Hello there! If you sense you should go to the hospital, I imagine it’s for a good reason. Your family may genuinely not understand why you feel this way (maybe they’re just ignorant about mental health issues) or they may be taking it personally. In other words, if you have to get help, they may feel like they failed you as parents or they fear the stigma associated with getting mental health help.
You also know yourself best. So, if you really feel worried that you may harm yourself or someone else, you are always encouraged to reach out for help.
According to Mental Health America, you can voluntarily go to a hospital for mental health help if you wish. In addition, you can create a plan for yourself called a psychiatric advance directive. This is a plan to consult if you’re ever in a crisis. It is a way of having your treatment plan and wishes written down while you are of sound mind, along with having someone else put them into practice if you’re experiencing a crisis. This is a good emergency plan to have.
You can also speak to a mental health professional, like a therapist, counselor, or a psychologist. Even a regular doctor can help here. They can give you a proper diagnosis and they can help you come up with a plan so you don’t have to go to the hospital. If you are a minor, they can talk to your parents and help them understand your struggles. In addition, they can tell you the signs that you should go to the hospital.
I found another article that talks about those warning signs:
This article also explains the importance of coming up with that aforementioned directive with a professional because they will make sure your autonomy is respected throughout the process.
This may be helpful in case you ever feel worried about your mental health.
In addition to that directive, I have a couple more tools for you to keep in your toolbox. One of these is a journal. This is so useful for allowing you to vent and process your moods. You can also see patterns of behavior here; if you notice that you’ve been having a string of bad days, you can see if they have concrete causes or something else. They can also be for keeping track of good days; what made those days so great?
If you want to talk about this with your family, consider going for the proactive approach. Tell them that you suspect something isn’t right, you don’t like how you’re feeling, you know something is wrong, etc. and that you want to speak to a professional. You are facing a problem that’s just too big to solve alone and you need to get some backup. While I’m sure your family means well, they may not know how to help you. So, they should at least support you in getting help. If this conversation doesn’t go well, find any responsible adult who can help you, whether it’s a family friend, a friend’s parent, a guidance counselor, someone from an employee assistance program, etc. Don’t stop until you find more support!
The last two tools I have right now are in case of an hemergency; one of these is a suggestion to find your local suicide hotline and keep it handy and the other is a suggestion for the Calm Harm app. This handy tool was developed to help people manage their self-harm urges. If you feel like you are ever at risk, this app will allow you a chance to do something safe with that energy instead of hurting yourself. Even if you are not struggling with self-harm, it’s still a good idea to have an emergency tool on hand.
Please know that you are being very smart and proactive here. You are fighting against that “not sick enough” stigma; that is the idea that you have to have a certain degree of suffering to deserve help. Everyone on this planet deserves at least some kind of mental health help; that is literally the foundation of this fabulous website. Just ask our founder! By being proactive and speaking to professionals, you can prevent so much grief for yourself and your family. Keep looking for professionals, keep talking to your family, keep reaching out to any responsible adult who can help you; consider this assembling Team You. Getting as many people in your corner as you can now will save you so much trouble down the line because you will know you have support to lean on.
I really hope this is helpful. The articles I linked are so valuable; they taught me some new things! Please reach out to us again if you ever need more help.
Hello there! If you sense you should go to the hospital, I imagine it’s for a good reason. Your family may genuinely not understand why you feel this way (maybe they’re just ignorant about mental health issues) or they may be taking it personally. In other words, if you have to get help, they may feel like they failed you as parents or they fear the stigma associated with getting mental health help.
The hard-and-fast rule when it comes to hospitalization is are you in danger of harming yourself or someone else? This article from a hospital explains the signs in-depth: https://carrierclinic.org/2018/06/20/how-to-recognize-a-mental-health-crisis-and-intervene/
You also know yourself best. So, if you really feel worried that you may harm yourself or someone else, you are always encouraged to reach out for help.
According to Mental Health America, you can voluntarily go to a hospital for mental health help if you wish. In addition, you can create a plan for yourself called a psychiatric advance directive. This is a plan to consult if you’re ever in a crisis. It is a way of having your treatment plan and wishes written down while you are of sound mind, along with having someone else put them into practice if you’re experiencing a crisis. This is a good emergency plan to have.
Here’s the article I found: https://www.mhanational.org/hospitalization
You can also speak to a mental health professional, like a therapist, counselor, or a psychologist. Even a regular doctor can help here. They can give you a proper diagnosis and they can help you come up with a plan so you don’t have to go to the hospital. If you are a minor, they can talk to your parents and help them understand your struggles. In addition, they can tell you the signs that you should go to the hospital.
I found another article that talks about those warning signs:
https://www.beyondblue.org.au/personal-best/pillar/supporting-yourself/should-i-be-admitted-to-hospital-for-management-of-my-mental-health-issue
This article also explains the importance of coming up with that aforementioned directive with a professional because they will make sure your autonomy is respected throughout the process.
I have one more article for you specifically about mental health crises: https://www.nami.org/Your-Journey/Living-with-a-Mental-Health-Condition/What-to-Do-In-a-Crisis
This may be helpful in case you ever feel worried about your mental health.
In addition to that directive, I have a couple more tools for you to keep in your toolbox. One of these is a journal. This is so useful for allowing you to vent and process your moods. You can also see patterns of behavior here; if you notice that you’ve been having a string of bad days, you can see if they have concrete causes or something else. They can also be for keeping track of good days; what made those days so great?
If you want to talk about this with your family, consider going for the proactive approach. Tell them that you suspect something isn’t right, you don’t like how you’re feeling, you know something is wrong, etc. and that you want to speak to a professional. You are facing a problem that’s just too big to solve alone and you need to get some backup. While I’m sure your family means well, they may not know how to help you. So, they should at least support you in getting help. If this conversation doesn’t go well, find any responsible adult who can help you, whether it’s a family friend, a friend’s parent, a guidance counselor, someone from an employee assistance program, etc. Don’t stop until you find more support!
The last two tools I have right now are in case of an hemergency; one of these is a suggestion to find your local suicide hotline and keep it handy and the other is a suggestion for the Calm Harm app. This handy tool was developed to help people manage their self-harm urges. If you feel like you are ever at risk, this app will allow you a chance to do something safe with that energy instead of hurting yourself. Even if you are not struggling with self-harm, it’s still a good idea to have an emergency tool on hand.
Please know that you are being very smart and proactive here. You are fighting against that “not sick enough” stigma; that is the idea that you have to have a certain degree of suffering to deserve help. Everyone on this planet deserves at least some kind of mental health help; that is literally the foundation of this fabulous website. Just ask our founder! By being proactive and speaking to professionals, you can prevent so much grief for yourself and your family. Keep looking for professionals, keep talking to your family, keep reaching out to any responsible adult who can help you; consider this assembling Team You. Getting as many people in your corner as you can now will save you so much trouble down the line because you will know you have support to lean on.
I really hope this is helpful. The articles I linked are so valuable; they taught me some new things! Please reach out to us again if you ever need more help.
Socially-distanced hugs,
Angelica Barile
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