What is it like to be hospitalised for mental health?

Mental health hospitals, or psychiatric hospitals, are designed to be safe environments where people can get intensive treatment for their mental health.

Mental health hospitals, or psychiatric hospitals, are designed to be safe environments where people can get intensive treatment for their mental health.

Some people may fear admission to a mental health hospital. People with mental health conditions can fear being away from their usual environment and routines, or not having total control over their daily lives for the time they are an inpatient. Others may be nervous about the other inpatients, while many older people are still influenced by the stigma of the old asylums and sanitoriums.

So what is a mental health hospital like?

Why might someone need admission to a mental health hospital?

A person might be admitted to a mental health hospital or psychiatric ward for a variety of reasons, including:

• If they are at high risk of serious harm to themselves or someone else and need to be in a place of safety
• If they have a new onset of serious mental health symptoms, like mania or psychosis and can’t be treated effectively, quickly or safely enough in the community
• For medication changes that require close supervision and observation
• For mental health assessment or treatment, as well as a place of safety following a suicide attempt.

Generally, doctors try to treat people with mental health problems at home where possible, through medication or using Community Mental Health Teams. These teams are made up of social workers, community psychiatric nurses, psychiatrists and occupational therapists. 

More information on mental health care at home.

How can you be admitted to a mental health hospital?

You can be admitted to a mental health hospital either voluntary or involuntarily.

A voluntary admission is when you ask a medical professional to admit you because you feel you need urgent treatment. If your doctor or psychiatrist agrees that you ought to be in hospital, they can arrange this for you.

Involuntary admission is when you are forced to go to a mental health hospital because you meet criteria to be sectioned under the Mental Health Act 1983. Usually, people are sectioned because they present an immediate danger to themselves or others due to their mental health condition. If two doctors (or one during the Covid-19 pandemic) and an Approved Mental Health Professional agree that this is the case, the person can be detained in a psychiatric ward or hospital for as long as the section they are under legally allows.

What treatment do patients get?

When you go into a mental health hospital, a treatment plan is made for you based on your individual needs. 

You will have a meeting, usually with at least one psychiatrist, a nurse and sometimes a psychologist in the room. They will assess you, ask you questions and make a plan for treatment. They may give you a diagnosis as well.

Treatments can include:

• Beginning or changing medication
• Support sessions with a psychologist or assistant psychologist. They can help you learn ways to manage your mental health condition and teach you strategies
• Occupational therapy
• Access to exercise, some mental health hospitals have a gym
• A room with art activities
• Weekly reviews with the psychiatrist
• Liaison with community mental health teams to plan care once the person is out of hospital

While you are in hospital you will generally have a weekly meeting with a multidisciplinary team (MDT). It will see how you are finding your treatment plan and if any adjustments need to be made.

Lucy’s story

Lucy was admitted to a psychiatric ward just before Christmas 2020, when her mental health condition deteriorated. She had slipped into a mental health crisis.

Lucy explains: “This was my second admission and I was a voluntary patient. The fact that I willingly chose to admit myself to the hospital a few days before Christmas, in the midst of the pandemic reflects how desperately I wanted and needed help, and to get to a place I’d be able to keep myself safe from self-harming behaviours. I was extremely grateful to be offered a bed. In the few days while I was at home waiting for a bed to become available, I questioned many times whether I was making the right choice. 

“Even as a voluntary patient, when you can leave the hospital and go for walks alone, you can still feel very trapped.

“I would always feel relieved when I was allowed to leave the ward to go for a walk. I always felt a in a better mood by the time I got back to the ward. Both times I’ve been on a psychiatric ward, it felt like I was there longer than I was. Three weeks felt more like six. Not because the experience of being there was awful. During my first admission especially I felt quite close to some of the patients and felt safe with the staff. 

“You get used to the routine very quickly and adapt to never being alone for long. It makes adjusting to life outside the hospital very difficult, even if you’ve not been in long. Once you are released back home, suddenly you feel much more alone. No one is checking on you every 15-30 minutes. You can’t just leave your room and find a member of staff if you are distressed or need something. 

“It was strange being there over Christmas, but overall not too bad. At first, I was able to meet my sister or partner outside the hospital for a socially distanced walk, which made a huge difference to my day.”

In January 2021, the UK entered another national lockdown.

Lucy says: “Suddenly everything changed. Obviously I couldn’t see my family anymore, and we were only allowed outside escorted by a member of staff, for a short period of time. Although necessary, I felt quite trapped. Despite the fact that they were busy, the staff still tried their best to ensure everyone who wanted to leave the ward could, once a day. You had to go on a list and wait until a staff member became available. Some patients struggled to accept this and would become very agitated. The overall mood on the ward dropped and felt tense.

“Then, we started to get cases of Covid-19 on our ward and it spread quickly. People who tested positive, along with those who’d had contact with them had to isolate in the rooms for two weeks. Towards the end of my admission, I developed symptoms and I had to isolate while waiting for my test results.

“Two days later more cases were confirmed and the entire ward had to isolate in their rooms. 

“Not only was this extremely difficult for patients, staff became extremely strained. We weren’t allowed to leave our rooms. We couldn’t do things for ourselves anymore like get drinks, food and do laundry. Staff had to do all of this for the entire ward and they were run off their feet. To make things worse, the ward was understaffed where members of staff had to isolate. Tensions on the ward were very high. Because the windows in our bedrooms are restricted, you couldn’t even open the windows wide to get fresh air. 

“After a few days in isolation, I started to feel very trapped and lonely. Thankfully, my Covid test came back negative and I was able to be discharged safely. If my test had of been positive, I would have had to stay isolating in my room for a total of two weeks. I felt so lucky to be able to have been discharged and felt a huge sense of relief when I left. 

“Despite all of this, I’m still know that my admission was important and needed. I do not regret going although it wasn’t an easy few weeks.”

Lucy’s advice to those who need help with their mental health 

Lucy advises: “Despite the struggles the NHS is facing, they still gave me the help I needed. Please keep asking for help; your mental health is so important and there is help and support available for you. There are teams of professionals out there who care deeply about you and want to ensure you are safe. If you are in crisis, please reach out to your GP as well as your local crisis team.

“I found some of the professionals within the crisis team to be wonderful, compassionate professionals who never make you feel like you are a burden. Don’t feel as though it is hopeless and not worth bothering with. If your mental illness has deteriorated, then it requires attention just as importantly as your physical health. 

“For anyone who is facing admission to a psychiatric ward at this time, although my story may sound intense, try not to let it put you off. Although psychiatric wards can be challenging environments, there are always caring and supportive staff on the ward who can help you. You have the option to spend time in your room if you need space or you feel overwhelmed by the environment. Despite all the challenges I faced on the ward, I do not regret going because I needed that level of care and safety at that time.”

NHS urgent mental health helpline

If you think you are having a mental health crisis, you can find your local NHS urgent mental health helpline here.

You could also see your GP or call NHS 111.