My dad had an overdose this past spring. That's what got him out of a squatter situation, he was living with my 21 year old brother who wanted him out. When he was hospitalized to be treated for the OD my brother had to tell him he couldn't come back home with him, which left dad homeless. But dad was only hospitalized for a couple of days, because he said he mixed up his ibuprofen with his Xanax. It was unclear if it was an accidental or intentional OD, so they couldn't commit him. But now he says that my brother must have given him the overdose (which is so completely false it would be funny if it wasn't so serious). I think because dad's losing cognitive functioning and that really scares him, so he doesn't want to admit that he's as confused as he seems to be. Through everything, he's always been very intelligent, and to lose that... well, I don't think he can really handle it.
I've only ever been hospitalized for at most a week, just long enough for the meds to kick in. It's not a pleasant experience, and I totally get why people don't want to be institutionalized. Being in a lock down situation with a bunch of mentally ill people is enough to drive even the sanest person crazy, and the complete lack of privacy sucks. I had to have a nurse sit outside my shower and they did bed checks every hour at nighttime so you couldn't get a decent night's sleep even. And everything you say or do (or don't say or do) is recorded and questioned... It just plain sucks balls.
I've only ever been hospitalized for at most a week, just long enough for the meds to kick in. It's not a pleasant experience, and I totally get why people don't want to be institutionalized. Being in a lock down situation with a bunch of mentally ill people is enough to drive even the sanest person crazy, and the complete lack of privacy sucks. I had to have a nurse sit outside my shower and they did bed checks every hour at nighttime so you couldn't get a decent night's sleep even. And everything you say or do (or don't say or do) is recorded and questioned... It just plain sucks balls.
