# I've been admitted to psychiatric wards in Virginia about 20 times in 18 years: AMA **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 6, 2025, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-admitted-to-psychiatric-wards-in-virginia-about-20-times-in-18-years-ama/1024638 "2025-11-06T19:40:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2025, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-admitted-to-psychiatric-wards-in-virginia-about-20-times-in-18-years-ama/1024638/21 "2025-11-10T16:17:33Z")
I’m curious what sort of services they provide for your condition and what prompts you to check yourself into a facility. i.e: - Is it to prevent you from hurting yourself or others (I presume no because you don’t sound dangerous or suicidal, but thought I’d ask)? - Is it more a sort of “safe space” (for lack of a better term) to get away from environments that trigger your condition? - You mentioned therapy and peer groups. Is this something you can/do participate in outside of hospital stays? ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2025, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-admitted-to-psychiatric-wards-in-virginia-about-20-times-in-18-years-ama/1024638/22 "2025-11-10T16:24:16Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > Did you often see the same people (care team or other patients) while you were in? Did you make friends? At no point did I ever see the same patients at multiple hospitals. I didn’t make any friends that lasted beyond the stay. H. was enough of a friend in Danville that I had him co-sign the Christmas card I sent home to Mom and Ellie, and I gave him my phone number, but he never called me. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2025, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-admitted-to-psychiatric-wards-in-virginia-about-20-times-in-18-years-ama/1024638/23 "2025-11-10T16:28:05Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > I’m curious what sort of services they provide for your condition and what prompts you to check yourself into a facility. i.e: > > - Is it to prevent you from hurting yourself or others (I presume no because you don’t sound dangerous or suicidal, but thought I’d ask)? > - Is it more a sort of “safe space” (for lack of a better term) to get away from environments that trigger your condition? > - You mentioned therapy and peer groups. Is this something you can/do participate in outside of hospital stays? I definitely needed help in several instances to avoid hurting myself or others. I am a suicide attempt survivor, and I also threw my cat during my very first nervous breakdown, moments before I had a seizure. I yelled at my mother and sister on several occasions right before I was hospitalized. Never got violent with them, though, except an instance where I vehemently pushed a Bible onto my sister’s chest and looked up at the sky as if to say, “Believe.” Because I was hearing voices. I was able to use the environment as a safe space to avoid triggers, yes. They were also able to prevent me from hurting myself. I have, in the past, had peer groups at the CSB but aren’t currently doing any. I _am_ getting therapy. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2025, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-admitted-to-psychiatric-wards-in-virginia-about-20-times-in-18-years-ama/1024638/24 "2025-11-10T16:36:29Z")
:: waves at **ekedolphin** :: I prefer to remain untreated, having dipped my toe into the psychiatric treatment pond a couple times and found it very much not to my liking, but I’m glad it is proving productive and therapeutic for you. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2025, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-admitted-to-psychiatric-wards-in-virginia-about-20-times-in-18-years-ama/1024638/25 "2025-11-10T16:49:19Z")
Thanks for doing this. I’m curious as to what the suicide prevention hotline person says to the caller. I assume the first ensure that you are not actively suicidal, and then probably ask if you have a plan in place to carry it out. Beyond that, though, how do the conversations typically go? mmm ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2025, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-admitted-to-psychiatric-wards-in-virginia-about-20-times-in-18-years-ama/1024638/26 "2025-11-10T16:58:19Z")
I start out by telling them my situation, and yes, they do express concern and ask me if I’m feeling suicidal. Presumably they would ask me if I have a plan in place to carry it out if I ever said yes. I never have. There’s an understanding that if I feel suicidal, I immediately tell someone in the real world. They ask me what kind of support systems and coping skills I have, and remind me that I am loved and important. And sometimes they say if it’s as bad as it seems, I should go to the hospital. They also have Crisis Response Units available for dispatch. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-admitted-to-psychiatric-wards-in-virginia-about-20-times-in-18-years-ama/1024638.md?page=1)