Long term treatment

[jwjones87]

Has anybody been in a long term treatment facility? My psychologist suggested it and I'm wondering what it's like. Is it like acute psych hospitals or what. What's the typical length of stay?

 

[Arashi222]

Well I haven't been in one but I had a friend that had been in one years ago and basically long term care is done at its own facility that has many levels of care to the most severe who probably won't leave to those that just need some middle treatment to those that have day passes to where they please as long as they come back at night so there are many levels within the facility, you usually have a roommate unless you pay extra. Usually there is group, and all phone calls tend to be monitored. But that was a few years ago. She didn't like it because you really don't have a lot of freedom or privacy.

 

[Val2]

why has your psychologist recommended this? I personally wouldn't recommend going to a place like that unless you're extremely depressed with suicidal thoughts. Otherwise, it's a bit of an overkill. I had multiple psychologists recommend a hospital for my depression but I never went to one and guess what? I'm fine! I got over depression once I got out of my circumstance and it's been 5 years of no depression since then. Psychologists never think of the obvious, they think of medication and hospitals like you're a maniac. But of course, this is just me and my opinion.

 

[King_Oni]

I agree with Val2. Is there any serious issue at the moment? Like something that would require you to be under some kind of surveillance?

Or did your psychologist recommend this just for your autism? Seems a bit weird to me. A friend of mine got in for long term treatment, but that was because he was supposedly suffering from schizophrenia as well as a bit of a substance addiction on top of his (wrongly diagnosed) Aspergers. That left him in a facility for close to a year.

What you might consider is finances as well. Since if you're there, I don't think a job will be an option, and in some places social security will be cut off or less (for instance here, in the Netherlands, where you'll get about 25% of your total welfare check... which pretty much goes into monthly medical bills for your stay). And given you're from the US, I don't know how healthcare is set-up for you there if you decide to go long term.