Former patients' experience of psychiatric care: A qualitative investigation

Abstract

In this study, 10 former patients' experiences of hospitalization are described using a qualitative approach. The informant group consisted of three men and seven women with different diagnoses and each with his or her individual experience of life as an inpatient. The aim of this study was to extend our understanding of former psychiatric inpatients' experience their time of admission to a psychiatric inpatients unit. Data were collected and analysed using a content analysis approach. From the former patients' descriptions, the following five themes emerged: being seen as a disease, striving for a sense of control in an alienating and frightening context, succumbing to repressive care, meeting an omniscient master, and care as a light in the darkness. In conclusion, the experience of psychiatric inpatient care could be interpreted and understood from former patients' narratives as a struggle for dignity in the face of discrimination and rejection.

Features of Everyday Life in Psychiatric Inpatient Care for Self-harming: An Observational Study of Six Women

“…The women became frustrated, but adapted to it passively because they had no other choice. Similar results were reported by Lilja and Hellzén (2008), who found that patients in psychiatric wards described spending time without events as being kept in storage and found ways of coping with daily life by themselves with things like sleeping, playing games or just adapting. Radcliff and Smith (2007) found that in an acute psychiatric ward, patients spent 84% of their time socially disengaged and almost half of that time alone in their bedrooms.…”

“…Shattell, Andes, and Thomas (2008) found that patients' time passed slowly and they simply waited for the next meeting with doctors, nurses, family or just anybody. Lilja and Hellzén (2008) and Borge and Fagermoen (2008) reported that adapting and being passive could be considered a risk because it could entirely overwhelm the patient.…”

Mental Health Patients' Experiences of Being Misunderstood

“…As reported in other research, the findings of this study reflect the mental health patients' desire to be respected and treated as equal human beings (Johansson & Eklund, 2003;Koivisto et al 2004;Lilja & Hellzén, 2008;Schröder et al, 2006;Vatne & Hoem, 2007). Interestingly, Hem and Heggen (2003) found that psychiatric nurses reported difficult role conflicts when faced with the contradictory demands of being "professional" and being "human."…”

Young patients’ views about provided psychiatric care

“…Patients highlight the importance of the therapeutic relationship in providing a safe and therapeutic milieu (14)(15)(16). Even if mental disorders usually have their onset in childhood or adolescence (17), there are only a few studies that examine the view of young adult patients (18,19).…”