Things I wish I knew before I went Inpatient

In every facility you go to, you will get the good and the bad. Nurses who have the ability to change your life, as well as nurses who will make you question how they ever got their degree. You will come across medical professionals who are completely lacking in their knowledge of psychiatric conditions such as nutty professors who will compare your illness to a “crazy religion”. Depending on the illness and the type of clinicians treating you, it’s likely that no one will believe a word you say. Even if you are explicitly honest with your team, they will often believe in the stereotype associated with that illness.


If you’re medically unstable, you will be admitted to a medical ward. Depending on your age, you will be either in a pediatric ward or a general medical ward. Not all nurses will understand what you’re going through, and will make insensitive comments. Sadly, that’s the reality. In a general medical ward, it’s likely you’ll be surrounded by elderly people. You’ll see a lot of urine and faeces floating around, smell weird smells, hear strange noises and learn a lot of medical terminology. You will meet some of the nicest, sweetest people on the planet. You’ll learn the kindness of strangers who may go to the effort of inviting you into their bed when you’re upset to distract you and let you watch their TV or nurses who will make the time to braid your hair or draw cute doodles on your patient board.

On the other hand, there are psychiatric hospitals which you can to go for a range of reasons including the breach of a Community Treatment Order, if you’re deemed not safe enough to be at home or if you’re in crisis. These hospitals are nothing like the way they’re portrayed in Hollywood. They’re not a bunch of rooms with padded walls with patients in straight jackets, rocking back and forth. Imagine going on a school camp, except it’s with a bunch of strangers who are mentally ill.


In an adolescent unit, they try their best to keep a normal schooling routine. In my experience, school was split into two blocks going from 10am-12pm, breaking for lunch and then again from 1pm-2pm. The teachers try their best and are extremely understanding and won’t force you to work if you’re clearly distressed or just having a bad day. From the get go, you should try and socialise with other patients. As hard as it can be, it makes the day go a lot quicker and it helps to have someone you can complain too that understands. 

An adult unit is very different to adolescent; however this does depend on the unit itself. From my experience, its people from the ages of 18 to 70, clumped together in an uncomfortable setting with no groups, no therapy and minimal social interaction. If you like things clean, chances are you won’t get that here. Whether it’s a bedroom with specs of blood on the wall or the dining area covered in unrefrigerated milk, coffee sachets and raw sugar. However, units in more populated areas are usually more equipped with programs and skills to help treat patients. You can expect to have groups such as Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), nutrition groups, psychology groups, art therapy, meal planning, cooking groups, weekend debriefs, and a range of others depending on the unit and what it’s treating. Although, even in a specialised unit, you will come across clinician’s who have no idea how to treat your condition.

With each admission you will learn a little bit more about yourself. You’ll learn how to be compassionate, empathetic and understanding. You’ll learn how debilitating a mental illness can be to others around you. You will meet all sorts of people. People who make you laugh, people who make you cry and people who will inspire you to do more with your life. Chances are you’ll make friends you’ll have for the rest of your life.