Understanding If and When to Seek Inpatient Mental Health Treatment

Understanding When to Seek Inpatient Mental Health Treatment

Mental health conditions are more common than many people realize. In fact, nearly 1 in 5 American adults live with a mental illness. Despite how widespread these disorders are, the decision to admit oneself for inpatient psychiatric treatment remains difficult.

Checking into a mental hospital involves a major lifestyle change and carries a social stigma. But for some people severely impaired by symptoms, a higher level of care becomes necessary.

How do you know if voluntarily committing yourself is the right choice?

Recognizing Symptoms Requiring Hospitalization

Many mental health issues can be managed effectively through outpatient services. But certain symptoms indicate when self-admission may provide the safest option:

• Thoughts of suicide or self-harm
• Extreme inability to function due to depression or anxiety
• Manic behavior and psychosis
• Seeing, hearing or believing things that are not real (hallucinations or delusions)
• Alcohol or drug addiction issues
• Eating disorders causing extremely low weight

Getting through a crisis period often requires intensive psychiatric and medical oversight. Once symptoms stabilize, outpatient follow-up allows transitioning back home.

The Voluntary Admission Process

Checking oneself into inpatient treatment first involves showing up at the hospitals emergency department or admission center. You must state to staff that you wish to be admitted voluntarily due to a mental health issue.

An intake assessment determines whether hospitalization is appropriate by evaluating:

• Risk level - danger to self/others
• Symptom severity - impacting ability to function
• Support system - family or community help available
• History - prior hospitalizations or response to treatment
• Insurance coverage - for hospitals costs

The evaluation also includes diagnostic tests, physical exam, patient interviews, and contacting family or doctors.

Once admitted, regular meetings with a psychiatrist, nurse, and social worker guide treatment planning and discharge timing based on improvement.

Hospitalization Treatment Approaches

Inpatient facilities offer direct care from doctors, therapists, and nurses, along with close monitoring within a controlled environment. Treatment modalities include:

• Medications - newer drugs or dosage adjustments
• Individual counseling - build coping techniques
• Group therapy - peer support
• Behavior modification - change harmful patterns
• Adjunct therapies - art, yoga, mindfulness skills

Discharge planning also connects patients with outpatient providers and community resources to enable an effective transition home.

Seeking Hospitalization Voluntarily vs. Involuntarily

Some individuals require emergency mental health intervention but refuse hospitalization when offered voluntarily. In these urgent cases, involuntary psychiatric commitment procedures may start.

Involuntary Hospitalization Process

If someone's symptoms drastically impair judgment so they cannot recognize need for treatment, a court order mandates inpatient admission. The process typically involves:

1. Petition - submitted by a doctor, mental health pro, or family
2. Psych evaluation - by court-appointed specialists
3. Court hearing - judge reviews evidence
4. Commitment order - hospitalization period decided

Initial involuntary hold lasts around 72 hours. Additional commitment extensions require repeating court petition and hearing process.

Criteria for Involuntary Admission

To involuntarily commit someone, strict legal criteria must be met. The person must have a mental illness and show at least one of the following due to symptoms:

• Danger to self or others
• Unable to meet basic survival needs
• Severe psychosis making them gravely disabled
• Deterioration without treatment likely

The involuntary process aims to ensure an individual receives needed treatment despite objection while also protecting their civil liberties against unnecessary confinement.

Considerations for Involuntary Route

Watching a loved one spiral into crisis without accepting help feels scary and frustrating. But family members may still have reservations about pursuing involuntary commitment. Issues to weigh include:

• Patient anger - Imposed hospitalization can damage trust in doctors and family.
• Legal complexity - Navigating court hearings and proceedings takes effort.
• Treatment refusal afterward - The patient continues rejecting follow-up care.
• Symptom uncertainty - Judging true severity level poses challenges.

Layering involuntary admission over voluntary efforts risks fracturing critical support systems. Yet when all other options fail, it may provide the only route to lifesaving care.

Path Towards Mental Wellness

Battling mental illness presents an uphill climb, but sustainable wellness resides within reach. Always remember help exists - whether from hospital programming, community resources, support groups, therapy, or medication.

Early intervention and integrated treatment services offer the best opportunity for recovery. But recurring symptoms sometimes exhaust safer options, making self-admission necessary again.

With compassionate self-reflection, personal advocacy, and professional guidance, the possibilities remain hopeful. Perhaps the true sign of strength dwells in acknowledging when we need each other most - then extending hands until healing blooms through.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.