When should someone be hospitalized for mental health issues?
An individual should be hospitalized for a mental health problem when he presents an immediate danger to himself or others or is so disabled that he can’t take care of his basic needs. Though there’s a stigma attached to mental health hospitalization, mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of. One in four families has at least one member with a mental disorder (World, 2003) and 2.4 million Americans are hospitalized for psychiatric illness each year (CDC, 2010). Knowing the warning signs can prevent a treatable illness from turning into a prison sentence or a suicide.
Someone needs to go to an inpatient facility if he or she is at risk for suicide. Feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness and a desire for death are a common symptom of clinical depression and bipolar disorder. Persistent thoughts about death or wanting to die can sometimes be managed on an outpatient basis with medication and therapy. However, when someone is thinking out a specific plan to end her life, inpatient treatment may be required. Warning signs include talking about feeling worthless, talking about death, giving away prized possessions and self-injury.
Another sign that hospitalization may be required is mania so intense that it presents a threat to the patient’s safety or that of others. Mania is a symptom of bipolar disorder. Symptoms of mania include intense feelings of happiness, irritability or anger. Most people experiencing mania do not harm themselves; they can, however, be hurt (or get in trouble with law) if their condition causes them to take unnecessary risks. Warning signs include loss of the need for sleep, speaking or acting faster than normal, making unrealistic or grandiose plans and any form of uncharacteristic impulsive or reckless behavior, such as overspending, driving too fast or engaging in unsafe sex.
A third sign that it is time to seek inpatient care is psychosis, also called psychotic tendencies. Though the word “psychotic” brings to mind violent criminal acts, the medical definition of psychosis is a loss of contact with reality (Merril, 2010). Symptoms include unreasonable paranoia, a feeling of being watched, “hearing voices” and visual or tactile hallucinations. Warning signs include disordered thinking, expression of unreasonable or delusional ideas and marked changes in behavior. Those experiencing paranoia may also exhibit unusual social isolation or seem abnormally attracted to conspiracy theories.More of thsi article can be found at: http://www.newsonhealthcare.com/when-should-someone-be-hospitalized-for-mental-health-issues/
An individual needs to be hospitalized for mental health issues if they are incapable of taking care of themselves due to a lapse in their mental state, Taking care of ones self could mean personal hygiene, feeding themselves or even forgetting to do their everyday necessities to survive.
Another huge sign could also be talks of suicide or even murder, just to state a couple.
Someone who is a danger to themselves and others needs to be hospitalized for both their own safety and the safety of others. Frequently someone who is mentally ill may try their hardest to hide their symptoms. They don’t want to lose friends and family members by admitting that they have a problem.
If someone has made suicide threats these should be taken seriously and they should be seen by a professional to access as to whether or not they are truly suicidal. There is a much higher risk of someone carrying out a suicide if they actually have a plan in mind on how and when to do so. The same holds true if they are being threatening when around others, especially around others who have not given them any reason to feel this way.
If an individual shows signs of instability such as not eating, poor sleep patterns, problems with personal hygiene as well as cleanliness of surroundings may be signs something is wrong. Another indicator may be missing several days of work. Any change in behavior from a happy go lucky person to someone who won’t even talk to their friends is another sign that the person should be hospitalized at least for an evaluation.
There are several forms of mental illness such as Schizophrenia which is a mental disorder often characterized by abnormal social behavior and failure to recognize what is real. Also depression may be related to a situation or it can be totally physiological in nature. Events can cause chemical reactions in the brain which can make a person irritable and even unstable in certain cases.
The bottom line still and always is “is there reason for concern” about the individual. If there is then a professional diagnosis should be done. Only after a diagnosis is performed can someone who hasn’t already attempted suicide or a “crime” can be hospitalized for mental illness. In some states a person may voluntarily ask for hospitalization and if it is determined that the person is in need of such hospitalization then it is given.
