People share what it was like to be admitted to a mental health hospital

There is still a huge stigma around mental health hospitals.

Many horror films are set within abandoned mental health hospitals, creating a common perception that they’re places of outdated, horrific treatments and people screaming in the corridors.
This isn’t reflective of reality. 30-year-old Rebecca has been admitted to a psychiatric hospital three times.
The first was in June 2008, the second October 2009, and the third June 2010.
All of these admissions were for anorexia.

Rebecca tells Metro.co.uk: ‘For the first admission, I had no idea that psych hospitals really existed and had no ideas of what it would be like. ‘I was very annoyed to be admitted to hospital because I wanted to carry on losing weight. ‘For the second admission I knew what I was expecting and had a definite target set before I was admitted so I knew what I needed to do.’ more

Battling Anxiety, Depression And Tech Addiction In The Workplace

It’s time to talk about mental health in the workplace. Not only are many employees suffering from severe burnout, but they are experiencing a host of other problems, as well.

Mental illness is now the biggest cause of disability worldwide, according to findings from the World Health Organization. The impact of these conditions can be more significant than cancer when it comes to reduced function, susceptibility to illness, and a shorter lifespan.

If that’s not a sign to start paying attention and prioritizing awareness and care then what is?

With insights from Mike Serbinis, the founder and CEO at employee benefits platform League, let’s dive into this issue and begin exploring solutions. more

Personal Stories about Psychiatric Hospitalization

After a few months of my depression symptoms getting worse and worse and the suicidal ideation getting stronger and stronger, I decided to hospitalize myself. I practically had to convince the doctor that saw me in the emergency room that I would commit suicide if he didn’t admit me. I know they wanted me to wait it out and see what they could do in outpatient first and give the medicine the chance to kick in. At that point, though, I couldn’t sleep or eat and couldn’t get the suicidal thoughts out of my head, even for a second.

Being hospitalized was one of the scariest things I ever did, but looking back on it now, I believe it was really what I needed. I not only needed medication and a safe place, but I needed some intensive therapy, some ideas of ways to release some feelings, and I needed a chance to figure out what my next steps would be when I was released. I still use things they taught me there every day. more

The Vicious Cycle of Alcohol and Mental Health Disorders

An untreated or undiagnosed mental disorder can wreak havoc on an individual who is suffering from a disorder as well as those around them. When a person is suffering from a mental health disorder, often, they are unaware that the disorder exists. While the individual will not understand their feelings or the mental problems that they are suffering from, they may experience feelings of hopelessness, depression, anger, or impulsiveness. Because of this, they find themselves feeling lost and at times can turn to unhealthy behaviors in an attempt to numb their psychological suffering. This process is known as self-medicating. One of the most frequently used substances for self-medicating is alcohol, although illegal drugs are also commonly abused by those with mental health disorders. Although the alcohol may temporarily numb the symptoms that the user is experiencing, self-medicating can lead to serious problems.

When a person turns to alcohol for self-medicating purposes, they are more likely to become dependent upon alcohol than an individual who consumes alcohol without having a mental disorder. This is a result of trying to get rid of the psychiatric problems as well as possible impaired judgment as a result of the mental condition more