you.

Are you sure you want to go home? I mean, while you are there, you have people you can turn to when the rollercoaster gets extreme.

With the system as under stress as it has been for years, & more so for the last couple, I’m not surprised it seems like barely organised chaos. Are you able to retreat into your room?

I’m glad you are talking to people. The occasional serious conversation, while difficult to have, are important. They help us to put those feelings into words & eventually some perspective.

I desperately wanted to shove everything away again. (not possible), because of how much a jumble it was, how big & overwhelming it was. But I discovered, just naming things helped to make them smaller. Often the

little words we have for these emotions seem too small to fit. It is the language we have, though. I think that’s why I always wanted other ways to express my emotions, seeing as I could not shove them away anymore, so I could confine them, withing the letters & paragraphs, on a page, or within the borders of a canvas board.

You might like to find some creative outlets of your own.

I have been wondering what there is to do all day, apart from looking after your basic needs, like eating & sleeping. Are you able to go outside at all?

I smile to think you had some brightness in the morning, before the ‘sadnesses returned. I had mornings like that. & then my mood, my thoughts as well would get worse & worse as the day went on. I had imagined these feelings had taken longer to wake up than I did, & had to run to catch me. & the awful part was that they did.

But with time, learning about the feelings, how to ‘relate’ (if that’s the right term), to them, things do get better. You’ll have bright moments more often, & they will last longer. You might even surprise yourself, suddenly laughing about something. That will feel strange, I can tell you. I think the Psychiatrist is right, when he said that about how days will begin a little brighter & get worse, for a while, at least.

I’m still wishing you all the best, & hope you will continue to let us know how you are doing.

😺 mmMekitty

[Scrabbling]

Been here over a week now, and not winning with the medications especially sleep which is making me more irritable. Little things become big things and I normally wouldn’t respond but I’m finding I’m definitely more snappy which isn’t me. I’m trying to keep to myself and the one time I made the effort to go in the public area I got caught up in a code grey with an extremely aggressive patient, who sectioned both of us off from the attending staff, thankfully I am experienced in violent situations with my work so I was able to remove myself without causing the person further aggravation, all hell broke loose after that!!!! This is not a walk in the park place so I’ve gone back to becoming very familiar with my room!!! I’m surprised that there aren’t psychologists here to talk to, you have your once a day psychiatrist meetings and that’s it? Seems that they rely heavily on medications ,I’m on a seesaw that hasn’t balanced out yet but definitely getting a little stir crazy ( excuse the expression) and had enough of being here.

[mmMekitty]

Hi Scrabbling,

The medication may take some more time to be noticeably effective. That's often how it is.

You did well in that situation with the other patient. I hope it was a very rare incident, & unlikely to be repeated while you are there. I barely know what else to say about it, except I don't think I could have done much of anything helpful, had I been there instead of you.

It all sounds very stressful, so I am not surprised you are more irritable. Not sleeping well tends to make fpeople more irritable. When we notice something is beginning to irritate, we can pause, take a few deep breaths, & in that time, make a decision about whether or not to respond. That's what I try to do. It may not help me feel better, but may stop the situation escalating. Then, as I guess you do, I'd take myself away & into my room.

My only problem with this approach is that if the other person/people involved think you've backed down, & they have won, they may continue to behave poorly, thinking this is how to get their way. Unfortunately, we can't change what other people think.

If you want to retreat to your room, to calm yourself, I think that is fine. I often think when people are irritated with each other, why don't they just get a little distance? Step away & calm down, & maybe even talk more calmly later.

I find reacting loudly adds more fuel to these situations.

The whole system being under stress means people in it are also under more stress, & this contributes to your experience being more stressful...I, personally, can't fix that.

I don't expect medications alone are going to be the solution. They can help you while you learn ways to help yourself. When you see the Psychiatrist, asking for some strategies you can use to deal with your mood & responses to stresses. Other things to help sleep better, whatever you can think of.

I hopes this helps some, & you won't be there much longer. Primarily, I think they would like to see you are stabilised, & wanting to work with the staff. No trying to fool them, though, because that won't help you in the long run, okay?

Talk again soon.

mmMekitty

[mmMekitty]

Hi Scrabbling,

I'm still here & thinking of you. Thinkin it's getting late again, & I hope you are sleeping as I write, thinking of you. I want for you to feel less alone.

Because I'm sure you can't always immediately walk away & go to your room, do you have any things you can do, when those little things become big things & you feel you will get snappy, you can, instead have more options? That's something you might like to think about.

I hope to hear from you, soon.

mmMekitty

[Scrabbling]

I was finally allowed to leave the secure facility and transferred to a Parc facility which is a step down and also a small step on the road to recovery. My moods are still quite erratic as is unfortunately my sleeping and eating but the dark times don’t seem to be quite as dark and my psychiatrist has worked out my evasive traits and we seem to be able to communicate a bit better with each session, I know myself I am still on thin ice ,and he wants me to remain here for a few weeks . I was hoping for some pain relief with a surgical intervention but that has been put on hold till my last surgery heals further ,so unfortunately chronic pain is still a big part of my life and I’m still really sad about walking away from my job of 26 years but no jobs worth dying for, well that’s what I’m trying to tell myself. The staff seem nice here and I know I should talk to people more but I struggle with sharing my problems ,I am drawing as therapy but they are pretty dark pictures that are probably scaring the hell out of my psychiatrist !! He’s definitely working hard for his money with me but he believes I can get through this. So I suppose I keep riding the roller coaster till hopefully it comes safely back to the station.