It's not a lovely place, and there are no lovely faces. I was there because I had voluntarily checked myself in. I had grown tired of the stresses at home and decided I needed a break.
That was a big mistake as that place was dangerous and downright disturbing. They didn't let me leave even though I had checked myself in because I was apparently "a danger to myself and others." So there I was in a room with a bunch of people, one arguing with himself, one twitching. One women was having a conversation with her grandmother who is obviously not there.
The staff was very bleak, like they had not sleeped in who knows how long. Many had long faces and approached us all with a "let's get this over with" kind of attitude. One person had gotten violent with me when all I did was ask him if he was ok. He choked me and shoved me against the wall, this caught me very of gaurd.
I had dropped my elbow/ and weight on his hand breaking the grip, and with my right I punched him in the mouth. Next thing I know security is up our assholes and we are taken to seperate rooms. I kept explaining that I was only defending myself but they didn't listen to a thing I said.
They gave me something called Ativan and it made me sleepy, I didn't want fall asleep though because this place wasn't safe. One of the nurses was nice and kept telling me to stop fighting it and just relax.
How the hell are you supposed to relax in that sort of environment though? Honestly this experience really changed me for the better. It showed me that when you toss people in a confined space and not let them leave, ugly things happen. It doesn't take a lot for people to be reduced to animals.
I guess the point of all of this is a warning to people, do not ever go to a place like this. They won't help you, they are not safe and rarely will anyone give a single damn about you. If you need to talk to someone speak to a friend, if you need a break go for a drive or a friend's place. These institutions are more of a punishment than a place designed to help anyone.