The last couple of days have been a battle against staying in a depressive state. This is a struggle that I’ve talked about often. For me to get myself back on track I have to constantly feed my mind positive thoughts and I have to get my body moving. If I do not do this then I can run the risk of being down for days. What do I mean by moving? Well, all the activities I feel like I don’t have the energy for I make an effort to still get to Zumba class or make my entrepreneur meeting. If I go down I am more likely to stay down so movement becomes key. What do I mean by feeding my mind positive thoughts. For instance, I will tell myself get up and make class, you can do it, it’s okay baby girl, remember you are loved, you’ve come so far let’s go further, God got your back, etc. This helps me stay motivated instead of defeated. This helps me feel like I’ve accomplished my day to day task instead of feel like I’m letting everyone and everything down. It’s hard work, but I remind myself I am up for the challenge.
STAY MOTIVATED
Getting Admitted
Getting Admitted
2. You may have a long wait (but don’t let that discourage you)
3. You will be asked many questions so be patient and if possible know what medications you or your loved one is taking
4. The first Doctor you may see may not be a Psychiatrist, many times the Psychiatrist will have to be called to the emergency room for an evaluation. So be prepared to tell your story more than one time.
5. Even if you feel that you or your loved one is experiencing a mental health event that requires admission into a hospital, the doctor at the hospital may not feel the same way. So be prepared to make a case. Yes, sometimes you have to make a case for admission. If there are very few beds, if the Doctor thinks that you or your loved one can be stabilized with a medication change and sent back home the same night or you have insurance issues, then you or your loved one may not be admitted.
Admission and After
ADMISSIONANDAFTER
IGBATTMHO Copyright 2019.
Being admitted into a Psychiatric Ward is not a sign of failure or the end. An inpatient hospitalization stay can be the beginning of your recovery and could save your life. While in the hospital medications can be adjusted, diagnoses given or changed, and you can get answers to questions. No, I am not saying that a hospital stay is the best thing that will ever happen, and many people do not like being admitted. Some hospitals are better than others and sometimes getting admitted can be a problem. You may be in a room with people who you are not comfortable with, be surrounded by some not so friendly staff and even have to eat lousy food, but focus on you and why you are there. Take advantage of that time to ask questions, to learn from the other people around you and to get better.
If you are a family member of a loved one, who is currently on a psychiatric ward, visit and be involved. Get to know the treatment team to include the Attending and treating physician (may or may not be the same person). If possible, ask for a meeting with the Social worker and or Doctor. If a date for a team meeting (a meeting in which all of the professionals involved in your loved one care gets together to discuss his or her case) has been set, try to attend. Your input is valuable and can help ensure that the treatment team is focusing on the right goals (your loved one may not be able to articulate their needs clearly). Ask questions about the diagnosis, about the medications, inquire about the discharge plan and if you have concerns, share those concerns with the team. For example, you may feel that your loved one should be in the hospital for longer than two days. If that is the case be prepared to share with the team why you feel that way, let them know what you have been observing. Please understand that the goal of an inpatient hospital stay is to stabilize not to warehouse. Meaning today many inpatient hospitals do not have enough beds to keep people long term, many of the newer psychotropic medications work faster and people can stabilize to a point where the MD may feel that they can go home quicker. However, you live with your family member, and you know the challenges that you and your loved one will have to face once he or she is discharged. So share those challenges with the team and ask them to help you to develop a realistic plan that takes into account those challenges. For example, if you know that there are limited mental health supports in your area and that the earliest your loved one can get a mental health appointment in the community is three weeks from the discharge date advocate with the inpatient doctor for enough medications to cover the time.
Upon discharge ensure that you or your loved has a follow-up appointment with a psychiatrist or mental health clinic in your area. It will be vital for you to follow up and to continue the work you have done while in the hospital. Follow up with a mental health professional, medications, family, friends and faith can all be important components in your recovery plan. Unfortunately, some people do not follow up with a mental health team in their community. Because they feel good after the discharge they don’t feel the need to keep seeing anyone, so they don’t, unfortunately especially in the case of many illnesses, symptoms do return. Don’t let this be you; there are treatment options for you and your loved one to get the help that you need. So get them!
It Not Easy
Mental Illness and The Young
Mental illness and young people
Many mental disorders often start in adolescence or early adulthood. When mental disorders start at this stage, they can affect the young person’s education, movement into adult occupational roles, their ability to form key social relationships and the establishment of healthy habits. That is why it is so important to detect problems early and act appropriately