hospitalisation

[Valerie_]

hi, i have some questions about hospitalisation and related things as an adolescent. this is all based in tasmania.

for example, if i were to go into a hospital, tell them that i have suicidal thoughts (no plan to act on them) in general and are worsened due to a new medication, would they do anything? would i be put in the hospital, inpatient, something else? or if i told them i'm struggling with an eating disorder, what are they going to do to help me?

if anyone could tell me, that would be wonderful.

[Sophie_M]

Hi Valerie_

Thank you for your post here today and welcome to the Forums!

It's really important to speak about thoughts of suicide when they arise. Due to privacy laws, this information remains confidential. Your health care provider cannot tell anyone anything you tell them, however, they do have a duty of care if someone states they are at imminent risk of suicide. If you are not in any immediate danger, this does not fall into this category - thinking about suicide and actually having a plan to do something are two different issues.

These are really good questions. Is there anyone in your life that you are able to talk to about what you are experiencing? It might be worthwhile speaking to a trusted adult, or to your GP or other health professional if you can. They are best placed to answer your questions and provide some support around what might be helpful.

If you feel unable to keep yourself from acting on your thoughts about self-harm, this is an emergency, and you need to call 000 (triple zero). If you do not need immediate support, we’d suggest reaching out to Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800). Kids Helpline offers free phone counselling services 24/7 or you could also contact that via email or webchat through their website: https://kidshelpline.com.au/

Here are some resources that we hope can be helpful, too:

• ReachOut has a bunch of information around experiencing suicidal thoughts, including safety planning strategies
• The Royal Children's Hospital has a great information page on mental health for adolescents, including what happens if a hospital stay is needed. 

Thank you once again for sharing here today. We hope you find this to be a supportive and welcoming community 💙

Kind regards 
Sophie M