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Mental Hospitals



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Thu Jan 15, 2015 6:02 pm
Castiel says...



What is a teen mental hospital like? i am writing a short story on a girl who goes to one. What do you do there? What are the rules and protocol?
-T.D. Taylor
  





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Thu Jan 15, 2015 6:06 pm
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Rosendorn says...



Time period?
A writer is a world trapped in a person— Victor Hugo

Ink is blood. Paper is bandages. The wounded press books to their heart to know they're not alone.
  





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Thu Jan 15, 2015 6:08 pm
Castiel says...



Time period is now. modern age.
-T.D. Taylor
  





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Thu Jan 15, 2015 6:11 pm
Rosendorn says...



This thread has some experiences for modern day mental hospitals. Some are adult stories, though. They vary based on the type of security and the illnesses the person was brought in for.

If you specify reason for why she's in the hospital, it'll probably help, as well.
A writer is a world trapped in a person— Victor Hugo

Ink is blood. Paper is bandages. The wounded press books to their heart to know they're not alone.
  





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Thu Jan 15, 2015 6:17 pm
Castiel says...



She is like, going crazy. She has bi-polar and a whole bunch of other issues and she snaps while being bullied at school. (she almost killed someone) she is taken to the hospital under restraints because she is screaming. She also has trouble separating things from reality (she is a fangirl) and believes in monsters, the apocalypse, time travel (like in doctor who) and stuff. she thinks its all real. Kind of Skitzotypal, i guess.
-T.D. Taylor
  





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Thu Jan 15, 2015 6:43 pm
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birk says...



Your character seems to have a whole goody-bag mix of issues. Before having her admitted into this psych ward, I'd look over which issues it would be natural for her to have.

While it's great to do research on psych wards and the location for your character, I'd get the character right first. Right now, she seems to have a whole bunch of stuff. This belief she seems to have in all these superficial things kind of makes her seem delirious. In most of these cases, it's brought on by sleeplessness. Although, this would build up over time, and it would be unrealistic for her to now be admitted, after she snaps at school. Someone would have noticed this.

As for psych wards themselves, I don't know too much about youth wards. I'd think they're pretty similar though. A lot of time goes into making sure the patient is safe, trying to socialise them a bit and a lot of prolonged talks. In the case you're describing, I'm sure they'd open up with throwing a handful of pills her way.

The other thread that was linked is sure to give you lots on psych wards themselves, and I'm sure you'll get a lot more here soon. I'd still start out with working out these issues she has. She has an unrealistic amount right now.
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Thu Jan 15, 2015 6:48 pm
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Rosendorn says...



I'll be blunt: the way you're describing that whole thing does not sound grounded in any form of research. It sounds like it comes from the movies, and the movies get things wrong all the time.

Bipolar is actually a hugely varied illness that's made up of three components (that don't all necessarily appear in the same person) and comes in at least two types. The components are mania, mixed states, and depression. Each component has different intensities and manifestations. The types are bipolar I and bipolar II. There are probably more to account for which component/mood cycle is the most prevalent.

Wikipedia has a start point for all this. I'd suggest you read it.

Having trouble separating things from reality is not a "fangirl" trait and is very likely not part of the bipolar mix of symptoms. Separating fiction from reality has a whole host of different root causes that do tie to schizophrenia but this illness is not necessarily a complete inability to tell lines between what exists and what doesn't. I'd suggest you read the wikipedia article on that, as well, to start your research.

Mentally ill individuals are very often not violent. They do not try to kill people as a general rule. Yes, some do have violent impulses and thoughts (one type of OCD is marked by obsessing over killing somebody) but that does not mean they act on those violent impulses (there are no reported cases of people with that OCD subset acting on their impulses). It also does not necessarily mean that they will jump straight to "try to kill someone"— they can hit or punch first. Usually when somebody mentally ill goes violent, then they have been tormented and stressed to the point they feel they have no other option. Some illnesses are marked by going 0 to "want to murder" at the smallest slight, but that, again, does not mean they act on it.

If you really want to write a short story about a girl who goes to a mental hospital, especially for such extreme reactions and misunderstood illnesses, then you have to research both the hospitals and the illnesses themselves. Right now the whole concept of why she gets into the hospital is not grounded in reality and appears to come from stereotypes which are more often than not untrue.

Look through wikipedia, the DSM 5, other medical resources, and personal experiences (blogs and interviews). Do not simply think "Oh I'll have a character with these traits and they sort of relate to these illnesses" and call that enough research. Mental illnesses are very often misrepresented and twisted so the mentally ill individuals are monsters, and you very much appear to be perpetuating this misrepresentation.
A writer is a world trapped in a person— Victor Hugo

Ink is blood. Paper is bandages. The wounded press books to their heart to know they're not alone.
  





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Thu Jan 15, 2015 7:01 pm
Castiel says...



sorry that what i described her problems as was "wrong" but just FYI, the characters mental problems are based on my own. I happen to have Bi-polar. i know the stages, and what happens ias when i go manic, i get so much jumbled in my head the smallest thing makes me snap. my mom yelled at me once because i was crying about it and i hit her, so dont tell me that anger isnt a part of it. and the fandom stuff, yeah, i happen to believe that a lot of stuff like that is real. Monster and time travel and aliens and shadows that eat people are all real to me. so yeah. Vescere bracis meis.
-T.D. Taylor
  





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Thu Jan 15, 2015 7:16 pm
birk says...



Castiel, do you also belive 'The Simpsons' are real?

How do you differentiate between what is what?
"I never saved anything for the swim back."


Do not mistake coincidence for fate. - Mr Eko

they're selling razor blades and mirrors in the street
  





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Thu Jan 15, 2015 7:20 pm
Castiel says...



no, and dont mock me.
-T.D. Taylor
  





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Thu Jan 15, 2015 7:24 pm
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Rosendorn says...



Ah, my apologies. I was aware that such a character could exist, but I did not realize this was autobiographical.

It's difficult to be on the stereotypical end of the spectrum. Since this is based on your own experiences, you've got a leg up on those who would normally write those types of stories. I would still suggest research, but it's more to broaden your own experiences and potentially differentiate the character from you if you so choose.

Again, I apologize for any invalidation I might have caused by wording my reply the way I did. I was not aware you already had a very large base of experience to work on.
A writer is a world trapped in a person— Victor Hugo

Ink is blood. Paper is bandages. The wounded press books to their heart to know they're not alone.
  





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Thu Jan 15, 2015 8:21 pm
Nightshade21 says...



Castiel wrote:She is like, going crazy. She has bi-polar and a whole bunch of other issues and she snaps while being bullied at school. (she almost killed someone) she is taken to the hospital under restraints because she is screaming. She also has trouble separating things from reality (she is a fangirl) and believes in monsters, the apocalypse, time travel (like in doctor who) and stuff. she thinks its all real. Kind of Skitzotypal, i guess.


The way your describing your character it seems more on the text book term schizophrenia. Where these people do hear voices that tell them to either self harm, harm others, or in some case studies boost their confidence by encouraging them when they do something right. Also a schizophrenic could have hallucinations though that is a positive symptom. They also have trouble distinguishing from reality and or a dream like state.

You could do as background knowledge into the reason, she thought the monsters told her they wanted a perfect specimen to look at therefore she did what she did( since you did mention she almost killed someone?)

As for the doctor who and the fangirl tibit you gave i don't see how that aids in what makes her ill alot of people believe in those things with no illness whatsoever. I apologize if i'm confused and mis-read that part.

Also, a suggestion right now if you wish to still make it modern age, i would do research maybe look deeper and have a better grasp on what is wrong with the character. If it helps try google and print out a character sheet those help to truly understand your character.

If not, then try a different time period, like before Nellie brye(always butcher her last name) where anything would be thrown into a phych ward. I guess it also depends on the genre and tone of your story, sorry im rambling on now.
  





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Thu Jan 15, 2015 8:23 pm
Aet Lindling says...



Birkhoff wrote:Castiel, do you also belive 'The Simpsons' are real?

How do you differentiate between what is what?

Here probably isn't the time or place to ask such questions.
dun worry
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Thu Jan 15, 2015 8:29 pm
birk says...



Here probably isn't the time or place to ask such questions.


I'm sorry, the snarky reply there sort of got to me. I was simply trying to get some more information going. Quick on the trigger, my bad.
"I never saved anything for the swim back."


Do not mistake coincidence for fate. - Mr Eko

they're selling razor blades and mirrors in the street
  





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Thu Jan 15, 2015 8:32 pm
Aet Lindling says...



Castiel wrote:sorry that what i described her problems as was "wrong" but just FYI, the characters mental problems are based on my own. I happen to have Bi-polar. i know the stages, and what happens ias when i go manic, i get so much jumbled in my head the smallest thing makes me snap. my mom yelled at me once because i was crying about it and i hit her, so dont tell me that anger isnt a part of it. and the fandom stuff, yeah, i happen to believe that a lot of stuff like that is real. Monster and time travel and aliens and shadows that eat people are all real to me. so yeah. Vescere bracis meis.

My sympathies. I've never experienced mania quite that fierce but I've had the pleasant experience of having to forcibly tackle to the pavement a friend of mine who was screaming illogical things, running at superhuman speed to smash store windows, and writhing. Bad stuff.

However, while people have been very invalidating of your experience thus far, I do think there is one point in which you're selling yourself short. Violence is common but less common is actually going through with an intent to kill, which is a pretty negative stereotype and one you don't seem to have. I'm sure there can be sufficient reason to send your character off to the ward without going quite that far, though of course it is your story.

Birkhoff wrote:I'm sorry, the snarky reply there sort of got to me. I was simply trying to get some more information going. Quick on the trigger, my bad.

Naw, naw, it's cool. Apologize to her if anyone, not me. I understand the fascination, it's just kind of a belittling thing to say. She seems to recognize on some level that they are delusions and it's severely uncommon for people to have quite that much a detachment from reality that they think literally everything is real, and besides which the topic isn't her particular strain of mental illness.
dun worry
it's all gun be k
  








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