What I Learned In The Mental Hospital

I spent a week in a mental hospital for suicidal depression and received ECT treatment and I learned a lot about people and the world while I was there.

1. Most people in mental hospitals aren't batshit crazy.

They're regular people dealing with irregular issues. It takes a strong person to admit oneself to a mental hospital.

2. They don't rely on drugs and seclusion to keep patients tame.

The movies get it all wrong. There were plenty of outbursts while I was there, but none of them were dealt with by giving shots and placing in seclusion. The therapists and doctors used words and time to deal with crises. That's how it should be done anyway.

3. The food isn't terrible.

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I actually looked forward to mealtimes because the food was very good.

4. ECT does NOT render you a useless sack of living tissue.

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It really does help with depression that is severe enough to cause suicidal ideation. It does a number on your memory for a little while, but that's a small price to pay for wanting to live again.

5. You do lose touch with the world while you're there.

With no access to internet and limited access to TV, you're kind of out of luck when it comes to staying current with world events. You must rely on nurses, doctors, techs, and visitors to keep you up to date on current events. But that's okay, it was kind of nice not hearing bad news day in and day out for a little while.

6. You make lifelong friends while you're there, whether you like it or not.

The people on the ward with you will learn your deepest, darkest thoughts and triggers. They will learn what makes you tick and how you deal with things. They will learn more about you than probably most of your family knows. And you will grow close to some of them. Don't fight it. It's nice having a friend who knows that much about you and still wants to hang out with you.

7. Mental illness will not be the only issue you come across.

Many patients you interact with will be dealing with concurrent disorders or medical issues. If you're not, consider yourself blessed. Having medical issues piled on top of mental issues makes recovery 100x harder. Be grateful for your circumstances because you never know how much worse things can get for you.

8. Nurses and techs are not your friends.

It may seem like it, but they are not there to be your friend. They are there to help you recover. Do not try to contact them outside of treatment during or after your stay. The relationship y'all have with each other will never change in nature...it will always be one of healthcare worker to patient.

9. Taking medication does not make you weak.

Mental health problems are physical in nature just like any other medical problem and taking medication for a medical problem does not make you less of a person. Period.

10. If you're thinking about hospitalizing yourself, don't second guess yourself. It will be one of the best decisions you ever make for yourself.

Getting mental health help is a brave-ass step for ANYONE to take and it does not mean you're weak or unable to help yourself. It means you are taking charge of your health and you deserve to get better. Never forget that.