What to expect at the psychiatric ward...

The patients

Today, I was awoken by two girls screaming at each other because of some dumb reason and I can assure you that this didn't happen often (at least in my 3 hospital stays). It's not like in the movies with crazies talking about and doing weird shit; of course some at some times when some people talk you can't understand what they're trying to get across because of their "illness" (I still hate the fact that this word is used in some cases). But none of them were mean or all that dangerous; they were usually more dangerous for the medical team or themselves. Actually the people I've met at the hospital are some of the kindest and most accepting people I've ever come across; probably because they've never been themselves accepted by society. With them I've felt the most myself ever because of this reason and I've made some very good friends with whom I still meet up to this day. So don't be afraid of the patients if you're considering going to the hospital; however my experiences don't reflect every experience ever so it could be different for you.

The place

I live in a very fortunate country but the unit and infrastructures were still not that great: pretty old, wet floors in bathrooms, incandescent bedside lights (almost burned the whole building down once), sticky floors and poor lighting. What I mean is you should not expect a fucking hotel (unless you go to a private or semi-private hospital). They will put out games and whatever they can to make your stay agreeable but the hospital sometimes just lacks budget; it was the case for my hospital in a pretty rich country! Stay positive and accepting of the place and team when something gets dirty or broken; sometimes there is nothing they can do or they have no time to do it. If something's dirty or sticky and it bothers you, just clean it yourself! It'll make everyone feel better and you can't admit that you don't have the time!

The (medical) team

My first time at the hospital I hated everyone that worked there; I hated how things worked, I hated that I felt they were always on break when I needed them, I hated the way they solved problems, I hated everything they did... But I wasn't being cooperative. The second time I was in the same unit, I had let go of control and was very cooperative; I wanted their help this time around. So, suddenly everything seemed less annoying; I guess I began to put myself in their shoes and stopped being such a fucking princess. I'm not saying they were perfect, far from that! But when I was cooperative and tried to understand things, they didn't seem all that bad. However, I have to warn you that you shouldn't expect too much; there are a lot of patients and things to do and your requests or questions may take a while to be answered. And honestly some members of the team are just incapable of their job and that's simply the way it is in most industries. So, try to be patient and don't hesitate to ask something again if it hasn't been done or answered.

In conclusion

It isn't a fucking hotel so you will be disappointed with some things, may it be the staff or the infrastructures. There will be days where everything is a bit crazy and the team won't have much time. There will be moments when you'll go to them because you're feeling bad and they'll just give you another pill. There will be a bunch of upsetting things but don't forget you're there to take care of yourself and the fastest way out is to cooperate.

I hope this blog can help you out or reassure you a bit about your upcoming stay at a mental hospital. Stay tuned for my next blog!