I have never been hospitalized myself, but I am pretty sure if you are there voluntarily, you can leave if you decide to, unless they deem you a risk of harm to yourself or others.

ie: the difference between saying you FEEL like killing/hurting yourself or someone, and saying you ARE GOING to kill/hurt yourself or someone.

Each experience can and will be different...some people have a good experience and get stabilized, and some people have had a bad experience.

I think, though, if you go there when you are not in delerium and still have the ability to think rationally, you are much more likely to get the help you need.

There are two main reasons for getting hospitalized for psych reasons:

1) To get stabilized on medication more quickly, because they can watch your behavior directly, and make changes if needed.

2) To keep yourself and others safe if you are unstable and need a protected environment.

I do not know where you are or what the laws are there They are different in each area. On the most part I think you have to agree to stay 72 hrs to be admitted vol. Sometimes they will release you sooner but on the most part it takes that time to evaluate you. I have had a few hospitalizations and I was okay with them. I consider being hospitalized another one of the tools we have for treating our bipolar. It can get rough at times and being in the hospital gives me a sense of safety. If I am at home alone and terribly depressed I do not take good care of myself like eating properly and controlling harmful thoughts. I know there are a lot of negative stories out there about being in the hospital but I have not experienced that. Oh it is not a vacation but like I said, it is another tool for dealing with our illness. Hope this helped. Okiegirl

It differs so much. In the UK after I was taken off 24 hour obs I was allowed to go out shopping or to the pub. In Switzerland, it was much more strict and really I felt that I was a prisoner and couldn't go anywhere.

when u check urself in, u are going voluntarily. a counselor didn't file a petition with the court, and no judge has ordered you go. you go on your own. i do think, however, that if your therapist threatens filing a petition with the court unless you go in on your own, you were forced. that happened to me once.

if u check urself in and want to check out say...after a couple of days, you would be allowed to go unless u were a potential threat to yourself or someone else. if they believe you'll be safer in their care, they can put a 72 hour hold on you,

They aren't after trying to make you stay, though. They can get into big legal trouble for holding you unnecessarily, and there is usually more than enough people needing treatment, and it is costly -- so they are more likely to let you go too soon rather than hold you too long, if a mistake happens.