# How to get in a mental institution



## MobiusX (Jul 27, 2010)

What are the steps required for someone to get admitted into a mental institution? Would DP/DR combined with social anxiety and a little depression be enough? I'm not suicidal. I just want to go there to experience how it is. I want to put myself in a position where I would be able to see for myself others who might be in a similar situation as I am or even worse. Even worse would help give me more hope. Reading about it just isn't good enough for me. I want to experience it in person. It would give me something to do, something new. I would not be taking medication while I am there, plus the clinical psychologist who diagnosed me with DDNOS said that medication she would not recommend for my treatment. How much would it costs if I stay there for a week? Does every patient have to live there by the same rules? I'm not psychotic, never committed a crime so I won't harm anyone. Does a professional have to recommend me to go there in order to be admitted? Can I just volunteer myself? Just call them and be like, " Hi, I want to make a reservation for a room for a week." - lol.


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## dazed123 (Oct 22, 2011)

I doubt many people check themselves into a mental institution. In the majority of the cases Family or the authorities bring someone in because of erratic or harmful behavior. You might try getting a referral from your doctor?


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## austinsaliby (Sep 7, 2011)

You can check yourself in.. if you have insurance, you will pay barely anything. If you don't have insurance, well, good luck lol.


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## rightwrong99 (Apr 17, 2011)

MobiusX said:


> What are the steps required for someone to get admitted into a mental institution? Would DP/DR combined with social anxiety and a little depression be enough? I'm not suicidal. I just want to go there to experience how it is. I want to put myself in a position where I would be able to see for myself others who might be in a similar situation as I am or even worse. Even worse would help give me more hope. Reading about it just isn't good enough for me. I want to experience it in person. It would give me something to do, something new. I would not be taking medication while I am there, plus the clinical psychologist who diagnosed me with DDNOS said that medication she would not recommend for my treatment. How much would it costs if I stay there for a week? Does every patient have to live there by the same rules? I'm not psychotic, never committed a crime so I won't harm anyone. Does a professional have to recommend me to go there in order to be admitted? Can I just volunteer myself? Just call them and be like, " Hi, I want to make a reservation for a room for a week." - lol.


If you go to any hospital and say you feel unsafe and out of control theyll take you there, albeit involuntarily.


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## Visual (Oct 13, 2010)

*Does a professional have to recommend me to go there in order to be admitted?*

In you are not is a serious bad state (suicidal, homicidal, &#8230 then most places won't check you in. Unless you have insurance, you have to pay a lot. If you are poor, then you may qualify for Medicaid.

*I want to put myself in a position where I would be able to see for myself others who might be in a similar situation as I am or even worse*

Most people are in an 'out-patient' situation. You could check for support groups that have meetings. The doc who diagnosed you should also be able to direct you to places.


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## derkdiggler (Oct 19, 2011)

tell them your gonna kill yourself and youll be well on your way to to the institution, good luck with it


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## Guest (Oct 24, 2011)

MobiusX said:


> What are the steps required for someone to get admitted into a mental institution? Would DP/DR combined with social anxiety and a little depression be enough? I'm not suicidal. I just want to go there to experience how it is. I want to put myself in a position where I would be able to see for myself others who might be in a similar situation as I am or even worse. Even worse would help give me more hope. Reading about it just isn't good enough for me. I want to experience it in person. It would give me something to do, something new. I would not be taking medication while I am there, plus the clinical psychologist who diagnosed me with DDNOS said that medication she would not recommend for my treatment. How much would it costs if I stay there for a week? Does every patient have to live there by the same rules? I'm not psychotic, never committed a crime so I won't harm anyone. Does a professional have to recommend me to go there in order to be admitted? Can I just volunteer myself? Just call them and be like, " Hi, I want to make a reservation for a room for a week." - lol.


Mobius,
There are really no "mental institutions" anymore. And as noted here, to get hospitalized you need to be a clear danger to self or others. But because our mental health system is SO broken there are not enough beds or help for the sickest individuals. And those with priority can't even get a bed.
Top illnesses: schizophrenia, schizoaffective, bipolar, severe clinical depression, post-partum depression.

Also, private facilities are extremely expensive, and again would require similar criteria.

*Also, a doctor, a law enforcement official, or a loved one would have to prove you are a danger to self or others. * You can't just say "I'm going to kill myself." And the first place you would go is an ER and a locked ward in a hospital, then be assessed for further care. Long term care outside a hospital sometimes requires going to court.

There is no help for the sickest people with brain disorders, and even if they are able to get help, even in a decent hospital situation, the experience is horrible. Everyone is treated equally. You have little say in your activities and have a regular routine along with everyone else -- tailored in theory to your issues, but ....

If you happen to have a fortune, I suppose you could voluntarily commit yourself to a luxury facility. Many of these facilities have a waiting list, have strict criteria, and cost hundreds of dollars a day (just for the room!). Many are also not covered by insurance at all. Severely mentally ill individuals also usually cap out health insurance at this level in one month. ONE MONTH is a lifetime cap on in hospital treatment for the sickest. Many insurance policies have little or no mental health coverage at all.

Sadly I have two family members who are seriously ill. The father of one, (a 17 and schizophrenic), has fought over 2 years to get his son proper treatment. Though the child is unable to attend school, hallucinating, not taking his medication, afraid of his family, hearing voices, and worst threatening and attempting suicide (they have removed the knives and belts in the house) and his siblings are terrified ... or attacking his parents or siblings, they have been unable to place him in overcrowded hopsital psych wards, and some of the nicer facilities won't take him as he is too combative, and there are individuals in these facilities sicker than he is.

My cousin said, "WTH am I supposed to do, chain my son in the basement?" And he has the money for a short term stay in a better facility ... and has applied OUT OF STATE as the few facilities in this State would either not accept him or were full.

You also have the right to live on the street. The 1960s changed the way we treat individuals with brain disorders. Access to treatment is difficult for EVERYONE, unless they are extremely wealthy.

And again, these places are not somewhere you would like to stay for more than about 3 hours -- and the goal is to "stabilize" you and release you ASAP -- which means you leave essentially as sick as you were when you came in.


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## Guest (Oct 24, 2011)

nycall21 said:


> If you go to any hospital and say you feel unsafe and out of control theyll take you there, albeit involuntarily.


Again, this is not true. There are no beds. The sad thing is in general you have to have attacked someone, bodily, have the police called to take you to a hospital, or you literally have to have already slashed your wrists.

Mental illness/brain disorders are at the bottom of the list in terms of treatment.

The usual events involving another cousin of mine with schioaffective. He was doing well on meds, but his mother died. He was living with her, and his entire world fell apart. He went off his medications, started drinking, destroyed the apartment they were living in and made it into a shrine for his mother. He spent thousands on lottery tickets, drugs, and hookers before his brother found out.

His friend tried numerous times to get him into the hospital. Frequently when they saw him, he wasn't combative and wouldn't let him in, or were overbooked. He is also on MediCaid which means you get the minimum treatment if any.

Finally, sadly, he attacked his friend with a baseball bat (or something similar), and his friend called the police and his friend filed a charge of assault. THE POLICE then took him to the ER where he was admitted to the hospital.

In terms of someone threatening or comitting suicide, *usually you have to be saved from already having attempted it in the hospital ER, then put on a psych ward.*

Danger to self or others must be so clear, or sadly a crime must be committed to warrant intervention, usually by law enforcement. As for suicide. You literally have to come in there with your wrists bleeding and losing pints of blood.

It is a horrible situation.

Both of my cousins have spent upwards of several weeks in a hospital PSYCH ward. To be institutionalized you have to be completely incapable of taking care of yourself. However again, we have no Mental Institutions in the US anymore. The largest "asylum" in the US is the LA County Jail, followed by the streets, followed by local jails, followed by death to the sick individual from exposure, poor medical care, or being attacked and killed.


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## rightwrong99 (Apr 17, 2011)

Dreamer* said:


> Again, this is not true. There are no beds. The sad thing is in general you have to have attacked someone, bodily, have the police called to take you to a hospital, or you literally have to have already slashed your wrists.
> 
> Mental illness/brain disorders are at the bottom of the list in terms of treatment.
> 
> ...


Then I suppose it depends what hospital you're going to. When I went to the ER in March all I had to say was that I was severely depressed and felt out of control of myself and unsafe and they Baker Acted me. Involuntary admission for up to 72 hours.


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## Visual (Oct 13, 2010)

nycall21 said:


> Then I suppose it depends what hospital you're going to. When I went to the ER in March all I had to say was that I was severely depressed and felt out of control of myself and unsafe and they Baker Acted me. Involuntary admission for up to 72 hours.


How did they treat you? Was it any help?


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## Guest (Oct 27, 2011)

nycall21 said:


> Then I suppose it depends what hospital you're going to. When I went to the ER in March all I had to say was that I was severely depressed and felt out of control of myself and unsafe and they Baker Acted me. Involuntary admission for up to 72 hours.


Varies by State. The Baker Act is for Florida. But you went to an ER? and then a psychiatrist had to have done an assessment on you and then placed you on a 72 hour hold IN THE HOSPITAL, on a locked ward. That is not a mental hospital (just wanted to be clear). But I believe if you go in voluntarily, you can leave voluntarily.

There are 72 hour holds, but the requirement for meeting the criteria is different all over. States, Counties, etc.
I live in Michigan and our Mental Health Laws are terrible.
Arizona Laws are awful and they have the most lenient gun laws -- the perfect storm Loughner shoots Congresswoman Gabby Giffords in the head; he has schizophrenia and had "fallen through the cracks" time and time again.

The system is not reliable.

And Visual asks a good question. How did they help? Did it help? The concern is sometimes your meds are taken away from you, or you are given meds that don't help. And the hold is 3 days unless they see you are very, very ill.

*Can you answer Visual's question? Sorry you had to go into the hospital.*

Here's The Baker Act. Many States have different laws on Mental Health commitment.

http://www.mhabroward.org/bakeract.html

"A receiving facility is the central reception point for
individuals who appear to need emergency mental
health care. The receiving facility must ensure that
persons receive needed services in the least restrictive
setting and in the least intrusive manner. Consequently,
receiving facilities must ensure that persons are not inappropriately
admitted to community or State hospitals.

Under the Baker Act, no one can be admitted to a State
hospital without first being screened by a community
mental health center or clinic which must certify that
State hospital admission is the most appropriate
placement for the individual."

The problem again is State facilities are not great. A hospital could be higher quality of care. But they can't keep you for long periods of time, unless you are seen to be danger to self and others.

Here in Michigan, I couldn't just go to a hospital and say I felt bad/suicidal. I would have to have a doctor be very serious about it. I would have to be assessed in an ER. At that time they determine the 72 hour hold. The problem however is, do you have insurance?, do you have medicaid?, does the hospital have the proper facilities for mental health? Not all hospitals do.

The laws these days are for patient rights. In the past (1900s) there were abuses of asylums/State Mental Institutions. In theory you could commit someone against their will who wasn't sick at all. The laws have gone completely the other way where you have a right to be mentally ill. Harm to self or harm to others has to be pretty well proven.

I'm not sure either, but I would think a 3 day stay in a hospital psych ward would cost about $2,000. Can you give us more details?

Thanks
D


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## baking_pineapple (Apr 27, 2011)

Lol, why do you think people become truly psychotic? Because they know that's the only way to get the help they need... society refuses to recognize the depth and severity of this silent disease unless the person acts it out upon themselves or others. It seems that's the only way "professionals" will take it seriously. Although this doesn't mean I think you should do such things; rather, it just shows how much responsibility there is for you figure this out for yourself... there's no system out there to rescue us, it's up to us to fight through this shit, alone... utterly and entirely alone. Quite the task isn't it? Find somebody to love, upon whom you can reveal the bareness of your humanity, and bank your entire life on that, use it to propell you through this trial... that's the only way out of this mess i can see. Good luck brother.


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## Guest (Oct 27, 2011)

baking_pineapple said:


> Lol, why do you think people become truly psychotic? Because they know that's the only way to get the help they need... society refuses to recognize the depth and severity of this silent disease unless the person acts it out upon themselves or others. It seems that's the only way "professionals" will take it seriously. Although this doesn't mean I think you should do such things; rather, it just shows how much responsibility there is for you figure this out for yourself... there's no system out there to rescue us, it's up to us to fight through this shit, alone... utterly and entirely alone. Quite the task isn't it? Find somebody to love, upon whom you can reveal the bareness of your humanity, and bank your entire life on that, use it to propell you through this trial... that's the only way out of this mess i can see. Good luck brother.


Hmmm. I have to beg to differ pineapple. Psychosis is a medical/neurological disorder. One does not "pretend" to be sick to get into a hospital. If you have seen/read or heard about STATE psychiatric facilities you would not wish to go into such a place. Understaffed, horrific living conditions, little one on one treatment at all. This was the reason Mental Hospitals/State Hospitals/Asylums were "emptied out" in the 1960s to the 1980s.

The seriously mentally ill (schizophrenia, bipolar, schizoaffective in particular) then had no where to go. There were no plans for transitional care.

The pendulum swung to a "freedom to be mentally ill." Many seriously mentally ill individuals are part of that movement. The DO NOT WANT help. They PREFER to live on the streets.

Those of us with anxiety, depression, DP/DR are "neurotic" and have insight into our illnesses. Individuals with psychosis can be highly functioning or not functioning at all.

The illness comes first, and because it is an illness of the brain it exhibits itself in BEHAVIOR, MOOD, COGNITION.

Alzheimer's is also a brain disorder, listed in the DSM as a mental illness. I saw my mother's personality change (she also became paranoid) as her dementia progressed. But it was Hell to get her help. She was combative. I had to have her placed on a locked hospital ward for two weeks as she had failed an entire neurological exam -- she didn't quite know who I was. That behavior was NOT her choice. And what she was doing at home -- starving, not paying bills, forgetting how to get home, not recognizing ME ... that is not a choice wherein someone is "acting" to get help.

This would be like saying someone with diabetes has destroyed his/her own pancreas to get insulin and attention from doctors. Say her "passing out and having seizures" will get her attention.

Unfortunately in the early days of medicine a seizure was misinterpreted as someone being possessed by the devil. These days, sometimes seizure activity is misdiagnosed as mental illness and vice versa.

No one CHOOSES to "act psychotic." I have seen it. 
And no one CHOOSES to spend time in a mental hospital. My mother was a psychiatrist. I have seen psych wards (and was on the one she was on where she walked naked to the Nurses station one night), I have seen jails, I have seen the inside of a State Hospital when I took a series of advanced psych courses at University. The last few people there were on Mars. They had little idea what was going on. Their families long gone. The facilities stark and cold.

And no one here has chosen to be DP, severely anxious, depressed, have OCD, cut themself.

Most people HIDE a mental illness out of shame. They DON'T get the treatment they need.
Many here do not want to go to a doctor to be "labeled" and so many here are sefl-diagnosed.

I'm not a great fan of the psychiatric profession. My faith rests in neurology, and holistic approaches involving lifestyle changes, medication where necessary, talk therapy, CBT, etc. And a good number of individuals need life-long custodial care. Friends of mine now have children who need this care and they are at a complete loss.

Do you really believe people choose to live on the streets? Have you seen individuals on the streets who are severely mentally ill? In this day and age, they have the "right to refuse treatment" -- that is how laws have changed. That is the current battle in Public Health right now. And it's one that makes me bang my head against a wall.


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## rightwrong99 (Apr 17, 2011)

And Visual asks a good question. How did they help? Did it help? The concern is sometimes your meds are taken away from you, or you are given meds that don't help. And the hold is 3 days unless they see you are very, very ill.

*Can you answer Visual's question? Sorry you had to go into the hospital.*

They "helped" by watching me for a couple days and making sure I was safe. Mostly though I got there and realized I wanted out of there ASAP. They started me on Paxil and I refused any benzos. In retrospect I should have probably been more honest about how much mental pain I was in and been given something stronger to knock me out. My anxiety and racing thoughts and fear were unbearable. But I pretended, as best as I could, to be ok because I wanted to leave and not be associated with "the crazy people." At the time I had no idea was DP/DR was.


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