I've been admitted to psychiatric wards in Virginia about 20 times in 18 years: AMA

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
21

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?
22

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.

23

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.

24

:: 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.

25

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

26

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.