In mental hospital voluntarily but they won't let me leave

[Septim]

Once they get you in they really really don't want you to leave. They haven't detained me but I'm facing constant delaying tactics or being ignored. Anyone else experienced this? Tell you what I'm never coming back here again.

 

[Deleted member 17949]

That doesn't sound voluntary. I'd be firm with them about what you understand your rights in this situation to be and express dissatisfaction with being kept there for a long time.

 

[Poptart]

I dont mean to laugh but you got me chuckling.

Voluntary is just involuntary with less paperwork.

Sorry you had to find out this way.

 

[deadgirlahsatan]

So sorry.

Hope u can get out soon.

 

[Isadeth]

The best you can hope for is following their rules and treatments to get the okay to leave in a day or two or tell them you want to leave in 72 hours. Those are pretty much your options. I'm sorry :( it sucks, I know.

 

[so tired or manic]

making a fuss about leaving is only going to get you to stay longer

 

[Moonomyth]

As I mentioned in your other thread on this subject, what you're describing is pretty normal. I'm surprised you have internet access at all, but every hospital is different in that regard.

If you've been in over the weekend, you should know that the processing period of deciding whether to let you go or not basically stops because all the courts stop for the weekend - even more so now that all of those decisions have to be done remotely thanks to the pandemic.

You're not going to be allowed to leave until they think you're not a liability risk to the physicians and the hospital. Agree to whatever treatments they want you to go through until you are out the door. You can stop or ignore them once you're out, but while you're in, play the game.

Look like you're making an effort to be functional; they're keeping tabs on if you're taking care to groom yourself and be out interacting with other humans or sleeping in your room all day.

If you haven't spoken with a client rights' officer, you should now do so. That information should be publicly available to you, or provided to you by a member of hospital staff. As I said in the last thread,

If you can get a family member or close friend to vouch for you from outside the hospital, you should do so. The more likely it is they think there will be somebody else responsible for your care when you leave the facility, the more likely they will believe you can be off their hands. Most hospitals are biased towards close family, and mothers in particular, so if you can get somebody to take that role, do so.

 

[Susannah]

As I mentioned in your other thread on this subject, what you're describing is pretty normal. I'm surprised you have internet access at all, but every hospital is different in that regard.

If you've been in over the weekend, you should know that the processing period of deciding whether to let you go or not basically stops because all the courts stop for the weekend - even more so now that all of those decisions have to be done remotely thanks to the pandemic.

You're not going to be allowed to leave until they think you're not a liability risk to the physicians and the hospital. Agree to whatever treatments they want you to go through until you are out the door. You can stop or ignore them once you're out, but while you're in, play the game.

Look like you're making an effort to be functional; they're keeping tabs on if you're taking care to groom yourself and be out interacting with other humans or sleeping in your room all day.

If you haven't spoken with a client rights' officer, you should now do so. That information should be publicly available to you, or provided to you by a member of hospital staff. As I said in the last thread,

If you can get a family member or close friend to vouch for you from outside the hospital, you should do so. The more likely it is they think there will be somebody else responsible for your care when you leave the facility, the more likely they will believe you can be off their hands. Most hospitals are biased towards close family, and mothers in particular, so if you can get somebody to take that role, do so.

Great answer. I'll add a few tips. The best way to convince your mother (or father) to "get you out" is to update them on your great progress, even though not true. They have the opportunity to vouch for you. Mine never did though. I got myself out after 3 weeks. I was told by other patients to file a complaint to a commission, who's job is to ensure legal certainty for patients in the psyc ward. This information should have been given me by the employes at the hospital, but they never did. I did get this meeting, with the "control commission" (Norway) 1 week after being commited. They consists of a lawyer, a doctor and two ordinary people. It felt like I was interviewing them, and then I explained how heart- broken I had been after a break-up, and I reminded them of how crushing this can be.

I threw my x's vacum cleaner out of the window when he came to pick it up. He got angry and told his mother (she works at this hospital). I told the story very calmly, and I shed a tear to let them se how sad I was for losing the love of my life, and how devastated it was to realize that he was a bad guy. Make your story short and convincing. Good luck.

 

[SuicidalSymphonies]

I signed myself in "voluntarily" because they made me seem like a criminal and I didn't even have a choice. Just like you, they tried to keep me in longer even though I could leave when I wanted.

Ignored me, forced me to stay. Some of the staff were sweet while some were just plain abusive and rude. The most suicidal I've ever been was when I was in there. I not only wanted to neck myself for my sake, but to bid the place farewell with spite. I'm usually not like that, but I was filled with rage.

I don't care what happens, I'm never getting sucked into that again. If it does happen, I will ctb asap.

Sending love your way. xx

 

[Reiraku]

Even if I might sound like some conspiracy theorist, my guess would be, that they do it because of the money. Mental hospitals aren't a charity, they get paid for each day someone stays there by the healthcare system.

 

[so tired or manic]

Even if I might sound like some conspiracy theorist, my guess would be, that they do it because of the money. Mental hospitals aren't a charity, they get paid for each day someone stays there by the healthcare system.

that would be valid if most mental hospitals you aren't waiting for beds to open up to get in

 

[moonchild]

Even if I might sound like some conspiracy theorist, my guess would be, that they do it because of the money. Mental hospitals aren't a charity, they get paid for each day someone stays there by the healthcare system.

In my experience, it seems like it's just easier for them to convince people to go in "voluntarily", than actually going through the proper process of getting someone sectioned against their will.

 

[Deleted member 19276]

Yeah, same thing went on with my stay in the mental hospital.
They kept acting busy and wouldn't answer my question when I can leave.
Another patient there, he was a voluntary and nobody from the staff would answer him when he could leave.
That is pure BS behaviour on their end to be honest. Those so called mental health workers.
What sucks is that the fear of the unknown is enough to lead a person to further insanity during their stay.
Honestly, those places are worse than a prison.
They are not meant to help anybody, they are mainly there to protect pro lifers from the "evil suicidal people", lol
The sooner you get out, the better. Yes, get out and never look back at it!
Wishing you luck and hopefully you get your freedom returned to you soon.

 

[Life_and_Death]

im thinking about going in voluntarily, but havent quite decided yet. however i have someone on the outside and i plan on getting the cops involved if they try to keep me because at that point it would be kidnapping or something where i voluntarily went in and now they are keeping me against my will. hospital or not they arent allowed to do that unless im being violent towards myself or others. of course i plan on calling ahead of time and asking what the rules are for this place as far as visiting and stuff goes.

 

[Moonomyth]

In my experience, it seems like it's just easier for them to convince people to go in "voluntarily", than actually going through the proper process of getting someone sectioned against their will.

At least in the US, there's also the fact that an involuntary commitment can appear on background checks where a voluntary or a "voluntary" one does not. This can affect your ability to perform number of actions like get housing, apply for jobs, and buy firearms.

It is definitely a major bureaucratic hassle to involuntarily commit someone. It is also punitive to the person being so committed.

im thinking about going in voluntarily, but havent quite decided yet. however i have someone on the outside and i plan on getting the cops involved if they try to keep me because at that point it would be kidnapping or something where i voluntarily went in and now they are keeping me against my will. hospital or not they arent allowed to do that unless im being violent towards myself or others. of course i plan on calling ahead of time and asking what the rules are for this place as far as visiting and stuff goes.

It's good to have someone on the outside to check in on your condition and help vouch for you during a voluntary commitment. However, the police and courts will generally side with the hospital because of the assumption of risk and liability and the presumed authority of mental health professionals.

The only way you can combat this is with clear, documented evidence of mistreatment during your stay. Most mental hospitals will let you keep a journal and pen as part of the therapy process. Write down everything if you are mistreated - names of people who harass or ignore you, names of people who ignore you when you report the harassment, time and day and location the mistreatment happened, and what happened when you tried to report this to a client's rights officer. Be as thorough as you can.

 

[Marchioness]

Once they get you in they really really don't want you to leave. They haven't detained me but I'm facing constant delaying tactics or being ignored. Anyone else experienced this? Tell you what I'm never coming back here again.

Yeah, they like the money they are going to bill you... You just have to keep pressuring your case worker that you're okay to go until they let you out. Follow the rules, be good and eventually they'll let you out. Best of luck.

 

[WastedSpace]

Same thing happened to me. Im sorry you're going through this. The way I got out was by acting like the whole experience had actually helped me (it didn't) and that I didn't want to ctb (I did). Also a bit of ass kissing can go a long way. It's unacceptable that they can do this to you, but unfortunately, they can. We're all here for you.

 

[Septim]

That's for the support folks. I got out by just playing the game well but also making it clear I felt frustrated and wanted to get out and get on with my life.

 

[Imgonnadie]

mental hospitals are evil. My only 72 hour stay there I was met by horribly rude staff, and watched a pregnant girl get dragged away because she was getting agitated that they weren't feeding her enough and her 90lb self ended up kicked a staff member when they tried to rip the phone from her. Only left me with more mental scars. The staff act like prison guards, because that's what those places basically are in America.

 

[Moonomyth]

Glad you made it out Septim.

 

[rhiino]

The staff act like prison guards, because that's what those places basically are in America.

It is the same in Germany from my experience.

 

[Sunbeam]

Same in England and Wales ( Scotland different laws). Live London. Basically here in entire country no beds can be found for days or even weeks in either NHS or private sector ( NHS closed beds so noe have to pay millions every year to private hospitals).

What this now means is very very few admitted voluntarily as those sectioned ( detained) take priority. In fact it is argued that is why the sectioning teams do so because that is the only watch to get a bed.

If you do get admitted voluntarily then unfortunately you find out very quickly that it is really a de facto detention/ section. Because if you want to leave nurses are allowed to detain you for 6 hrs until the sectioning team turn up to the ward or Drs can detain for 72 hrs for the same. Covid has brought in provision to extend tgese times to t days although we are not aware an't health trust has done so. So it sounds like same all over the world. It doesn't appear on any public record though unless you had been detained by police in street for being suspiciously mental. Even then many police forces have decided not to give this info to employers.

Like many here got caught out admitted voluntarily as when tried to leave they detained me at the door then sectioned . Like rest of ppl can only say once reach point knowing you cant be there any longer then pretend, lie, do whatever it takes to get out. Get up, wash and change your clothes and be in the public area doing some bloody colouring in or some such crap that they can see. Have seen my notes and these are the markers they look for ! Otherwise get a big magnet, trip the door and leg it wearing a reversible jacket....
God my typos bad

 

[so tired or manic]

That's for the support folks. I got out by just playing the game well but also making it clear I felt frustrated and wanted to get out and get on with my life.

glad to hear some good news.

 

[QualityOfLife]

Yeah, it got me chuckling too.