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Original post by Tiger Rag
What is it like being in hospital?
When I was sectioned my mum had made an appointment for me at the doctors and I refused to go and when I was eventually convinced that I had to go and told I would be going to hospital I ran away. The police caught me and took me to hospital. I was petrified and thought I would never get out again. After that I was so ill I became oblivious to my surroundings and tbh the scariest thing was the other people some were really ill and couldn't hold a conversation others like me were really incoherent. The biggest thing was the fear of being there forever.
Original post by Fordrin
Hi, How are you? 
Could you describe your experience in the mental hospital, if possible?
Could you describe your experience in the mental hospital, if possible?
Its hard because I don't remember it all. My life was like a living dream. My thoughts were incoherent so incredibly confused and I suffered many delusions. I thought my illness was a conspiracy against me that I wasn't ill. I also had grandiose delusions I thought I was the King and that I was going to become the King one day. I was very ill and needed to be in a hospital because I was a danger to myself as in I could have done something stupid like walk in front of a car and got myself killed.
On a more practical level I was locked up on a secure ward. I wasn't allowed to leave the ward. Nurses would observe me all the time and I saw a psychiatrist once a week for a review.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Thomb
Its hard because I don't remember it all. My life was like a living dream. My thoughts were incoherent so incredibly confused and I suffered many delusions. I thought my illness was a conspiracy against me that I wasn't ill. I also had grandiose delusions I thought I was the King and that I was going to become the King one day. I was very ill and needed to be in a hospital because I was a danger to myself as in I could have done something stupid like walk in front of a car and got myself killed.
On a more practical level I was locked up on a secure ward. I wasn't aloud to leave the ward. Nurses would observe me all the time and I saw a psychiatrist once a week for a review.
On a more practical level I was locked up on a secure ward. I wasn't aloud to leave the ward. Nurses would observe me all the time and I saw a psychiatrist once a week for a review.
That sounds... terrible. What other 'illusions' did you experience? When did anyone first noticed this happening?
Sorry if I'm asking too many question, but I've become too intrigued with the 'illusion' effect mental illnesses can bring.
Original post by Fordrin
That sounds... terrible. What other 'illusions' did you experience? When did anyone first noticed this happening?
Sorry if I'm asking too many question, but I've become too intrigued with the 'illusion' effect mental illnesses can bring.
Sorry if I'm asking too many question, but I've become too intrigued with the 'illusion' effect mental illnesses can bring.
I was lost in a dream world that was like shattered glass mirror each shard representing a thought that added up to an incoherent whole. I had esoteric moments of complete joy where I thought I was going to be the next big architect and build a city of incomprehensible magnificence and times of fearful lows where I thought the whole world was conspiring against me and that I was going to be killed by the staff of the hospital.
My mum first noticed my illness from an early age around the age of six but the psychologist said I was fine. Then my mum started to ask me to go to the doctors when I was 16. I was finally sectioned after my mum asked me to go to hospital voluntarily to which I point blank refused to do so. I was eventually sectioned when I was 22.
The thing about 'illusion' is that it seems very real to the deluded victim.
Do you still hear voices? What are they like? And what were/are your delusions?
Original post by 1lastchance
Do you still hear voices? What are they like? And what were/are your delusions?
I hear voices of people telling me to stop doing things like all the time people telling me to stop thinking about them all sorts. I was once deluded about people who are famous being lots of people who look like each other and its a big fight to see who will be the next person to be the famous person who doesn't really exist. I don't know if that makes sense but thats what I thought.
Hi, that must have been a really tough time for you. It's amazing that you're able to open up and share things on here, that's really compassionate and generous of you.
I'm actually going to be working in mental health. I know you said the whole time you were in the hospital was a bit of a blur and you don't remember a lot of it, but was there anything that the staff (nurses/health care assistants) did that made things a little easier or more bearable for you? Did you like it when they sat and talked with you or did you just wish for them to leave you alone? Did you feel as though you were shown enough empathy? Don't worry if you can't remember! Thanks!
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I'm actually going to be working in mental health. I know you said the whole time you were in the hospital was a bit of a blur and you don't remember a lot of it, but was there anything that the staff (nurses/health care assistants) did that made things a little easier or more bearable for you? Did you like it when they sat and talked with you or did you just wish for them to leave you alone? Did you feel as though you were shown enough empathy? Don't worry if you can't remember! Thanks!
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Original post by tinkerbelle2
Hi, that must have been a really tough time for you. It's amazing that you're able to open up and share things on here, that's really compassionate and generous of you.
I'm actually going to be working in mental health. I know you said the whole time you were in the hospital was a bit of a blur and you don't remember a lot of it, but was there anything that the staff (nurses/health care assistants) did that made things a little easier or more bearable for you? Did you like it when they sat and talked with you or did you just wish for them to leave you alone? Did you feel as though you were shown enough empathy? Don't worry if you can't remember! Thanks!
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I'm actually going to be working in mental health. I know you said the whole time you were in the hospital was a bit of a blur and you don't remember a lot of it, but was there anything that the staff (nurses/health care assistants) did that made things a little easier or more bearable for you? Did you like it when they sat and talked with you or did you just wish for them to leave you alone? Did you feel as though you were shown enough empathy? Don't worry if you can't remember! Thanks!
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There was one nurse who was nice she sat and talked to me when I used to get up at night, I can't remember what we talked about but she was nice. Most of the time I was just under observation there was little interaction I think that's because there were so many of us. The best thing a nurse could do was let me go to the shop or to the games room for a few hours, that was when I was on a semi secure ward. Before that visits from family were nice. As far as empathy goes you could tell the nurses always wanted to do more but couldn't.
Thanks for the thread and your answers interesting.
What stage are you at now?
Released and under how much supervision?
You have to take a lot of medication and thats what worked?
How have you learned to live with it and do you think its controlled?
Do you have attacks if so how often and how long?
Oresymably you are studying, how has it affected your education or uni(if you are there)?
What stage are you at now?
Released and under how much supervision?
You have to take a lot of medication and thats what worked?
How have you learned to live with it and do you think its controlled?
Do you have attacks if so how often and how long?
Oresymably you are studying, how has it affected your education or uni(if you are there)?
Original post by 999tigger
Thanks for the thread and your answers interesting.
What stage are you at now?
Released and under how much supervision?
You have to take a lot of medication and thats what worked?
How have you learned to live with it and do you think its controlled?
Do you have attacks if so how often and how long?
Oresymably you are studying, how has it affected your education or uni(if you are there)?
What stage are you at now?
Released and under how much supervision?
You have to take a lot of medication and thats what worked?
How have you learned to live with it and do you think its controlled?
Do you have attacks if so how often and how long?
Oresymably you are studying, how has it affected your education or uni(if you are there)?
The stage I'm at is very stable mentally .
I'm released I have a psychiatrist a CPN and vocational therapist.
I take a fair amount of meds and yeah I think they work.
I have attacks of varying sorts delusions for example last from 10 minutes to a day.
I'm studying with the Oxford University Dept for Cont Edu part time and online.
Original post by 999tigger
Do you ever get better or is it lifelong?
has it got in the way of making friends?
Btw cant imagine what its like to be sectioned thanks for the insight.
has it got in the way of making friends?
Btw cant imagine what its like to be sectioned thanks for the insight.
It is unfortunately a life long illness.
I am fairly reclusive and live in a remote area of Wales I don't have many friends it does get in the way somewhat.
Its just as difficult to explain as I've forgotten most of my episodes of severe psychosis when I was in hospital its something you just naturally blank out.
Original post by Thomb
I have been sectioned twice under the mental health act and spent months in a mental hospital. AMA
How comes you say in the title that "I am a schizophrenic" rather than "I have schizophrenia"? Do you consider it part of your identity?
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Original post by bullettheory
How comes you say in the title that "I am a schizophrenic" rather than "I have schizophrenia"? Do you consider it part of your identity?
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Yes it is very much part of my identity and who I am though tbh why did you point that out when it is the usual format for posting these AMA threads might be more interesting to know your answer. But yes it is a fundamental part of my personal identity.
Original post by Thomb
Yes it is very much part of my identity and who I am though tbh why did you point that out when it is the usual format for posting these AMA threads might be more interesting to know your answer. But yes it is a fundamental part of my personal identity.
I just thought it was a big difference from saying you have a condition (e.g. I have schizophrenia) to how you said it which was more possessive, like you are the illness (I am schizophrenic). Just was something I noticed, the majority of the mental health service users I work with tend to use the former and despise it when people label them as a condition rather than saying that is their diagnosis. But it was interesting to hear your opinion and how you feel that it is a fundamental part of you.
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Original post by bullettheory
I just thought it was a big difference from saying you have a condition (e.g. I have schizophrenia) to how you said it which was more possessive, like you are the illness (I am schizophrenic). Just was something I noticed, the majority of the mental health service users I work with tend to use the former and despise it when people label them as a condition rather than saying that is their diagnosis. But it was interesting to hear your opinion and how you feel that it is a fundamental part of you.
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My life will never be the same since my first psychotic episode. Being schizophrenic is something that possesses you no one would like to posses it for it is a worthless thing (detestable). I'm sure it is unprofessional to say he is schizophrenic but its not like I'm saying I am schizophrenic just that I am a schizophrenic tbh its just technicality. You have made me think though and perhaps its a little naive to say I am a schizophrenic yet really I am but its not as severe as saying I am schizophrenia.
If I was talking to someone and said you are a schizophrenic I wouldn't complain but saying I am a schizophrenic seems to be a problem?
