JayTWC at an unknown facility

This testimony was made by a person known as "JayTWC". All rights go to the original author.

I totally agree with you, the mental healthcare system is critically flawed right now.

I was checked into inpatient last year for about five days. I failed to show up to a psychiatrist's appointment due to my sleeping disorder and woke up to about three EMT's standing over me wanting me to go the hospital. I had a pretty severe sleeping disorder that affected my life last year in a very serious way, I didn't attend school because of it for about a semester.

The hospital and my psychiatrist decided that I should go to an inpatient facility. All of my fellow patients were friendly and I regret to this day not being able to keep in contact with them. The staff were good people but they do treat you like an animal. I got in confrontations quite a lot with them as I did not want to be there at all, honestly I don't think anybody did.

On my second day I believe, I was placed on ITP after a confrontation with the "hot-head" in the staff. ITP basically meant I was confined to my room most of the day and had to fill out worksheets, I spent most of my time reading "Robinson Crusoe." For someone that actually wanted treatment, ITP would mean they would not get it as worksheets obviously won't treat depression. They also began prescribing me Vyvanse which is a drug commonly used for ADHD. This drug was prescribed to me by my psychiatrist before and resulted in some anger issues. I mostly contribute my behavioral issues to their dumb ass decision to give me Vyvanse without telling me or my parent.

Most of my time spent in the hospital was spent desperately trying to get home, as were most of the patients. I don't think there was a time I was ever more unhappy than my small amount of time in a mental facility. It's a really gloomy experience, you have no contact with the outside world other than family visits, and those for the most part just made me that much more sad. You are also kept separate from most of the time. The rule made sense to me and there were some creepy experiences I had but it just made me feel much more alone overall, compound that with the fact that I spent about three days with little contact with anyone in the actual hospital.

The system is also completely inefficient. You are assigned a doctor who only meets you for about I'll estimate about thirty minutes during your stay. He is the only one that can make tangible decisions during your stay, and it is a hell of a time getting an appointment with this doctor. I had to stay two extra days at the hospital just waiting for the doctor to meet me. For me this meant an extra forty-eight hours sitting in my room alone, on Vyvanse.

I am glad however I spent those days because of the experiences others shared with me there, I heard some horrifying stories. I had a great deal of respect for my fellow patients after hearing their tales, and I wish all of them well.

The day I left I was extremely happy, I mean things I take for granted now such as just being outside, breathing fresh air, and listening to music off of my phone I savored. All of that happiness however was artificial once I returned to the "real world," and to this day things haven't really changed for me.

My advice to those not looking to harm themselves/homicidal, avoid inpatient at all costs, my experience with outpatient was much more constructive.

Source:
The original testimony on the Reddit message board