-- Posted by Anonymous at 1:01 am on Sep. 9, 2008 I have to be anonymous coz this particular friend has an account on this board so I don't want her identifying me. Anyway, I have a friend who went to the doctor seeking help for her mental health. She was very suicidal ( several attempts e.t.c), very depression, self harming, paranoid, had eating issues (binging, purging e.t.c), insomniac, chronic feelings of emptiness e.t.c.e.t.c and she was assuming she'd get sent away with some anti-depressants and a referral to a shrink.And I'm sure she got all of that EVENTUALLY. But the doctor hospitalized her for two days, where she could be monitored and said she was a "hazard to herself" and all this. My friend is in New Zealand, but I'm curious to know what the general idea is on this in any country...Is this likely to happen? Has it happened to anyone else? I was really shocked. -- Posted by Alabamarama at 1:03 am on Sep. 9, 2008 If someone is expected to attempt suicide, then it's not a surprise if they keep them in the hospital. -- Posted by W o n d e r l a n d at 1:03 am on Sep. 9, 2008 Yes. If you are a danger to your self or others you will be hospitalised or refined untill the risk is gone -- Posted by Anonymous at 1:06 am on Sep. 9, 2008 Yeah but I mean what do they DO to that person in hospital when they're there. It's not like they're physically sick so bedrest and irriating nurses isn't going to help. Sorry if this sounds stupid, I'm just curious. I haven't been able to ask my friend coz she won't talk to anyone. -- Posted by W o n d e r l a n d at 1:08 am on Sep. 9, 2008 make sure they DONT kill them selves. monitor their medication doses Give them numerous people to talk to if they choose to talk to them If its a psychiatric unit they are sent to they will be with other people go to group therapy get weighed every day (if they have eating problems) 24hr support -- Posted by Anonymous at 1:10 am on Sep. 9, 2008 Gawd help my friend. She is TERRIFIED of hospitals, can't stand medication ( she freaked about taking birth control and just risks pregnancy, she will not take kindly to psych meds) and won't talk to anyone if they paid her. This will probably make her get worse. -- Posted by W o n d e r l a n d at 1:17 am on Sep. 9, 2008 If it does they will probally keep her longer unless she lyes her way out and even once discharged they have to go back for therapy (sometimes) Its there to help her Lets hope it does -- Posted by Anonymous at 1:22 am on Sep. 9, 2008 Thanks for these replies. They've been really really helpful. Please post anything else you might know anyone, coz I'm going to keep checking back here until I can talk to my friend again. Approx how long will she be there? 2 days was a guess, it was what she told me but she was guessing/ hoping. -- Posted by Pardon my French at 1:27 am on Sep. 9, 2008 It is just for monitoring. If she just sits there and watches tv or talks to the nurse then the only thing that will happen is a psych registrar will talk to her for a while, and at the end recommend a psychiatrist to have regular sessions with as necessary. They don't try to cure depression in hospitals, they are just keeping her safe right now. -- Posted by W o n d e r l a n d at 1:28 am on Sep. 9, 2008 depends how severe the docs think it is. If she is just in a general hospital then it will probally be short but psych units are usually longer 1 week+ some times months. One of my friends is in at the moment. She has been in 4 times. all for diffrent lengths of time. -- Posted by Pardon my French at 1:31 am on Sep. 9, 2008 Quote: from xsolox at 1:28 am on Sep. 9, 2008 depends how severe the docs think it is. If she is just in a general hospital then it will probally be short but psych units are usually longer 1 week+ some times months. One of my friends is in at the moment.   She has been in 4 times. all for diffrent lengths of time. She's most likely in the paediatrics ward of a general hospital, she'll get sent to the psych unit if she spazzes out and tries it again in front of a nurse. Hopefully your friend will want to put this episode behind her and deal with the original problems instead of the new problems that the old problems cause. -- Posted by reev at 1:59 am on Sep. 9, 2008 I was in a psychiatric hospital for 1 week. -- Posted by Scarlet Tears at 2:17 am on Sep. 9, 2008 I live in Australia And they'd probs do that aswel. All they would do is give her people to talk to and make sure she doesnt kill herself or cause severe damage to herself. -- Posted by Anonymous at 1:54 am on Sep. 10, 2008 Why the peadeactric ward? She's 18 -- Posted by Pardon my French at 5:12 am on Sep. 10, 2008 Quote: from Anonymous at 1:54 am on Sep. 10, 2008 Why the peadeactric ward? She's 18 I assumed she was under 18 because most people here are.