Struggling with mental health and illness is a difficult experience that makes it harder for many of us to live our day-to-day lives. Periods of sadness, hopelessness, and despair can make us feel trapped in our thoughts and emotions. Sometimes, these emotions require professional help and care around-the-clock to pull you out from the darkness and back into the light.
Inpatient mental health treatment may be the answer to these struggles. But how will you know if inpatient treatment is right for you? Recognizing the signs and how your mental health affects your overall well-being is key in taking the next steps towards your mental recovery.
Understanding Inpatient Treatment
Inpatient mental health treatment requires you to stay in a care facility for a short period while you receive intensive care and treatment. During this time, which can range from a few days to a few weeks, you will receive around-the-clock care and access to mental health professionals to improve your physical and mental well-being.
Most adults in the US have the right to decide for themselves whether to be admitted to an inpatient mental health treatment facility, and anyone can self-admit themselves during a mental health crisis. Once admitted, most treatment centers follow a daily routine where meals, classes, and individual, family, and group treatments all occur at designated times each day.
Signs and Circumstances
If your mental health imposes a risk of harm to yourself or others, inpatient care may be your most effective treatment option. This includes suicidal thoughts, self-harm, and violent tendencies toward others. However, knowing the signs and symptoms of these risks before they occur and seeking inpatient treatment can help keep you and your loved ones safe and put you on the fast track toward mental recovery.
- Persistent feelings of hopelessness and despair
- Inability to function during daily life and loss of interest in daily activities
- Suicidal thoughts or actions
- Risk of harming oneself or others
- Decline in physical health due to mental condition
- Failure of outpatient treatment or lack of improvement despite therapy and medication
Specific situations and circumstances can also lead you to think inpatient treatment may be the best option for your mental well-being. This can include coping with a traumatic event, substance abuse, or managing co-occurring disorders, such as simultaneous mental illness and addiction issues.
Benefits of Inpatient Mental Health Treatment
Inpatient mental health treatment can offer a variety of different services and care options to patients that may not be available through outpatient care. Inpatient treatment generally offers 24/7 access to mental health professionals and services that offer mental and emotional support during your time of healing and rebuilding.
Inpatient facilities also offer structured routines and environments necessary for recovery as patients are encouraged to form healthy habits and coping mechanisms they can bring with them to their outside lives. Additionally, inpatient care grants access to intensive and specialized therapies tailored specifically to you and your mental health, allowing for you and your support network to build an individualized plan and achievable goals for your mental well-being.
Taking the first step is the hardest part, but remember, you are not alone. Ask for help. Start by talking to a person you know and trust or seek counseling from a mental health professional. If you feel inpatient treatment is right for you, ask someone you love to accompany you to a facility and ask for their help in understanding and experiencing the admissions process. Identify and research trusted inpatient facilities to find the right kind of care for you and remember the importance of seeking care as soon as possible to take control of your mental health.
Your journey toward recovery and sobriety begins at Beachside Rehab in West Palm Beach, Florida. We offer comprehensive, holistic inpatient and outpatient detox and drug and alcohol rehab. Please call 866-349-1770 to speak with one of our trained admissions counselors.