"Fern Ward"

I was suffering from a psychotic episode resulting in the attempt to take my life. I was taken to Fern Ward. My stay there was a week. I have never suffered from mental health issues before, or been taken to such a place. A lot of what I experienced would not be fair to impart on this medium, as I was suffering psychosis and my view of some incidents impaired by this. It seemed a shame that the facilities there and the quality of comfort not great. It was somewhat prison like in its patient rooms. I suffer with my back and could not sleep at all, the mattress made of rubber and the bed base a wooden plinth, made for very uncomfortable rest, and being a woman in a certain age criteria, caused me to sweat profusely without adequate ventilation. There was a huge tv and dvd selection under lock and key which was never facilitated to anyone. Movie afternoon would have been a great idea. More arts and crafts, puzzles etc? Not an awful lot to do except stare out to an enclosed garden that we weren’t allowed to use. Being sectioned I wasn’t allowed out, only if I smoked? So a bit of fresh air in the garden may have been helpful. Days in confinement can be long, with no means to get out. The last day I was there, a goody trolley came round where you could purchase treats. One day a week, not helpful. All in all the staff were amazing, I was a senior manager for a blue chip company in London, and understand responsibility, and trying to be all things to a variety of situations. Just a little more attention to detail, and remember that we are just ordinary people that have come across a problem in life and need guidance and help. Not to be treated as one but as individuals with separate needs.