The First Time I Was Committed to a State Hospital

The Beginning

Unfortunately, I have been committed to a state hospital on three different occasions. But the first time was the worst for me.

It all started in 1997 when I fell into a deep depression and decided that I didn’t want to live anymore. So I decided to un-alive myself with what we will call a pow pow.

I woke up the next morning in the hospital alive. I thought that was unfortunate at the time. I was hurting real bad.

I had family all around me and I noticed that my mother was running in and out of the room. It was at this time that she had filed the necessary paperwork to have me committed to a state hospital.

I still remember it like it was yesterday. I was mad but there was nothing I could do at this point.

Waiting for a Bed at the State Hospital

It was at this point that they moved me to a different part of the hospital so that I could still be treated while I waited on a bed at the state hospital.

So, over the next two weeks they treated my wound while we waited. Sure enough two weeks later a bed came open and they shipped me off.

Arriving at the State Hospital

I remember that it took a couple of hours to get to the state hospital and I will never forget the sight of such a large decrepit looking old hospital.

My fear kicked in immediately before I even got out of the van. So they get me out and take me into the intake section.

This was the part where the processed me into their system. Then off we went to lockdown.

Staying in the Lockdown Unit at the State Hospital

AS we were walking through the hospital toward lockdown I could see the other patients as we walked by. They looked harmless to me.

That is until we reached the lockdown unit and that is where the nightmare began. I thought I had problems but these people were really sick.

I thought to myself I will do whatever it takes to get off of this lockdown unit and onto the open until. This place smelled like pee, feces and bleach.

It was horrible and I was constantly having to watch my back because there were some seriously bad off people in here.

Thank God I only had to spend two days on the lockdown unit for observation. Then they moved me to the open unit.

Moving to the Open Unit of the State Hospital

Things got a lot better once I moved to the open unit of the state hospital. The patients seemed to be well medicated and I finally got to see a doctor.

During my initial visit with the doctor, who already knew my history, put me on a regimen of medications and said if nothing went wrong and I adjusted to the meds well I would go home in about two weeks. Hey, that sounded good to me.

Leaving the State Hospital

Over the next few weeks, I took my medications, went to therapy sessions and my groups just like I was supposed to.

At the end of that two weeks I went in for a final visit with the doctor who said that I had responded good to the medications and the therapy and I was ready to go home.

Just like that. So that was the end of my commitment stay at the state hospital. My ride came and picked me up and i left and went home.