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Under*Over
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Default Jan 05, 2019 at 11:52 AM
  #1
Ive been told that, because of the unpredictability of my illness, at some point in my life... hospitalization might be necessary.

This idea scares me. I dont ever want to go to a hospital because that feels like giving up control of my life. Im still partially reliant on my parents- and until I move out for good (soon) I feel that hospitalization would just mean admitting to the world that Im not ready for my own life- and that I need a caretaker or something.

So. My questions are. Is the hospital really that bad? What is a stay generally like? How long do schizoaffectives generally stay compared to other people with other mental illnesses- longer? What have your experiences been with how people have treated you AFTER hospitalization?
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Default Jan 06, 2019 at 05:58 PM
  #2
There will come a point where you will need to accept yourself. Being ill doesn't make you an inferior. Each experience in the hospital is different, and each person is different with unique experiences only to them. There is unpredictability with it in that sense.

My first hospitalization, I stayed for eight months. My second, I was court ordered to stay 72 hours after medical clearing. My third was two days.

Please don't think of hospitalization as an end all. It's too help you, not hurt nor hinder you. What do you feel is the best route for you: are you getting support in your everyday life, your job, school, family, friends? Are you undergoing counselling and medication management to help combat your symptoms? Are you taking care of you for you? Think about that.

If you're a threat to yourself or others, you will be court ordered to stay. I wouldn't worry about hospitalization if you're currently receiving adequate treatment.

But people in each of my hospital stays have been very caring towards me. I didn't have a good support team afterward, so things were rough after, but not everyone has that and each experience is unique.
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Default Jan 07, 2019 at 02:31 AM
  #3
hi i am schizoaffective and have been in the hospital a few times and it has really varied from 5 days to 5 weeks but usually about 2 weeks anymore. they give you coping strategies and adjust your meds, u have ppl to talk to if you need help, ie stress, hallucinations, support and such.
no one has to know you were in the hospital and usually they are ok with it and try to understand that you are just having a problem. If you want to talk let me know.
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Default Jan 14, 2019 at 08:48 PM
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I wouldn't say the hospital stays I've had were bad at all. I mean, the circumstances that brought me there were not good, per se. But that was what I needed in both instances: assistance with daily medicine adherence, a place where I could get stable, support if I needed it, etc. I hope you find the support you're looking for.
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Default Jan 20, 2019 at 06:27 AM
  #5
My hospital stay connected me with a great psychiatrist, case manager, and treatment plan. I wasn't stable when I left the hospital but I became stable with the right med and treatment program. I appreciate the hospital but I can understand not wanting to go.

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Default Jan 27, 2019 at 11:19 PM
  #6
I don’t know what it is like with your particular disorder, but I was sectioned once for four days and I can tell you what that was like. My mental health problems started almost 7 years ago when I had a very severe, and very public panic attack. I had to be forcibly sedated. I woke up the next morning in the unit. People were generally nice to me, I talked to several therapists and a psychiatrist who was less nice. Mostly I was bored, and I slept a lot. I honestly don’t remember a lot of it because I think I have blocked a lot of it out. More out of embarrassment than anything.

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Default Feb 04, 2019 at 05:32 PM
  #7
When I first had a psychotic break (that I could classify as - I've had a bunch of paranoia episodes and hallucinations through my life) I was in the hospital for 10 days. They diagnosed me as bipolar and polysubstance abuser. The stay was a comfort to me because I was so scared - also it put a name and a reason for my breaks and all that goes with them. In felt that I could possibly get a little better knowing what I was fighting against.

I have had about 5 more hospitalizations, none of which lasted more than a week. One stay I got paranoid and starting yelling a nurse/worker/whatever. They restrained me and gave me the option to take haldol on my own or they would inject me. That only made me more scared.

The last time I was in the hospital it was the date we were supposed to get married. We ended up later just going to the justice of the peace with our parents.

One time I just signed myself out and had to fill out an against medical advice form.

The wing was locked down. They had group all day long. The highlights of the day were the meals. It used to be cigarette breaks, but eventually stopped letting us smoke.

It was different every time dependent on how bad off I was.

Later I found out that I had been misdiagnosed and was in fact Schizoaffective.
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Default Mar 07, 2019 at 08:25 PM
  #8
I have been hospitalized more than a dozen times and once I was abused but there were also hospitals that were exactly what I needed at the time, being suicidal and psychotic. Just make sure the hospital you are going to is a good one and not a place where people can get away with awful things.

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Default Apr 11, 2019 at 11:32 AM
  #9
When I was there, I wouldn't say it was "bad". No one did anything malicious or anything. It was mostly just extremely boring, like basically staring at the walls for days on end kind of boring. So yeah, it was bad, just not in the way that it's commonly portrayed in movies/shows.

Some of the patients who were there earlier told a story about how there was a guy who lost it in the day room over a chess game that he lost, started flipping over tables, just going utterly berserk. And tried to attack one of the patients. But I wasn't there when that happened.
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Default May 27, 2019 at 05:11 PM
  #10
I've been hospitalized a few times and I'm thankful for those experiences. I've been hallucination and delusion free for over 4 years and that would not have been possible without those hospitalizations which gave a safe environment for us to find the right combination of meds for me. I have a really amazing life now and most of my experiences inside were okay. Most people are nice in there (the patients and nurses). Different ones focus on different things. Some have a lot of group and individual therapy while other's it's more free time. They usually have outside or recreation times and art or music therapy every week. There was chapel available on Sundays. I don't smoke but I kept a separate sweatshirt I would use to go out on smoke breaks so I could get outside a little. Some places have delicious food and some have pretty yucky stuff, but it's tolerable. There are usually snacks available throughout the day since so many people need to take meds with food at different times. It was hard being mostly cut off from people (although there were weekly visiting times). I came away with some crazy stories. I even miss it occasionally because although my life is really good now, there is something nice about not being responsible for things, just following a routine and going where asked. The people who knew I went in were really understanding. Other people didn't look at me differently (even though sometimes it felt like I should have been wearing a sign that said "Hey I'm Schizophrenic". Most people are really so focused on themselves and how they are feeling that they don't generally care or pay that much attention to other people's lives.

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Default May 29, 2019 at 12:15 PM
  #11
I've been hospitalized multiple times. I've also been told that it's very likely it could be something that could happen again so I should be prepared for that.

I've learned to look at hospitalization as just a part of keeping myself well. It's not a guarantee that I'll ever need to go back, but I'm grateful it's there if I need the help in a crisis. It has helped me to get back on my feet before and hook me up with the services I needed to stay as independent as possible honestly. Maybe you could even do a Wellness Recovery Action Plan or something like that stating what you will and won't allow if you're ever hospitalized. That may help you feel like you still have some control in case of a mental health crisis.

In my experience the hospital really wasn't that bad. Some of my stays made me angry but not because of my treatment in the hospital. I was angry for just having to deal with mental illness, but I'm learning to accept it and deal as best I can. Honestly, though, most of my stays were quite pleasant now that I look back on it. Yeah, it wasn't ideal. However, I'm grateful I had a safe space to get help, get meds adjusted, and get the treatment I needed.

Every time I was hospitalized I had to stay for a mandatory period of 72 hours (if I remember correctly). That was to make sure I wasn't a danger and o monitor my illness. I got my meds adjusted, talked to doctors about my symptoms, went to different groups, and I was generally well taken care of. The only thing I really hated was being probated.

My stays typically lasted about a week or two to get back to functioning well. I haven't been in the hospital in almost four years though so I've made some great progress. The last stay was two weeks. One or two weeks seemed about average for myself and the other people I was with. But I think it just depends on the individual and what's best for them.

People have been okay with me after hospitalization. My friends who were true friends were really supportive. My family was okay though we're not very close. I've gotten some people who've been curious but never rude and their conversations are innocent enough questions. I've found most people to be pretty understanding. I've been much harder on myself than others have. Except for maybe my grandmother.
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Default May 29, 2019 at 12:25 PM
  #12
The comments reminded me!

1. Yes, it can actually be pretty boring lol. Lots of watching t.v. or reading. There were day activities and visits with doctors, case workers, etc. but mostly boring (especially on the weekends).

2. I was generally quiet and out of the way or stayed in my room (and it annoyed me when the nurses tried to get me to talk or smile lol...I was SO not in the mood most of the time). There could be some minor disruption if other patients were having a hard time or got violent. However, there was always some on staff to take care of that (admittedly I was on of those people...tried to break a door down with a chair. Yeah...I was having a rough time that stay.) But honestly, mostly boring.

3. There were a couple of times when I didn't want to be discharged. I wasn't ready to have to deal with the world again. I got care and support in the hospital. I could get away from the world for a little bit and that was incredibly healing.

So, all to say that for me hospital stays really weren't that bad in and of themselves. I got the care I needed. I'm grateful that they were there in crisis.
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