When is it time to be hospitalized?

[Babygurly22]

Hi everyone,
About a month ago i was diagnosed with severe depression, anxiety and sever bi polar disorder. My doctor put me on Wellbutrin (generic version of Bupropion). I went off of it about a week ago on my own. I began having serioud withdrawl symptoms. I was to the point where if my fiance didnt hold me back i would have punched a hole through the wall. I understand that you are never supposed to go off of medication in general on your own without your doctors permission and without lower the dosage over time. The reason i went off was because at the time i thought i was going to get a new job, i was in training at that point but half way through my training they said that they would no longer need me. I was not able to make it to the doctors because of the job. Seeing as i lost the job i do not have the money to go back to the doctor or continue paying for my medication. I can also not afford at this time to pay for a therapist. I am basically living off my fiance at this point which makes it 10 times harder because i hate asking him for things, especially money. He pays for everything at this point, rent, insurance, food, electric, everything. I feel horrible. I have been jobless for over 5 months now and i feel like such a horrible fiance. Ontop of that i am even more depressed because i have alot of problems with my ovaries and we are trying for a baby and have yet to get pregnant. It kills me every month that i find out i am not pregnant. Basically my biggest question is, when is it time to be hospitalized for depression. The past few days i have been the worst i have ever been so far. I started crying the other day for no reason and started hyperventilating. I have had numerous thoughts of killing myself and have attempted to write a suicide note. I have also had severe anger problems the past few days just wanting to punch or break something. I am getting really worried and scared at this point and my fiance really doesnt know what to do right now either. I have heard before that if you are thinking about checking into the hospital/psychiatric ward you should just do it. Is that true. I absolutely hate hospitals. Last year my fiance was in the hospital for almost 2 months. I sat there everyday basically watching him die from kidney failure and balled my eyes out every day because there wasnt anything i could do for him. Things turned around but i am scared to death of hospitals and everytime i am around one, all i can think of is him in that hospital bed. It kills me and i cry like crazy anytime i think about it. I know that being scared of hospitals and because of my fiance isnt a reason to go but i am scared of what they will do, i am scared my family/friends will think i am crazy and not want to have anything to do with me anymore. I am getting really scared and confused at this point. Should i go or no? Can anybody help me or give me any input of what they think or if they have gone theough the same thing? I would really appreciate it. Thanks everyone.

[sara12345]

Look at the posting entitled, "Not sure what to do..."  Then you may get an idea of why we're concerned about someone with untreated "severe bipolar" (your words) having a baby.

[sara12345]

You do have several years according to the above, before you need a hysterectomy.  It's you who said that you are suicidal and don't have the money to get any medical care.  You want, he wants, but what about the baby's care?  Sorry that's offensive to you.  We're all thinking about the baby.  Maybe the two of you should too.  

[Babygurly22]

We are in the process of getting married. We are getting married november 16 and we are trying now because i have severe probs and my doctor wants to do a hysterectomy of me within the next few years thats why we are trying. We have been together 4 years and we are committed to eachother. Any how many people out there have kids bu accident atleast i have someone who wants kids, who i marrying me in a few months and who is understand what i am goung through and inderstands within the next 2 years i will no longer be able to have kids and kids are 1 of the things we most want in life. Honestly it kind of upsets me to hear someone say that and is honestly quite offending to me as well as my fiance.

[Anneinside]

The 72 hours is a hold, not usually used with voluntary patients. In my state, you can sign yourself out any time but must stay 12 hours after doing so which allows time for the pdoc to talk with you. At that point they may release you, put you on a 72 hour hold or have you committed. I once signed myself out and my pdoc there talked to me and said she would have me committed (I had just tried suicide the day before) if I left. I agreed to stay voluntarily.

As for having a baby... why even try now when you haven't make the full commitment by marrying. Being a fiance says I want to marry you in the future, probably. It does not say I am totally committed to you and any future children. Maybe I am old-fashioned, but marriage gives you certain rights and protections while being a fiance gives you none.

If you feel you need hospitalization, remember that provides two things, safety and a treatment plan with medication. If you are not going to buy the medication when you leave the hospital then it is almost useless to go in. If you are suicidal and have a plan along with strong urges to do so then you need to go in for the safety until it passes but it usually doesn't unless you go on medications. There are some generic drugs that are not expensive that you could ask them to put you on, things like lithium (mood stabilizer), first-generation anti-psychotics, and some antidepressants -
    Generic citalopram (Celexa)
    Generic fluoxetine (Prozac)
    Generic paroxetine (Paxil)
    Generic sertraline (Zoloft)
    MAOIs
    Tricyclics

[christineyvette]

I hope you get the help you need! I hate seeing anyone suffer.

[christineyvette]

Phychiatric hospitals get a bad rep. I spent a week in one after trying to commit suicide after being depressed for too long. It was life changing. I had people to talk to and they put me on a new medication regimen which helped TONS. I shared a room with someone who was going through the same thing. If you admit yourself they can only keep you for 72 hours UNLESS they feel you must stay longer. And NEVER go off any medication without concent of a doctor. I ho

[witheredrose]

I have been in one before, a residential one for months! I did have my negativities with it, but for the most part it wasnt all that bad. If you feel like you should do it, then you must be pretty miserable right now if your considering it for yourself. Most people (like me) usually are made to go there against there will, I was court ordered there, because my parents refused to put me there, and being court ordered meant my parents couldnt take me out when they wanted to, and I couldnt decide if I wanted to go or stay. My parents lost there rights to me pretty much during thay period of time. They werent even allowed to sign when they wanted to do med change.
If you really feel like you need to I say go for it!
And as nursegirl had said, stopping the med like you did probably didnt help! RE
I think if you had a job, it would make a lot of difference for you, it would keep you busy! Some people actually dread when they have days off from work because of that.
Im sorry to hear about your difficulties with having a baby. I have ovarie problems too, my ovarie problems are that I dont even have them, I was born without them.
I wish the best of luck for you, if you feel a hospital would benefit you (which it would, we jusy dont see it!) Then go for it! They have therapists, psychiatrists, nurses , and all kind of people working in them places dedicated
to helping you!
Good lucks, HUGS

[nursegirl6572]

If you are thinking of writing a suicide note, you need to do something!  

Let me also say....you should NOT be trying to get pregnant right now, for MANY reasons.  For one, your mental health.  Pregnancy often exacerbates anxiety and depressive symptoms, bigtime.  

Right now, your disorders are NOT being managed.  That would be a VERY bad idea.  Also, your financial situation could be improved.  Adding a baby into the mix when you've got stressors that big can be a recipe for disaster.  It's ultimately your decision hon, but you REALLY need to think it through.  It wouldn't be fair to YOU, your fiancee (who would have to shoulder even more burden), or the baby.  Just give it some thought.  Trying for a baby is something that should be done in the most optimal opf circumstances.  Of course, there will never be a "perfect" time, but right now...you're not in a good place to take that on.

I strongly recommend you either call your doctor, or if needed, go to the hospital, and be very honest with them.  No one likes hospitals, and sadly, psych wards all too frequently get a bad name.  An inpatient stay can really help.  They'll get your meds stabilized, start intensive therapy, etc.  You need to do SOMETHING.  You just have to look at it from the mindset that going to the hospital will HELP you.  You can't compare what you're fiancee went through and what you're going there for.  You're not dying, or have some life threatening MEDICAL illness.  That being said, we need to care care of our mental health too.  You can't keep going on like this.

From here on out, you MUST make a committment to the treatment process.  I certainly understand that money situations can drastically affect our ability to get the right care, HOWEVER, there are almost always choices...you just have to be proactive about finding them.  I'm SURE, if worse came to worse, your fiancee would fit the bill for your care.  He wants you to be well!  Just please make sure you don't do what you did this time again.  You stopping the med abruptly caused a lot of suffering for you, and made you take a few steps backward.

PLEASE get some help, and the sooner the better.  You have our support.  We'll all be pulling for you, and praying for you.  PLEASE update us as soon as you can, we really worry!

Very best to you...big hugs!