How long can a mental hospital legally keep you?

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asked Aug 6, 2023 in Mental Health by rebollo (1,030 points)
How long can a mental hospital legally keep you?

3 Answers

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answered Aug 6, 2023 by Writerwife (11,690 points)
A mental hospital can legally keep you for up to 72 hours without a court order from a judge.

If the mental hospital gets a court order from a judge then they can hold you for as long as the judge orders them to keep you which could be months or even a year or longer.

A psych hospital or mental hospital can keep you legally confined for up to 72 hours without consent from a judge.

If the psych hospital or mental hospital thinks you need to stay longer then the psych hospital or mental hospital can get a court order from a judge to hold you longer.

In those cases a psych hospital can hold you and keep you for months and even years if necessary and ordered by a judge.

In some psych wards you can have a bit of makeup as long as it's not in glass or metal containers.

You can wear some makeup in a psych ward but it's best to avoid any makeup until you're released from the psych ward.

Every psych ward is different and every mental hospital is different in their policies.

You cannot have stuffed animals in a mental hospital.

The reason you cannot bring stuffed animals into a mental hospital is they can carry dust, germs and pathogens and things could be hidden inside of them.

Mental hospitals do make you take out piercings as they can be harmful to yourself and others.

If you're not able to remove them yourself then the mental hospital staff will remove them even if they have to sedate you first.

You can wear a bra in a mental hospital as long as the bra does not have any underwire.

Some mental hospitals allow you to wear your own clothes as long as they are the proper clothes that fit their dress code and policies.

And some mental hospital patients are asked to wear pajamas, robes, and slippers that are provided by the facility.

Almost all mental hospitals and psychiatric units prohibit certain types of clothing, such as see-through items, high heels, revealing garments, and visible underwear.

Clothing policies vary from one facility to another.

The reason they wear white in mental hospitals is because the hospitals believe that the white coat creates a calming, safe rapport with the patient.

And the white coat also facilitates his or her professional identity and serves as a gateway to acceptance among medical staff and patients.

A mental hospital stay can usually be prevented by getting outpatient treatment and counseling for the person before they get to the point of needing a mental hospital stay.

Counseling can help most people who have mental health issues and depression and so by getting them mental help through counseling can help prevent the possibility of them needing to go to a mental hospital.

If you leave a hospital without being discharged then nothing will happen unless you're in a mental hospital being held on a psych hold or if you're a minor.

If you're a minor or you're being held in a psych ward against your will legally then the police will search for you and return you to the hospital.

However if you simply were in the hospital and are not a minor then you can legally walk out of the hospital without being discharged but your insurance will not pay for the treatment until you've actually been discharged.

A mental hospital costs on average $1,300.00 per day or around $9,293.00 to $10,000.00 for a week stay in a mental hospital.

Although some bigger mental hospitals can charge as much as $2,000.00 per day for a mental hospital stay.

If your doctor deems it medically necessary for you to stay in a mental hospital then your health insurance should cover the cost of the mental hospital stay.

If you are actively suicidal or homicidal, then you should check yourself into a mental hospital.

If you are actively hallucinating or if you are unable to get your mood swings under control in an outpatient setting, then inpatient treatment is probably appropriate.

The majority of people stay in mental hospitals between six and 18 months.

There are a few people who need to stay longer (eg Home Office restriction orders), and we work to identify other options for them.”

Although some people may only stay for a few days to a few weeks or until cleared by their doctor.

Because your loved ones can only stop in during visiting hours, you'll likely talk to the other patients when you get lonely.

Psychiatric wards treat a variety of conditions, and you'll have people who are animated and loud sharing rooms with people who can barely get out of bed.

Admission to a public psychiatric unit is usually through the emergency department, or the hospital's community mental health team.

For a private hospital you need your GP (family doctor) or a psychiatrist to arrange admission for you.

If you need an interpreter, the hospital can organize this for you.
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answered Jan 18 by Branlee (2,360 points) 1 flag

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answered Jan 18 by Azlidass (1,790 points)
Mental Hospitals can legally keep you against your will for 72 hours before they must either get a court order to keep you longer or release you.

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