To wonder whether psychiatric hospital 'therapy' can stoop any lower (lighthearted-ish)?

[memememe94]

I'm currently admitted to a psych ward for depression. This is my sixth admission so I'm used to how bone-achingly boring it can be.

The hospital purports to have 'therapeutic' activities, but I'd never seen anything until yesterday.....'discussion hour'....everyone huddle around a table to discuss the quality journalism of The Daily Mail. [DM sad face]

AIBU to think the staff must be trying to induce brain death in us all?

The chargers are allowed in rooms once they've been checked by an electrician so it's not an issue of ligatures (at least not normally). It usually takes 2-3 weeks for the electrician to check them. Mine was checked just a few months ago (when I was last in here) so it shouldn't burn the place down.

Definitely complain about the lack of therapeutic activity on the ward - it's the first thing to go when budgets are cut. Staff get pulled into the staffing numbers and can't do anything except core tasks.

It's exactly the sort of thing that needs highlighting as more and more gets taken from services - it's risk management and no treatment. It's shite. For everyone.

Aah, ours was because wires over about 4 inches were considered to be a ligature risk so weren't allowed unsupervised. If it was checked a few months ago it should be OK as the checks normally last a year don't they?

I've been on this ward 6 times in 4 years. Not once have I seen or heard an OT, nor has anyone ever talked about one. Honestly!

There did used to be yoga classes that were run by a volunteer, but I didn't like to go as i practice yoga daily and i felt like I was 'showing off.' That doesn't seem to be running any more. We used to have jigsaws, but they've disappeared.

I had my outpatients appointment cancelled (very long awaited one at that) due to the in-patient crises. The irony did not bypass me at all!!!! If the out-patient care was there/available etc then they wouldn't have an emergency due to excessive demand for in-patient car...

It is demoralising that by the time you get the help you need you are years further deeper into depression/mental health illness!

Oh my God, apologies to the poster I accused wrongly! Don't know what way I read it, but I can see now what was intended! I am so sorry.

I think it's an awful shame that people don't know what the reality of mental health units is like.

OP, try to get stuck into a book. You're lucky you've internet access. Smoke your brains out and try to stick with the more 'well' patients who might be a bit of fun (I found the bipolar crew the best to hang out with!) And take whatever sleeping tablets and shite they give you until you can get out of there.

I am informal. I've got a couple of days at home over the weekend so I'll have chance to kick-start my brain with plenty of family stuff. Hope to be out of here next week.

Are your meds stabilising you meme?

RandomMess, I agree, it's the equivalent of not treating you for high blood pressure until you have a heart attack.

DM, I'm a lot better, thanks. I came in on Friday and I'm hoping to be out early next week with the crisis team for early supported discharge. I much prefer the crisis team. I see the ward as a holding pen for when I need to be kept safe. Otherwise, I find it of no help.

I read the OP and wanted to say call PALS. Then I read your updates. Call PALS.

Hmmmm, I will look into it red. I've never really thought anything about it as I've known nothing else.

What will PALS do redexpat?

Sadly, that is how organisations get away with it, people don't think to question the status quo.

Service users / patients have so much influence now in terms of service design etc, the power dynamic has really shifted so whilst on a day to day basis (especially on a ward) people can feel very powerless, on a broader level the voice of service users is really strong. They just need to know how to get it heard.

I don't know but if no one complains then improvements will never be made! Having nothing to do is detrimental to MH. Hospital should be a place where you get better not worse. How hard is it to get hold of some jigsaws?

Hi op, I second the other posters who say to contact pals, it's always worth raising your experiences as an inpatient. I'm a hca/student rmn (currently doing both concurrently) on an acute inpatient ward, and luckily our ward sounds much better equipped! Are there no hcas around that you can ask for things to do? Even if it's just a chat etc, that's their job! On the ward I work out we have a lot of OT activities, and then more on the ward, jigsaws, board games etc. Nothing too exciting but definitely enough to pass the time. Staff and funding are sadly stretched to the limit, however until we are able to improve the quality of impatient care then readmission is always more likely. I hope you're well soon.