To ask what acute adult mental health units are like

[Concernedmother67]

Dd 23 has just been admitted though not really talking to me. She said she didn’t want to go as from what she’s been told they are scary places? Is this true? Will she be the youngest patient there?

I've had to visit clients in acute units in the course of my work. They vary a lot, but tbh they can be pretty scarey. Not in the sense of people being at risk, but a lot of patients are on very heavy medication and therefore quite out of it, and they're not generally pleasant. The locked wards tend to be grimmer than the ones where people are there voluntarily.

But they don't admit people just for the sake of it, so if your daughter needs to admitted, it's the best for her to be and she's in the best place to get the treatment she needs.

I hope she gets better soon, OP.

Thank you I’m not convinced it’s the right thing for her but understand the professionals concerns.

I have been in them as a patient. They are not scary places, but some other patients can be. If anything, they are really boring and are not much more than a holding pen until people's medication gets them stable enough.
If your DD has a bed in one though then she must have really needed it. Engaging with the staff and trying to take part in any activities will make her stay easier.

There will probably be lots of young women aged 18-25 (often with diagnoses of EUPD or bipolar, often waiting for Tier 4 placements).

Staff will be in masks, visors and scrubs due to Covid. Staff are generally kind and well meaning but can’t always offer the amount of 1:1 time patients want.

The ward will probably be noisy, some people will be very ill with psychosis or mania and might be shouting and singing a lot, or refusing to take medications or getting angry with staff. She might see staff having to restrain someone and inject them with medication.

She should have access to OT groups daily (art, games, talking groups etc) and a weekly consultation with her psychiatrist and team to discuss medications, progress, leave etc.

So sorry to hear about your DD OP, agree with the poster about them being a bit of a holding pen. I'm a mental health nurse, I haven't worked in acute psychiatry for many years though, I think the staff are very well meaning on these types of units but they're not hugely therapeutic, more of a safe place.

I really hope things get better for her soon.

Thank you for the well wishes. Yes she’s mentioned it’s very noisy I plan to take her up so ear plugs tomorrow so she can get some sleep as she hasn’t sleep for two days now.

They are noisy and ,boring and about scary but full of very accepting people who won't judge you.

My Mum has been in and out of them for many years, they are pretty depressing places and quite noisy if specific patients have problems. Hope your DD is okay, it's never nice to see your family in there.

Some units are really good and have lots of groups and activities, film nights, therapy gardens, sensory rooms, pottery classes, 1:1 psychology sessions, gyms etc. The more she engages with groups the more she’ll make friends. Staff running groups often have 20+ years of experience and can be very motherly, encouraging, help develop her interests and skills, sit and talk to her. Staff on the ward will be busier.

IME patients are rarely ‘drugged up’ these days more they are under-medicated as the drive is to manage people with minimal medication. Eg doctors don’t like prescribing anything potentially addictive like benzodiazepines or anything with risky side effects like the older anti-psychotics. Most patients are on either an antidepressant with a mild anti-histamine based anti-anxiety medication or a modern anti-psychotic or mood stabiliser. Some have sleeping pills written up, she could ask the doctor.

Stronger medication is a last resort. Patients who are unmanageable or violent usually get sent to Psychiatric Intensive Care Units (PICU) or put into isolation suites.

Some of the units I’ve worked on were so popular some patients kept trying to get back in! And got upset leaving. They said it was like a safe haven for them. Especially young women who were lonely, isolated, lacking routine. Sometimes patients form informal support groups amongst themselves and very accepting of each other.

Locally, PICU beds were scarce before Christmas, so many very unwell patients were remaining on the wards for days/weeks after they should have been transferred. The noise, behaviours, physical restraints is traumatic for everyone in the vicinity.

As PP said, She will likely be one of a few 18-25 and camaraderie with patients is usually very good.