Hospital?

[SnowyMouse]

This evening the crisis team asked me if I would be better in hospital. There is no way I want to be in hospital, how can I persuade them otherwise? (other than saying I'm fine, which doesn't work).

Or the alternative, how can I persuade myself that I would tolerate hospital...I've had a few stays in the past?

I'm struggling, but I couldn't handle strangers being in my house.

Oh no, crisis team and cpn want to come together tomorrow Apparently I sound low. So much for them agreeing not to phone me.

I have a v good GP who understands me - and if I need to speak to him he books a double appointment if mh related. (But my mh has improved amazingly since divorce)

What meds are you on, and have you been on them for long?

I've been taking antipsychotics and antidepressants for a few years, stopped the tricylic before Christmas and have restarted it this week. My GP is also very good, but I am seen by a psychiatrist/CPN etc, who I don't know awfully well.

So early days on restarting the meds then. CPNs can vary I know, but I was lucky enough to have a good one. They get to see you more regularly and for longer than a psych, so it is easier to build a relationship I think.

Yes, the meds need time to work. I'm sure the CPN will be fine, now isn't a good time to get to know people for me.

Oh just noticed your post re crisis team and cpn - well they have a duty of care and it's their job apart from anything else... Funny in a way that it's because now isn't a good time to see people, that you do need to see people.

Snowy
It's a two way deal. You can tell them if you feel vulnerable and they should tell you if they feel you might be.

I know it's really, really hard but are you stay in 'the present'. Please try not to worry about 'the what ifs' and 'buts'. (I am terrible and tend to catastrophise!)

Perhaps, if you feel up to it, you can think of some questions for the crisis team in respect of how best they, and your cpn, can support you further in a community setting. Perhaps other posters can help here.

The outcome is for them to visit for the next few days even if I say thanks but no thanks

"Thanks but no thanks." Sounds like they are ok with how you present but are want to stay close in case you might need them?
AND well done you! It's very stressful but you are ok.

They're still not satisfied that I will keep myself safe, hope I can convince them of that soon. They would prefer me to go to the day hospital.

I think safety is in the eye of the beholder. I don't feel safe when the crisis team is at my house.

I think your feelings about this very normal. Some people like to be in hospital, some don't!

What is the day hospital like? What does it offer?
Many run group sessions and activities which can be helpful if, like me, being home alone feeds your illness.

In theory (!) you get all the advantages of being an inpatient during the day but get to go home. Would you be comfortable exploring the day patient option further with the Crisis team if you don't already know the details of what they offer?

The day hospital does have a decent set of activities, I just can't face the one on one time and all the questions.

Ok, not all bad then. 121s can be really wearing sometimes especially if you end up repeating yourself to lots of different people.

Not sure from your post if you have attended a day hospital, but I guess all you can do is ask and explain your reservations. My own experience has been positive.

Thing is, if I meet MH workers halfway, I keep some control over things. They also don't always react well if I do a lot of, "yes, but......" at them as they tend to then try to tell me what to they will do.

I know it's hard, but they are worried about you, keep banging away at keeping them engaged and, if at all possible, try to agree some middle ground. Best wishes.

I did find day hospital helped before, but I didn't have trouble talking about stuff then.

I'm trying to comply with them.

This may seem an odd question, but one of the reasons I'm not sure about contacting the crisis team is because I can't see what they could say to help...?

I meant to say, thanks WithanAnotE for your insight, it's useful to try to understand where they are coming from.

I'm struggling at the moment. Their response to me finding it difficult having them in the house is to increase the number of visits. I hope the weekend goes quickly so we can renegotiate on Monday. I did get told that 'not everyone we see wants to see us." Too true!

Interesting that they are so obstinate. Do you look very ill or how do they get the idea you need to be checked out so often?

I'm thinking they may consider you a suicide risk? Is there anywhere you could go to check in as it were - like the CHTT premises?

TheSilveryTinsellyPussycat is right re: risk, twice a day plus phone seems too much still, but I need to comply at the moment. CHTT are 2 buses and an hour and a half away, so it does really have to be at home, thanks for the thought though.

Hmm - maybe at GP surgery?

Sounds quite excessive. Usually peole have problems to get someone believing they are suicidal. Do you tell them something they might think you are in risk or how do they know?

Good point, TSTP, I'll ask springbanana, I'm not entirely sure how they assess risk, but unfortunately they seem to think I'm high risk from talking with me. It's odd as I can't voice much of what's going on in my head, so they don't know all that much.