1) Start each day with an early shower. When I was in the hospital, they woke us up for coffee at six. I would immediately drag my body out of bed, request two towels and take the first shower of the day. When I was depressed, I detested showers. And hospital showers are even worse: a) for lack of privacy and b) because the shower turns off every thirty seconds and you practically have to do a dance to get it working again. But it makes you feel cleaner, saner and more prepared to handle the day ahead of you.
2) Attend what groups you can. I particularly liked goal group- where everyone stated a goal they would like to achieve that day. Many people’s goals were “to find a place to go after I’m discharged” or “to get off status”. “Status” is when you are under constant 24/7 surveillance. And yes that counts when you have to use the bathroom. The staff and the treatment team like to see you making an effort so if you attend the groups it might even help you get discharged sooner.
3) Be honest with your treatment team. Your treatment team will involve your assigned psychiatrist, a social worker, and maybe two students doing a residency. Telling the truth can sometimes be embarrassing. One of the symptoms of mania is hypersexuality so when a very attractive patient showed up on the ward, I had to tell four people that I was sexually fantasizing about this guy even though I had an equally attractive boyfriend. God bless confidentiality.
4) Practice basic phone courtesy. If a phone is ringing and it is not for you, do not hang up the phone. Instead, go find the patient the call was intended for. If it is for you, don’t not stay on for a long time especially if there is a line to the phone or another patient really needs to use it. At the hospital I was at, staff members are not permitted to answer the phone. So if it is ringing incessantly just pick it up. It might be for you!
5) It is healthy to socialize with the other patients. It’s not good to be in your bed all day. You may not want to hear this, but they probably have a lot in common with you. So if you see a game of Monopoly or Scattergories coming up, approach the group and ask (with a smile) if you can play. Warning: some players blatantly cheat at Monopoly.
6) Take advantage of any opportunity to go outside. At the hospital I was at, we got to go out in the courtyard 45 minutes a day if we had enough staff. We didn’t always have enough staff. But the sunshine, tossing the football around, even lounging underneath a tree are all connections to the outside world. I would stare at the sky and know that I was getting better and one day I would be able to enjoy it: without walls.
7) Primary activities to do in a psych ward: journaling and reading. A mental hospital is the perfect place for introspection (especially after a meeting with your treatment team), and people watching. You meet some very colorful characters in mental hospitals. Reading is another almost essential pastime. The library most hospitals provide usually doesn’t have a very diverse or well stocked library but if you have visitors from the “outside” maybe they could bring a few (they might not allow magazines because of staples).
8) Being in a mental hospital is no reason to let yourself go. Shower every day (or every other day, if every day is just too difficult). Don’t walk around in your pajamas. You can be comfy but try not to look like a slob. My parents were nice enough to do my laundry for me but for those who aren’t as lucky most units have a washer and a dryer you can sign up to use.
9) Try your hand at something you wouldn’t normally do. In my case, it was crossword puzzles. Of course, I was abysmal at them and I gave them up as soon as I left the hospital but it was a welcome (and tricky) distraction. And the most frustrating part was that I couldn’t even google the answers.
10) The staff is not your enemy. At first, I thought the staff was kind of harsh. But they have to be that way. By my sixth round in the pen, I was familiar with the staff and they knew I was pretty stable and didn’t cause trouble. A fellow patient hated the staff with a passion. I think she alone was responsible for five Code Reds and instead of taking responsibility, she blamed them every time. The reality is that the staff is not out to get you. In fact, most of them chose this profession because they care and they want nothing more than for you to heal and recover.
A mental hospital seems scary but it is a place where I got better. It is a place where many people get better. It is a place you can get better too.
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