Published
I work for a small, private hospital specializing in mental health conditions for adults and adolescents as well as chemical dependency and rehab. While the acutely psychotic patients are placed on a separate unit, the main unit of the hospital contains a mixed population (chemical dependency and stable psych patients). I can't count how many times I've had detox patients sign themselves into our facility only to leave AMA because they didn't realize they were signing themselves into a "Psych Ward". What the heck do they think chemical dependency is exactly? A condition of the mouth?
It just gets on my nerves when people with addictions are so quick to judge others as if they have never heard of the term "Dual Diagnosis"...and if they are looking for a facility like Betty Ford or something you would see on Celebrity Rehab...don't you think they would do their homework and maybe research the facility they're signing themselves into? Its not like drug use magically manifests from nowhere. Most of them are dual in my opinion anyway...where their drug use stems from self-medicating ptsd, abuse, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, etc.
Just wondering if anyone else out there has dealt with this issue and can give me some advise on what to say to these people. The only thing I've come up with so far is that everyone is admitted for their own personal reasons. Some people are there to get off drugs while others are there because they need them. Any other helpful suggestions?