Instituationalized

Katylynn, this must be so difficult and painful for you. I am sorry that you have to go through this.

The only thing I can suggest is that perhaps for your son, the clinic offers a great deal of structure and routine which somehow allow him to escape his thoughts. I know when I go through bad patches, a strict routine helps me to get through it because I'm always focusing on the next thing to be done. He'll probably have structured meal times which he can build his day around along with activities and therapy sessions etc. Maybe what he finds daunting about 'the outside' is the fact that he has to think and make decisions for himself. Yet, paradoxically, when he refuses to see psych and o/t, that's him exerting some small part of decision making over there so he doesn't feel like he's relinquishing himself completely. Clinics can be like that can be perceived as saying that everything the person was doing before they arrived was 'wrong' so once they've internalised that idea the patients start to see everything about the clinic as 'right' and they don't want to risk going 'wrong' again and they associate that with home.

Hopefully this may give you some insight and that things start to improve in the future. My mum's the best person for me when I get depressed because although she's very understanding, she gives me the tough love to put a rocket up my butt when needed.

I'm so sorry to hear this, Katylynn. Is it possible for you to talk to his mental health team? (Though I realise this could be a bit difficult if your son is 32, and would probably require his consent.) I agree with everything BettyBlue has said but I'm also thinking medication. Antipsychotic drugs can sap people's vitality and desire to engage with the world.

I hope there'll be others on this forum who've gone through the same thing and will have useful advice to offer you.

Hi Katylynn. I've never been in your position, but I have been the one on the section.

All I can say around why your son may prefer his unit.. is based on my own experience and those I was an inpatient with - who are now life long friends. We actually talk about this often.

The mental health inpatient units are very, very secure and structured. This is comforting for patients after they adjust to the environment, because obviously it's very different from home.

The physical security measurements make us feel safe, that we can't be harmed by people who don't understand - people who aren't in the unit.

The people on the unit have the same or similar conditions to each other. This allows them to understand each other more than anyone else. Including mental health workers.. Because as far as we know they have not experience the same illnesses as us. Therefore how can they understand as well as the other patients do??

This for me was the most comforting. Being around people who fully understood.

When I was discharged and came home I found it extremely difficult to adapt and 'fit back in' with people who don't understand.. And who get frustrated at not understanding. This made me feel sad and guilty.

I also got extremely paranoid about the physical security of the house, and feeling alone because I was no longer living with people who were the same as me.. And who understood.

Also in the units, patients are physically checked on every 30 minutes. This is also comforting.

I'm not sure if a brief explanation of my experience will help you get possible ideas about your sons situation, and why he feels the way he does.

Feel free to ask if you think there's anything else I can tell you that may help.

Take care

There had to be a precipitating factor for him to change so dramatically and end up there.  Any idea what that might have been?