What I have learned during my recovery...
Here are some humorous and informative facts I have written from my experience in hospitals.
About psychiatric hospitals:
- The top 2 stories of our own little news:
- Which patient went in the seclusion room
- Seeing a new name or a erased name on the
board in the nurse’s office
- Psychiatric nurses are more patient and caring than the regular nurses’ even tough they generally have more stressful experiences
- We can differentiate new patients from long-term male patients by recognizing if he wears straps to hold his pants up
- Patients feels rich with nothing; 10$ seems to them like the jackpot. Everyone should have that appreciation of small things
- Privacy is a privilege. e.g. You cannot use a rasor by yourself. You need a nurse to watch while your shaving your legs (very uncomfortable). A little advice; have a electric shaver.
- There are actually 3 services that are free in life… (well in a hospital) You can get your hair washed, cut, highlighted, colored, permed and styled. You can also get you dental works and your eyes checked and some free activities.
- Contrary to one of many myths, a psychiatric hospital is a very safe place. The staff are trained to recognize signs that patients could hurt somebody or hurt themselves and make appropriate measures to ensure the safety.
- The small animals are unbelievably friendly… for some, even more friendly than our family members. You can complain for hours and they just stare at you with their little smile
- Psychiatrist aren’t all short (referring to the name “shrink”) , don’t all have long beards, you don’t sit in a long chair and they don’t fall asleep during the conversation
- The seclusion rooms don’t have padded walls
- The NBPH actually believes in eliminating boredom as part of the treatment.
- And finally… We aren’t crazy!
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