Not feeling very voluntary

[Gwynn]

I've been a voluntary patient at the hospital because I had a period of heightened anxiety and I needed extra support.  The stressor has reduced and so I don't want to continue hospital appointments and I want to get off the meds they put me on because I don't think they've actually done anything useful for me. Even though I'm a voluntary patient, my primary clinician keeps on making additional appointments for me even though I've told her that I'm too sick to attend, that I find them overwhelming and unhelpful, etc. and it just doesn't feel very voluntary at all.  I'm doing a lot better but I'm not doing well, and having to deal with the hospital on top of everything else is creating its own stress in my life. 

I know there's no magic word to get out of the hospital system but I'm just really struggling and the more I say 'no' the less I'm listened to. Does anyone have any suggestions? Please don't gaslight me by suggesting they may have a point - I know they may have a point but they're not seeing how they've become a contribution to the stresses I have.

[holdinghope5]

Hi @Gwynn,

Thank you for sharing. I don't have experience in this area myself, but I'm sure others will be able to jump in and provide you support soon.

I just wanted to jump in to say that I hear you. It can be frustrating and overwhelming when we're not 'heard' by our support team, I hope that changes soon. 

[Appleblossom]

@Gwynn Its really hard dealing with mental health issues, but I am glad you are feeling a little better. Do you have a better rapport with a private therapist or psychiatrist? Sometimes the hospital staff and systems can feel a bit mechanical and self perpetuating, rather than honestly putting the person’s needs at the centre of care. I wish there were more community based organisations. They pop up in different areas. Some of the states have safe havens, if that would help. Keep looking and reaching out for things that speak to you and your values and interests.

[Captain24]

Hi @Gwynn 

I was in hospital last year as a voluntary patient. My Pdoc decided I need to stay so she could adjust medication. I was distraught. I asked her how much longer I needed to stay and she said she wasn’t sure. So I gave her a date that I needed to be out by. She accepted it and did what she could in that time. I gave her 2 weeks. 

Do you have anything that you need to be home for. I had work and dogs. So I used that as my reason. It really was as Id already taken so much time off work to go then to have to stay longer. 

I don’t know if this helps. 

Im sorry that it’s triggering you. I felt that I just needed to get home and back to a normal life to be able to work through what I had learnt from being in there. Even without work and my dogs, I’d just had enough and wanted to go home. I cried a lot about the extra time and I did struggle with having to stay. 

I do have to admit that in the end she really was right but I couldn’t see that at the time. 

[Justhere]

HI @Gwynn , i too was a voluntary admission not long ago. I insisted on social leave, able to go home for a few hours per day , shower, spend therapy time with my dogs and feel connected to my home and community. 

They agreed to this, and it helped me immensely. 

[Gwynn]

They literally phoned me after I said I quit, don't phone me... and apparently because they're new, they need to check with their manager what the procedure is.