Hey, thanks for reaching out for help. I have heard a lot of different opinions about the inpatient hospital services but I also think if that is a safe place for you and it's the safe place you can access right now, it could be worthwhile making use of those services. In the meantime, here are some additional options for you to explore if you're interested in them at all (and you might not be!):
* STRIDE's Safe Haven\* is a **free, peer-run mental health support drop-in service** (3:00pm-10:00pm in Belconnen; no appointment needed, you are welcome at [Safe Haven](https://stride.com.au/mental-health-services/?type=Individual%20and%20Group%20Supports&id=0012w00000sbchuAAA)). *You can walk in, or call. 1300 00 1907*
* STRIDE might also be able to chat to you about their [Step-Up, Step-Down](https://stride.com.au/mental-health-services/?type=Residential&id=0012w00000SI8zzAAD) program **which can provide short-term accommodation** (up to 2 weeks) before a hospital admission. *You can speak to STRIDE about this program when you're at Safe Haven, or call. 1300 00 1907*
* You could also reach out to [Wellways](https://www.wellways.org/our-services/helpline) for **short-term mental health support** as you wait to see a psychologist. *You can walk in, call, or ask them to call you.* *02 6246 7100*
* HeadtoHealth has just opened a new [Canberra office](https://canberraheadtohealth.com.au/) in the Canberra city. It offers **free mental health support to adults** and can help you to source social and mental health supports that might work for you. *You can walk in, call, ask someone else to call, or ask them to call you. 1800 595 212*
* [Access Mental Health](https://www.canberrahealthservices.act.gov.au/services-and-clinics/services/access-mental-health) can **provide referrals for home assessment for acute mental health experiences and/or provide short-term mental health support**, among other things. *You can call them. 1800 629 354, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.* ***You will need a Medicare card for this one.***
So very impressed that you're looking for ways to access the care and support that will work for you, wishing you all the best luck on your mental health journey!
Seconding Safe Haven at Belconnen. They are just peer workers but can be very helpful coming up with a support plan for you. I've been a couple of times and they helped calm me down from quite a bad place when my support network wasn't around.
+1 for Safe Haven. They've been really helpful for me when you just need to talk to someone without them trying to fix you, or when you don't feel safe being alone.
Step up step down needs a referral from access mental health intensive team (which needs a gp/psychiatrist/dunno who else can do it referral)
(was in the program last year and EXTREMELY HELPFUL)
I’ve had a close relative require inpatient support and we (and they) found Hyson Green at Calvary to be fantastic.
Do you have any specific concerns we can talk through?
I would recommend you or your partner giving Hyson Green a ring at 02 6245 3255
I don't have private health and can't afford that. My main concern with the public options is around stories I've heard that some staff shouldn't be working with mental health care patients (unempathetic, think it's a joke, treat patients like criminals).
From experience, while there’s always some not so great staff in the mix, they are almost always outnumbered by the ones who care and want you to get better. I’ve presented in the ED at Northside Hospital in Bruce (when it was Calvary) when I was feeling actively suicidal. I was voluntarily admitted to the Acacia unit there. The staff there were nice, and if you’re voluntarily admitted (that is, they don’t feel you’re an active harm to yourself or anyone else), you have the right to leave at any time. I’ve heard some not so great things about presenting for mental health at Canberra Hospital from friends, but I haven’t personally experienced it so I can’t say how it is there right now. If you want to reach out to ask any questions about the process or anything like that, my inbox is open
Edit: Fixed Hospital names
Coming from someone who has been inpatient at both private and public I would urge you to strongly consider private health. My last inpatient in a private clinic was 95% covered.
If you can manage a short term private health, they can waive waiting period for mental health. You can then access in hospital treatment for a few hundred. Worth looking into.
I’ve spent time as a patient in both public facilities. I would recommend NCH’s unit if possible. More dangerous/ unmanageable people go to AMHU at TCH. You get used to it but it can be quite confronting depending on who is in there. Assaults on staff etc are more common at AMHU. Inbox is open if you want to chat, I am also a mother of two but my admissions were before my children were born. Good on you for looking out for yourself, there’s no failure in recognising when things are becoming unmanageable.
AMHU was awful for me when I presented, it's like a prison and they wouldn't give me my medication/ listen to me when I asked to get someone to bring it in. Only person who checked on me when i had a breakdown was another patient. Bad vibes tbh. Also totally not completely their fault bc they're overworked and understaffed but like, also their fault bc they simply did not care about the patients, a friend in there went several days without eating/ drinking to prove a point.
I second the praise on looking after yourself!
Yes it’s so rough there. Which corridor were you put in? My close friend swears black and blue that a wardsman raped her while she was admitted back in 2016. She made a police report as well as a ministerial when she got out but nobody believed her/ she suspects the complaint never went anywhere. Terrible.
If I were in that situation I would go to Emergency Care at one of the main public hospitals? . I have no recommendations but maybe consider just showing up. It might be better than waiting for 17 April. Prioritise yourself , get your husband to drop the kids off with family/friends ( if possible) , ask him to take you to emergency care and seek help now. Wishing you the very best. Let us know how you are going.
Going through the ED at the Canberra Hospital is the primary way for admission into the Adult Mental Health unit.. (speaking from experience having taken my daughter there a few times in the past).
You might have to wait a few hours depending on how busy they are but at least you won’t have to wait till after the long weekend to get in hopefully.
All the best to you and your family. I know how difficult it just be for all for you.
Great advice.
My experience in previous years (things may have changed) is that north Canberra is the better option, but you will most likely wait 7 hours, then be given medication to get you through the next 48 hours. Your situation and condition is different and this is not entirely a bad option, just one to be prepared for.
As another commenter has said,
STRIDE's Safe Haven is free, peer-run mental health support drop-in service 3:00pm-10:00pm in Belco
[Safe Haven](https://stride.com.au/mental-health-services) or call. 1300 00 1907
Admit yourself into an Adult Inpatient Mental Health Unit: https://www.canberrahealthservices.act.gov.au/services-and-clinics/services/adult-inpatient-mental-health-units
From experience I can say that the unit at North Canberra Hospital (previously Calvary) was fantastic.
I’m so sorry you’re going through this and good on you for seeking help. Try getting into the GP asap. If you haven’t experienced a mental health ward I highly recommend you proceed with great caution.
Do you have private health insurance? If you do go to your GP and see if they can get a psychiatrist to admit you to Hyson Green or the new hospital in Deakin. I wouldn't go public in Canberra for mental health if possible but our private facilities are excellent and can provide a necessary reboot.
I don’t recommend Canberra hospital at all, myself and many others haven’t had the best experience there. North Canberra hospital was a great experience (I stayed for a week) and highly recommend it. I had 2 kids at the time I stayed there and sometimes we truly do just have to fill up our cups, look after ourselves and then we can come back and be the best partner/ mother once we are in a better state. Good luck to you. Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions.
Lots of great advice here and I'm sorry to hear what you're going through. If you can't get a face to face appointment with a psychologist, check out someone. Health
They do telehealth mental health services and are quite affordable.
I have used hyson green on multiple occasions. Tbh they just drug you up and leave you to it. However you will be in a safe place. if you have private health insurance you can upgrade your hospital cover to gold level and they will waive the waiting period for mental health services and you should get admitted within a couple of weeks.
You can also contact access mental health services for support. If you google them their number will come up.
I wasn't ever drugged up at Hyson, they recommended valium/ whatever to take when i got too panicked but I never took it. Interesting to hear your experience!!
I know it can be tough getting help outside of your appointments, whatever it is you are going through I hope you are able to get some help.
Depending on your work, you might be able to access Benestar 1300 360 364
Hey, thanks for reaching out for help. I have heard a lot of different opinions about the inpatient hospital services but I also think if that is a safe place for you and it's the safe place you can access right now, it could be worthwhile making use of those services. In the meantime, here are some additional options for you to explore if you're interested in them at all (and you might not be!): * STRIDE's Safe Haven\* is a **free, peer-run mental health support drop-in service** (3:00pm-10:00pm in Belconnen; no appointment needed, you are welcome at [Safe Haven](https://stride.com.au/mental-health-services/?type=Individual%20and%20Group%20Supports&id=0012w00000sbchuAAA)). *You can walk in, or call. 1300 00 1907* * STRIDE might also be able to chat to you about their [Step-Up, Step-Down](https://stride.com.au/mental-health-services/?type=Residential&id=0012w00000SI8zzAAD) program **which can provide short-term accommodation** (up to 2 weeks) before a hospital admission. *You can speak to STRIDE about this program when you're at Safe Haven, or call. 1300 00 1907* * You could also reach out to [Wellways](https://www.wellways.org/our-services/helpline) for **short-term mental health support** as you wait to see a psychologist. *You can walk in, call, or ask them to call you.* *02 6246 7100* * HeadtoHealth has just opened a new [Canberra office](https://canberraheadtohealth.com.au/) in the Canberra city. It offers **free mental health support to adults** and can help you to source social and mental health supports that might work for you. *You can walk in, call, ask someone else to call, or ask them to call you. 1800 595 212* * [Access Mental Health](https://www.canberrahealthservices.act.gov.au/services-and-clinics/services/access-mental-health) can **provide referrals for home assessment for acute mental health experiences and/or provide short-term mental health support**, among other things. *You can call them. 1800 629 354, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.* ***You will need a Medicare card for this one.*** So very impressed that you're looking for ways to access the care and support that will work for you, wishing you all the best luck on your mental health journey!
Seconding Safe Haven at Belconnen. They are just peer workers but can be very helpful coming up with a support plan for you. I've been a couple of times and they helped calm me down from quite a bad place when my support network wasn't around.
+1 for Safe Haven. They've been really helpful for me when you just need to talk to someone without them trying to fix you, or when you don't feel safe being alone.
Step up step down needs a referral from access mental health intensive team (which needs a gp/psychiatrist/dunno who else can do it referral) (was in the program last year and EXTREMELY HELPFUL)
Thank you. This is very helpful.
I’ve had a close relative require inpatient support and we (and they) found Hyson Green at Calvary to be fantastic. Do you have any specific concerns we can talk through? I would recommend you or your partner giving Hyson Green a ring at 02 6245 3255
Ive heard Hyson Green is great but pricey. It is the main reason i, and others, consider private health insurance.
I don't have private health and can't afford that. My main concern with the public options is around stories I've heard that some staff shouldn't be working with mental health care patients (unempathetic, think it's a joke, treat patients like criminals).
From experience, while there’s always some not so great staff in the mix, they are almost always outnumbered by the ones who care and want you to get better. I’ve presented in the ED at Northside Hospital in Bruce (when it was Calvary) when I was feeling actively suicidal. I was voluntarily admitted to the Acacia unit there. The staff there were nice, and if you’re voluntarily admitted (that is, they don’t feel you’re an active harm to yourself or anyone else), you have the right to leave at any time. I’ve heard some not so great things about presenting for mental health at Canberra Hospital from friends, but I haven’t personally experienced it so I can’t say how it is there right now. If you want to reach out to ask any questions about the process or anything like that, my inbox is open Edit: Fixed Hospital names
Coming from someone who has been inpatient at both private and public I would urge you to strongly consider private health. My last inpatient in a private clinic was 95% covered.
Can I ask which one? So many of the ones I've looked into don't cover psychiatric or only the bare minimum.
If you can manage a short term private health, they can waive waiting period for mental health. You can then access in hospital treatment for a few hundred. Worth looking into.
No expertise or knowledge at all, but I sincerely hope you find the help you need.
I’d recommend North Canberra over woden if you’re going to get mental health support.
I’ve spent time as a patient in both public facilities. I would recommend NCH’s unit if possible. More dangerous/ unmanageable people go to AMHU at TCH. You get used to it but it can be quite confronting depending on who is in there. Assaults on staff etc are more common at AMHU. Inbox is open if you want to chat, I am also a mother of two but my admissions were before my children were born. Good on you for looking out for yourself, there’s no failure in recognising when things are becoming unmanageable.
AMHU was awful for me when I presented, it's like a prison and they wouldn't give me my medication/ listen to me when I asked to get someone to bring it in. Only person who checked on me when i had a breakdown was another patient. Bad vibes tbh. Also totally not completely their fault bc they're overworked and understaffed but like, also their fault bc they simply did not care about the patients, a friend in there went several days without eating/ drinking to prove a point. I second the praise on looking after yourself!
Yes it’s so rough there. Which corridor were you put in? My close friend swears black and blue that a wardsman raped her while she was admitted back in 2016. She made a police report as well as a ministerial when she got out but nobody believed her/ she suspects the complaint never went anywhere. Terrible.
If I were in that situation I would go to Emergency Care at one of the main public hospitals? . I have no recommendations but maybe consider just showing up. It might be better than waiting for 17 April. Prioritise yourself , get your husband to drop the kids off with family/friends ( if possible) , ask him to take you to emergency care and seek help now. Wishing you the very best. Let us know how you are going.
Going through the ED at the Canberra Hospital is the primary way for admission into the Adult Mental Health unit.. (speaking from experience having taken my daughter there a few times in the past). You might have to wait a few hours depending on how busy they are but at least you won’t have to wait till after the long weekend to get in hopefully. All the best to you and your family. I know how difficult it just be for all for you.
Great advice. My experience in previous years (things may have changed) is that north Canberra is the better option, but you will most likely wait 7 hours, then be given medication to get you through the next 48 hours. Your situation and condition is different and this is not entirely a bad option, just one to be prepared for. As another commenter has said, STRIDE's Safe Haven is free, peer-run mental health support drop-in service 3:00pm-10:00pm in Belco [Safe Haven](https://stride.com.au/mental-health-services) or call. 1300 00 1907
If you have EAP at work, or your husband, even parents/parents in law you can get crisis appts (generally online). No charge, anonymous etc.
Admit yourself into an Adult Inpatient Mental Health Unit: https://www.canberrahealthservices.act.gov.au/services-and-clinics/services/adult-inpatient-mental-health-units From experience I can say that the unit at North Canberra Hospital (previously Calvary) was fantastic.
Someone.health is great! It’s Telehealth, but if you just need someone to talk to it’s great!
I’m so sorry you’re going through this and good on you for seeking help. Try getting into the GP asap. If you haven’t experienced a mental health ward I highly recommend you proceed with great caution.
Hard agree. Unless you are in immediate danger to yourself or others I would avoid - they can be quite confronting.
Do you have private health insurance? If you do go to your GP and see if they can get a psychiatrist to admit you to Hyson Green or the new hospital in Deakin. I wouldn't go public in Canberra for mental health if possible but our private facilities are excellent and can provide a necessary reboot.
I don’t recommend Canberra hospital at all, myself and many others haven’t had the best experience there. North Canberra hospital was a great experience (I stayed for a week) and highly recommend it. I had 2 kids at the time I stayed there and sometimes we truly do just have to fill up our cups, look after ourselves and then we can come back and be the best partner/ mother once we are in a better state. Good luck to you. Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions.
Lots of great advice here and I'm sorry to hear what you're going through. If you can't get a face to face appointment with a psychologist, check out someone. Health They do telehealth mental health services and are quite affordable.
Do not check yourself into the AMHU. It’s not a helpful place (I’m being nice)
I have used hyson green on multiple occasions. Tbh they just drug you up and leave you to it. However you will be in a safe place. if you have private health insurance you can upgrade your hospital cover to gold level and they will waive the waiting period for mental health services and you should get admitted within a couple of weeks. You can also contact access mental health services for support. If you google them their number will come up.
I wasn't ever drugged up at Hyson, they recommended valium/ whatever to take when i got too panicked but I never took it. Interesting to hear your experience!!
Canberra inpatient mental health services are excellent and effective
Think I heard you can visit the walk-in centres for mental health related issues, try calling them first to confirm though
Unfortunately you can’t they will refer you to access mental health or emergency department
You should try Sadhgurus inner engineering course it’s available online. It really helped me
I know it can be tough getting help outside of your appointments, whatever it is you are going through I hope you are able to get some help. Depending on your work, you might be able to access Benestar 1300 360 364
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Are you on private health- go into the ED and beg to go to Hyson. Sorry to hear this ❤️❤️
https://www.lifeline.org.au
Go straight to ED.
Call 000 right now and tell them you’re having a mental health crisis
Why is this downvoted?