Psych Hospital Rules & What to bring/not to bring
Okay, so I want to write this post because when I was first admitted to the hospital I didn’t know the “rules” and what to bring/not to bring. Here’s to trying to help you navigate the mental health system and making your stay comfy.
Important to note that every hospital is different. I was admitted to a small voluntary unit at my local hospital. Experiences can vary depending on where you go and where you live. The list of things to bring and not to bring are my attempt to generalize inpatient stays. If you end up bringing something that’s not allowed, it will be either stored or given to one of your visitors.
When you are admitted, you’ll be given a list of rules that you’re required to follow by the facility you’re in.
What not to bring to the psych hospital:
Anything with strings attached; if they can’t be removed don’t bring the item as the alternative is having the strings/laces cut out.
Shoes with laces; the staff won’t just take the laces they will take the shoes as they can be a “tripping hazard”.
Belts, scarves, necklaces; anything that can be potentially be used to harm yourself.
Anything with alcohol; this isn’t just the stuff you drink, look on your conditioner bottle you’ll likely see a form of alcohol listed and that will not be permitted. In my experience, I was allowed to bring the items and have them stored behind the nurse’s station to be handed out in small amounts. I have yet to find a conditioner that doesn’t contain a form of alcohol.
Open food or drinks; you may be able to have visitors bring in sealed and labeled food, but unfortunately you won’t get McDonald’s in the unit. The rationale is that food may be tampered with and/or used to smuggle items into the unit.
Q-tips, nail files, dental floss, nail clippers, shaving razors; anything that is small enough to either swallow or inflict external injury. You may be able to be handed a safety razor to use. The men on my unit would shave their facial hair, but the women didn’t bother even shaving anywhere. We were in a psychiatric unit, shaving our legs wasn’t on the list of things to be concerned with.
Hats, caps, etc; unless you have a religious head covering (and it’s deemed you are safe to wear it), anything that covers your head is prohibited.
Anything with metal pieces such as spirals in notebooks, paper clips, etc; you may be allowed to use pens but that will easily be revoked if you attempt to disassemble it.
Any sort of bag; this means your visitor can bring your stuff in a bag but you can’t keep the bag in your room for storage.
Medications; you’ll have your meds given on the unit, anything you bring in is sent down to pharmacy storage.
Drugs of abuse; if you’re addicted to Xanax and you bring your bottle of Xanax with you, you’re not getting it back. A women I was with on one of my stays was upset about this very thing.
Illegal drugs; you’ve got a lot more serious issues if your bring any illegal drugs with you. If you’ve managed to bring them into the hospital, give them up in the ER, but there’s really no reason to even get any illegal drugs through the hospital doors. If you do bring illegal drugs in, police will be involved and you’ll be likely transferred out to a different facility or possibly jail.
Anything with glass; flower vases, picture frames, etc. The glass can be broken and used to harm yourself and/or others.
Balloons with and without strings; though these may be kept behind the nurses station so they are still visible just not accessible
Technology; including phones, tablets, computers. Being in the hospital is primarily focused on limiting stressors and that means making a technology free “bubble” (minus what the unit provides). You’d be surprised at how many people admit to having serious stress from Facebook/Twitter/etc.
A comfy pillow; hospital pillows suck. Enough said.
A big fleece blanket; to cuddle with around the unit and optionally sleep with at night.
Comfort stuffed animal; these may not be allowed everywhere, my second admission it had to be kept in the nurse’s station but I got it during panic attacks/flashbacks/night terrors.
Clothes for at least a week; despite most units recommending only three days, it’s much more common to have 5-7 day stays.
Clothes to make sure you have enough of: underwear, bras (this is personal comfort, you’re in the hospital, enjoy the bra-free time), tees, comfy sweat pants and hoodies (without strings of course), PJ’s, socks.
Personal hygiene stuff; shampoo and conditioner, body wash, a pouf, pads/tampons especially if you even think there’s a chance your period may come while you’re inpatient. The pads they offer in the hospital suck.
Notebooks or paper to write on, it’s therapeutic to journal or perhaps you wish to record your musings observed during your stay.
Something to write with; pens (if allowed) or pencils if you prefer. Or, alternatively, anything you’re allowed to write with.
Books to read; for the “free time” you’ll get, just don’t bring something too raunchy (but, in all fairness, my roommate was allowed to bring in Fifty Shades)
Pictures from home; I had ones of my guinea pigs, it really helped me stay connected.
Remain calm, or try to; you want to avoid getting in a fight with another patient or causing hell by tearing apart the unit. This will get you nowhere positive.
If you are doing the above because you want to be drugged, just ask for it. I’m serious. Telling the nurses you’re about to lose it and tear apart the unit and you need something now is preferred over actually acting on the behaviors. Only downside is you’ll be doped up on Haldol and/or Ativan by injection and that part sucks.
Don’t hurt yourself when you’re inpatient. If you have urges, tell the nurses, they will literally sit with you and talk your through them, but please don’t hurt yourself. It complicates your stay and some units have no-harm rules for legal reasons which forces them to transfer patients to a “higher level of care” if a patient hurts/attempts to hurt themselves.
Take a shower everyday or at least every other day, save your fellow patient’s noses; and you avoid being forced to shower by the nursing staff.
If you’re on 1-to-1 obs (observations), don’t try to make an “escape” break to the bathroom or kitchen or your room, you will be seen and followed and then you’ll be left with having to sit within several feet of a nurse. At. All. Times. That’s just no fun.
If you feel physically unwell, tell the nurses, you’re there for mental and physical health
If you’re taking medications, report any med-related side effects to the nurses
Be nice to other patients (and staff), you will find most patients are as “sane” as you and I are, and there for the same/similar reasons.
Don’t be afraid of other patients, very rarely are there physically violent patients and in my experience they are removed from the voluntary unit to an involuntary state commitment.
Crying is okay and encouraged even if it’s at 3 a.m. and you feel your world collapsing, it’s okay, and your nurse will talk to you, yes, even at 3 a.m. I also found that roommates and other patients can offer incredible support.
Don’t go into other patient’s rooms, this isn’t allowed and if you catch someone in your room, say something. One of my stays involved a patient who had issues with “collecting” other patient’s various items, this was a symptom of her illness and wasn’t with malicious intent.
Watching TV is all about cooperation and agreement; arguments can result in loss of TV privileges (and nobody is happy after that)
You can request to be screened for release but the process will be made long enough that you’ll be kept the minimum of at least 72 hours on the unit. You can make this request at any time though, but if the care team recommends you stay, listen to them. Don’t risk being transferred to another facility and committed against your will.
You have rights, given what was said above and you should be given a list of these rights when you’re admitted, ask for them if you don’t get the paperwork. You should be give the numbers to file complaints about your care at as well.
Your rights vary depending on if you’ve voluntarily admitted yourself versus behind involuntarily committed. Still, even under involuntary commitment, you have rights.
As long as you’re deemed in capacity, you have the right to refuse medication and/or any other treatments such as ECT. If you are deemed unable to make informed decisions regarding your care, you can request an advocate make the decisions. This is where having an Advanced Psychiatric Directive is a really good idea, though unfortunately this may not be an option where you live.
Understand that most people within the first 48 hours “freak out” and want to go home, this happens to everyone I’ve seen during their first hospitalization. This is normal. This will pass. Don’t freak out too much.
I think the most important thing to remember is that you’re in the hospital because you need to be somewhere safe. You’ve made a decision that is saving your life, a choice to live and a refusal to die. You have amazing strength and courage for making this decision. Take your time healing, don’t lie just to get out early, you took this break and you deserve it as an actual break. Stay strong my loves, my ask is always open.
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