Hi!! New & curious about private hospitalisation...

[subarbiea]

Hi all! I'm not really sure how it all works here yet, hopefully I'll get the gist of it 🙂
I'm a 20 year old female from QLD, and I kind of feel maybe I should be telling people the basic story? I don't know what is normal I probably should have looked but I'm here now so I guess here we go! haha
I've had Generalised Anxiety Disorder/Depression, panic attacks/social anxiety and struggles with self harm/suicidal thoughts since I was about 14 and recently suffered some trauma and I am back living with my parents. Right now I just have a psychiatrist who I first started seeing at 14, but is more inclined towards children.

More to the point, though, my parents and Doctor are very sure that hospitalisation is the best option right now. It would be private, and I'd have the option of leaving at choice. I've been very reluctant but recently more open to the idea.
Have people had positive experiences in such a situation? I've only earn bad which has really turned me off, and maybe some good experiences could help just say "yes" to it.

I hope this is all the right place, and I've done the right things! I would like to use these boards for some socialisation and maybe make some friends!
I hope I remember to check back later on when I wake up...
Thank you all for reading! (And hopefully responding!) 🙂

[MarkJT]

Hey Subarbiea, welcome to the forums and it is pretty easy how all of this works. You post and we create a conversation where we help guide you through your journey and you help us through our journies. It is a stigma free zone and you are part of a very caring community.

I was hospitalised (private) in February 2013 for PTSD, depression and anxiety. For me it was the best thing to do and in hindsight, it was the best thing to do.

I had a really good experience (as far as being in a psych hospital can be!!). Very caring Nurses and psychs. Had the time to just worry about me and when you are in a place that is quite dark, pitch black for me actually, it was great that i could do that. Nothing else to worry about except me.

They also had three hour long courses per day teaching various things to help you recover which was very well ran.

Personally speaking, I have no issue going back in if need be. I don't see it as any different if you were physically sick, you go to hospital. If your Doctor is recommending it, it would seem to make sense, he/she is the expert in these matters.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to post back. More than happy to answer and help guide you through your journey as best I can.

Mark.

[Just Sara]

Hi and welcome Subarbiea;

You posted quite early this morning it seems. I'm sorry no-one has gotten back to you before now, but here I am and ready to help you out.

It's been a few years of distress for you hasn't it. I'm sorry to hear this as you're so young and lovely. (By your pic) To first answer your inquiry about private hospital, I haven't experienced this myself, but a friend did. She stayed for a few weeks before feeling able to get back into daily life.

The staff were lovely and treated her with respect and dignity, which on the face of it is really important. She had regular visits by her psychiatrist, and enjoyed the break from life stresses. For her it was the peace and quiet, but as an older woman, her needs were probably different to yours.

I'm not sure if you're engaging in self harm practices now or if it's in the past. So your treatment plan will reflect this. What is it you want to achieve thru hospitalization?

There are sections on this site that may be of interest to you called 'Young People', 'Anxiety', 'BB Social Zone', 'Staying Well' and 'Suicide and Self-Harm'. You're welcome to cruise the threads and posts to read or contribute, and maybe find some social contact as well. There are Youth Champions to help find your feet so to speak, they're great peers for young people.

Also, at the bottom of the page (with blue background) are links to information you might find interesting and helpful. The Helpline is open 24/7 for real time talking, as posting and waiting for a reply can be cumbersome and test your patience as you've found out.

It's really brave of you to talk about your life, so pat yourself on the back ok? Don't forget this is a non judgmental place with very caring and understanding people to share your pent up feelings with. We want nothing more than to assist you with your recovery to enhance your life for the better.

One thing BB offers, is a place to 'vent'; to purge yourself of old and unwanted thoughts, memories or regrets for instance. Getting things 'out' is necessary to make room for the good stuff. So take advantage of your anonymity to talk your head off! We'll hear you...

All my best...

Sara (Hugs)

[MsPurple]

Hi subarbiea

Welcome to the forums. You have come to the right place to ask any mental health question and to get support from like people.

I have never been in a physiatrics hospital before however I thought I should answer this post anyways. I have worked at one for one of my placements (public) and most of the people there seemed to not hate the place (no one likes being in a hospital in general). The staff treated them with respect and they got adequate care. I know private and public are different but they still look after you and your needs.

When you say your have heard bad things I know this can make it more scary and it can make you more hesitant to go but let me tell you something. If you go to a restaurant and you get the best service you thank the staff, go home and don't think twice about it. If you go to a restaurant and you get the worst service, rude staff, wrong order, the foods cold you are going to remember it and call them out. Most people on the internet don't leave reviews for restaurants that do a great job, they seem to leave a review if it was a really bad experience. It could be the same for this situation. Some people might not want to share they were an inpatient with a good experience so they choose not too. If someone has a bad experience they are more likely to tell youtube or google search. So the number of people that liked it might be actually quite hight, but the feedback might be lower due to only people unhappy leaving feed back. Does this make sense? I just have learnt to not always trust reviews as they aren't always accurate.

Some facilities will let you have look around before going in. Is this a possible option? Maybe even looking at brochures might help. I also agree with Mark, that if I have a broken foot and the doctor recommends I go to hospital for surgery I would. The same should apply for our mental health, however the stigma and fear around it is still there unfortunately.

Hope some of this advice has helped. Please keep us updated

[Monkeynuts]

Hi Subarbiea,

I can relate to what you are going through! My psychiatrist recommended to me several times that I should be hospitalized and I resisted, till finally I said yes as I was so tired and felt like I needed something to change in my life.

I spent 3 weeks in a private facility. It actually changed my life - I know people say that all the time but it really was the start of my recovery and I will tell you why.

Firstly, the best part is I got to see my psych every day. This is the best. It means that you can monitor your emotions and medications together very carefully and make changes as required without having to wait the normal 2-6 weeks.

Secondly, you are in a safe environment. Do you need someone to talk to right now? Are you feeling unsafe? There was a nurse there for me at the call of a button 24 hours a day who was specially trained in mental health that I could talk or cry with if it all felt too much whenever I needed it. The nurses were life savers - highly switched on, well trained and so caring.

Thirdly, as I became better, I was introduced to the day patient program. After I left the hospital, I went to the day program once a week (which was all covered by my health insurance) and completed a 40 week course of Dialectics Behavior Therapy. It was run by psychologists who taught life skills of distress management, interpersonal skills, and I met some of my best friends there, all who have been touched by mental illness like me. I have Bipolar and Anxiety.

It wasn't the scary place I thought it would be, most people are very quiet, especially in a private hospital. The worst part was the food!

Your experience may not be the same, but don't be put off by what you see in the movies (that's what everyone thinks!)

I hope this help you and feel free to ask anymore questions if you need.

Best of luck xo

[geoff]

hello Subarbiea, thanks for posting your comment and welcome to the site.
I too was put in a private hospital with 2 floors, the bottom was for alcoholics and drug users, while the top floor was for people with depression of any type.
I was in the depression section where I attached myself to 2 other people who just clicked with me as they too were suffering from their own type of depression.
The meals were excellent 3 times a day, and each day there was some sort of counseling in a group of 6 or so people, and the 3 of us were always together, and actually after one session we were all in hysterics, laughing so much, but after the session we fell straight back down.
I have no complaints at all as I was in for 2 weeks, no phones, no door knocks and no one to annoy us, but visitors were welcome.
I suppose it depends on which state you are in, what particular hospital you could be admitted to, which we won't know because that's against the rules of the site, but if you can leave anytime you want to then it's well worth going.
Have you thought about changing your psych or are they still willing to treat you. Geoff. x

[White_Rose]

Hello Subarbiea

Choosing to go to hospital is always a bit different to being rushed off in an ambulance no matter what is wrong with you. I spent a week in a private hospital about 15 years ago. I had a private room, helpful staff and most of all a place where I could be cared for. Every morning there was a therapy group and various other activities during the day. A week isn't long but for me it was great. I chose to go because I was having difficulty coping.

A couple of years ago my GP suggested another stay in hospital and after initially refusing I agreed. Same hospital but what a difference. The building had been enlarged to make more beds available. When I arrive I was appalled. People rushing here and there, no one with time to show me to my room, given paperwork to complete while I sat in hall. Then I was eventually shown my bed about two hours later. I won't call it a room. I think originally it had been a private room and now turned into two cubicles separated by a curtain. No privacy, door kept open.

I phoned my daughter who came and fetched me immediately. She was also appalled and said I would not have coped had I stayed. It seems to me that money was more important that a good place for people with a mental illness to recover. It was a shock to see the difference. I suggest you either visit the hospital first or have a good look round when you arrive to decide if you feel comfortable.

These are my two experiences of the same hospital. As Geoff said, we cannot give the names of hospitals and in any case hospitals can change from great to horrible or vice versa. My thoughts on this is go and see first if you can, look around when you arrive. You can leave any time you wish.

I think this kind of difference is the same with ordinary private hospitals. When they are good they are very, very good, but when they are bad they are horrid.

Mary