Anyone about? Being admitted to a MH unit

[inablindpanic]

I’m at OOH GP, they’re wanting to admit me for the night due to horrendous panic attacks . I’m currently waiting on GP coming back, he’s given me a 5mg valium and said I’ll be taken to A&E who will medically assess and then hand over to MH assessment unit . I’m terrified . I’ve never been in hospital for MH before .

Psychiatric inpatient beds are in extremely short supply and even people with severe and enduring mental illnesses like personality disorders struggle to get admitted, so I'd highly doubt they'll admit you for panic attacks alone. It's usually a last despot.
Not saying that panic attacks can't be severe and debilitating, they absolutely can be but they will likely refer you to the community mental health team.
Hope the Valium kicks in soon, it's wonderful stuff

I empathise. 24 year suffer of debilitating panic here. I hope you get seen quickly and they help you.

Sending so much love x

Sufferer*

We are here for you, all rooting for you. I'm sure you'll feel much better soon. 💐

All I want to add is to say just how brave and kind to yourself you are being by seeking help. Take a few moments to wrap your arms around yourself and give yourself a hug and add a few words of well done and encouragement.
I hope you are feeling on a much more even keel soon.

This. I’ve never known anyone be admitted for panic attacks. I suspect what was said to OP was that she’ll have physical obs done at A&E & be able to speak to liaison psych. But that’s not the same as a MHA assessment / admission to a MH Unit. I wonder if OP has maybe slightly misunderstood, whilst in panic mode.

How would you feel if you weren’t admitted?
I think it’s a very real possibility that you need to consider.

I work on an inpatient mh unit and our admission criteria is quite high. Obviously I don’t know your story so couldn’t really say they definitely won’t admit you but it’s worth considering how you would feel if you were offered support outside of a hospital setting.

I hope that you are okay and don’t have to wait too long @inablindpanic 💐

@MuckyPlucky - I agree. I only have experience of my sons high anxiety - physical obs, liaison mental health team - home.

It's true though. The psych won't be around until tomorrow most probably. So she'll wait in A&E then be admitted. Then if appropriate she'll be discharged after assessment from psych or if she can't keep herself safe she'll be sent to a MH ward tomorrow for them to assess her.

OP pack an overnight bag with a few changes of clothes just in case you're kept in. And a phone charger, book, toiletries bag, pyjamas.

A psych ward is sort of like a hotel with dorm bed rooms and staff poking their head round the door every 10min. You'll be fed a million times a day, have all the meds you turn up with confiscated and given whatever they think, communal lounge but nobody is very chatty and some are a bit weird, staff always around. If you agree to stay in voluntarily you can have some say in your treatment, if you're sectioned you'll take what you're given or else. Probably you'll be assessed within a day or so and discharged. Maybe kept a bit longer if they need to figure out what meds work for you. People can visit you. It's not prison.

Through in a cubicle now in acute assessment unit, nurse said I need to be seen by one of their doctors which could be later on tonight and then they’ll get psych liaison to see me . I’d be happier to not be admitted and go home with PRN, I’ve had PRN before . Absolutely exhausted . I can’t believe one conversation can have so much fall out . I remember feeling very odd/out of body in car and thinking I don’t know how the hell I’m ever going to get home in this state . Should have told friend really .

Oh are you the poster on the train from yesterday? I really felt for you. Well done for seeing out help, sending get well wishes and hoping that you're much better very soon.

Absolutely. My personal experience was that I was admitted because of a severe MH condition which meant I was at risk of imminent suicide & the crisis team which was currently supporting me couldn’t manage that level of risk.

I work in the sector and have never heard of someone being admitted for panic. We even have to turn away people who are actively self-harming / suicidal / floridly psychotic due to bed pressures.

Inpatient admissions are the absolute final resort, after home treatment team / crisis team etc have been explored. No one goes from GP to MHU admission due to panic.

Echoing others to say beds are all but non existent so reserved only for very severe cases (not saying you aren't unwell, more for psychosis and high risk to self or others). You are more likely to be managed by a home care team, in my area they treat you the same as an inpatient just in the community. (I had several months on this pathway due to having a suicide plan I was going to act on).

Whatever the outcome of tonight I hope you get all the help and treatment you need.

I’ve probably not totally understood it all correctly . When they were explaining I wasn’t really taking anything in at all, just got as much as ‘taking you into a mental health assessment unit’ and then something about needing to make sure I’m not physically unwell as heart rate high.

My thoughts are all very strange, like I know they’re all mine if that makes sense, but sometimes what my mouth says and what my head is saying don’t match at all, which is weird .

That sounds like dissociation/derealization which are common features of panic / anxiety, and are really horrible sensations. You can start to question your entire sanity because everything feels so unreal. But it really is just your frightened panicked mind playing tricks. Once the adrenaline & panic dissipate you’ll feel so much more robust and reassured. Hopefully the PRN will really kick in soon, and once you’re home & tucked up somewhere familiar with a good sleep you’ll feel so much better.

Call your friend now and get them to bring you pyjamas and clean undies so you can be comfortable. Don't worry about the time they're your friends they won't mind. Then try to get some sleep, they can wake you if they need to. Their own doctor may be tonight but psych is likely to be tomorrow. Don't stay up all night waiting for people to see you. Lack of sleep won't help. Accept that you're where you are and you're safe for now, then see what tomorrow brings.

It’s a good thing that you spoke to a doctor, definitely keep talking even if you don’t feel attached to the words coming out. It’s completely normal especially when you are so tired.
Whether the support comes from an inpatient stay or help in the community, it’s a good thing. Worth a try?

Thank you . That does sound about right . It’s an absolutely horrible feeling, I couldn’t recognise my bedroom as mine earlier and kept losing track of what day/time and what I should have been doing . Nurse has just done an ecg and bloods and saying to try and sleep for a bit, if need be they’ll give me more meds she said . She said doctor will come and see me at some point between now and 2-3am and then they’ll probably get psych to come and see me . They’re being very kind .

Good, I’m glad that you are being looked after.
Try to get some sleep if you can.

This all sounds absolutely normal for the crisis you're in. It sounds like you're being well looked after. Reach out to people in your life, you'll be surprised who will be there for you if you ask them to be. Hopefully your medications kick in soon and you can get some respite from how you're feeling and maybe even get a bit of sleep before the doctor arrives.

Sending lots of love to you OP, it will get better. My experience of the crisis team professionally and personally has been outstanding. They really helped a close family member through an awful mental health crisis, he should have been admitted but the only avaliable bed was 250 miles away so thankfully he was managed at home by the crisis team for about six weeks until the local community could take over and his risk had lowered.
Thinking of you Op xx

Glad to hear you're being looked after op .please don't be scared, lots of hand holds on here 💐

I have been there, derealization is horrible so they are querying that not panic.
Please, tomorrow go on the DARE app and buy the audible book - DARE. It will change panic if you follow it. Good luck.

I’ve spoken to my aunty and contacted a friend who’s going to help tomorrow too . Nurse said in all likelihood he kept here overnight but she’s not very sure . I’ve got a bed, pillow and a blanket . No clean clothes with me or anything though .

@Shopaholic123Go

None of the hospitals I have links with (as a registered nurse) are dorm bed style any more. Most have individual rooms. Whilst it is true that staff do regular checks, I think the way you describe this is unhelpful ‘poking their head round the door’

Absolutely any medication brought in is removed, this is to maintain a safe environment for all patients, imagine if patients kept large quantities of (for example) painkillers and someone else overdosed on it. Do you think everyone should be allowed to bring in what they like?! Into an acute psychiatric ward?

and as for ‘given whatever they think’ - well a psychiatrist will assess a patient’s need for medication and prescribe appropriate medication or decide on a ‘drug free’ period.

’nobody is chatty and some are a bit weird’ - what an unkind thing to say. The patients are all very unwell, some detained.

‘if you’re sectioned you’ll take what you’re given or else’ - not strictly true and very unhelpful wording.