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A thread: mental health inpatient settings in the U.K.
This is mostly going to be from my own experience.
I want everyone to know what it’s like to be inpatient in the U.K.
This is mostly going to be from my own experience.
I want everyone to know what it’s like to be inpatient in the U.K.
I am putting a trigger warning here for some topics:
• Mention self harm
• Mention of suicide
• Mention self harm
• Mention of suicide
I am angry. After being in hospital 4 times this year, and 3 times in the last month I have found that inpatient settings are failing patients.
You can be discharged for not having any SH/SA (suicide attempt) incidents because you’re apparently “fine” and not unwell. but you can also be discharged if you have SH/SA incidents because it shows “hospital is increasing your risk and is not helping you...
...as you are still doing the behaviours you were doing when you’re not in hospital”. This does not make any sense whatsoever. You cannot win. You’re in hospital due to your risk level, yet you can also be discharged abruptly because of it.
No one should be labelled as “too high risk” for hospital admission. I have seen my friends in distress and forcefully discharged and physically forced out of the hospital doors. She suffered from bruising and scratches due to this.
I was told I’d be taught new coping strategies whilst being in here. I am left alone 95% of the time and haven’t been taught any of these so called “coping strategies”.
Another misconception is that people think you get therapy in here. YOU DON’T. Unless you are in a special unit (eg a personality disorder unit) you are not offered any therapy. I’ve been in hospiral for a total of 4 months this year and during the admissions...
I saw a psychologist once or not at all (mostly the latter).
I have had staff leave me to bleed out after bad SH incidents. I’ve been called attention seeking. I’ve been called childish for tying a ligature. I’ve been left alone when I’m most vulnerable and I am disgusted.
Of course I have met some amazing staff, who of which have saved my life. However, I have also met some staff who didn’t care about the patients or their care, who didn’t care whether someone lives or dies.
I want everyone to know that hospital is not the quick fix everyone thinks that it is.
Inpatient settings are extremely traumatic
As someone with severe CPTSD, inpatient settings did not help that whatsoever, but I was too unsafe in the community so there was nothing I could do.
Inpatient settings are extremely traumatic
As someone with severe CPTSD, inpatient settings did not help that whatsoever, but I was too unsafe in the community so there was nothing I could do.
I know of many people who have come out of hospital worse because of the things they witnessed and heard and the trauma they experienced during hospital stays.
Hospitals are not therapeutic. 4/5 wards I have been on had no structure to the day, and had no groups. You are left on your own 95% of the time. Professionals preach about how structure in your day can help you, yet they don’t even provide that in hospital. How can you recover?
Psychiatrists in inpatient settings want you in and out as soon as possible. They want to keep the admission short (which I understand) but what can really change in a few days? Many people (like myself) suffer from chronic suicidal thoughts and a few days...
...”crisis” inpatient admission isn’t going to cut it. The support isn’t in the community either. When you are discharged you usually get a week of crisis team, and then that’s it. That is NOT enough. Sometimes you don’t even get that.
I am so angry at the system. It has failed so many of us over and over. I understand why so many people are dying in inpatient settings, but also out in the community.
I understand that many people will not agree with me and I understand everyone’s experiences differ, however I am speaking on behalf of the majority. The system doesn’t care if you’re suicidal. It cares more if you’re homicidal.
Mental health professionals care more if you’re a risk to others than if you’re a risk to yourself.
I know some people have had amazing inpatient experiences. My first one saved my life. My last 3 have made me realise they don’t care about my life. It’s all about the money, not life.
I am being discharged tomorrow in the same state I came in in. Miserable. Very suicidal. Anxious. And many more things. I bet I will be back in hospital within a month. I only managed to stay out of hospital for 2 weeks last time, and nothing’s changed this time so..
... the cycle will continue on and on and on until I eventually end up in a really bad way, or dead. That is the harsh truth about it.
I know this was a super long thread but thank you for reading if you made it this far!
