A person is normally admitted to a public psychiatric facility through the emergency department, admissions unit or a community mental health team. Your doctor or a psychiatrist will help admit you to to private psychiatric hospital. Occasionally, a person may need to stay at a mental health unit by law.
Admission to a public psychiatric unit is usually through the emergency department, or the hospital's community mental health team. For a private hospital you need your GP (family doctor) or a psychiatrist to arrange admission for you.
If you are in a public hospital, care is free. If you are in a private hospital, you will be charged. If you have private health insurance, that will cover some of the costs. If you see a community mental health service, that is free.
Computers with internet access are available in the communal area for your use. Ask your nurse for help if needed. You can use your mobile phone unless your psychiatrist has requested otherwise.
A person is normally admitted to a public psychiatric facility through the emergency department, admissions unit or a community mental health team. Your doctor or a psychiatrist will help admit you to to private psychiatric hospital. Occasionally, a person may need to stay at a mental health unit by law.
Specialised mental health care is delivered in and by a range of facilities including public and private psychiatric hospitals, psychiatric units or wards in public acute hospitals, Community mental health care services and government-operated and non-government-operated Residential mental health services.
In your appointment your doctor will probably make an initial assessment by asking questions about: your mood, thoughts and behaviours – sometimes by using questionnaires or forms which measure depression and anxiety. your lifestyle and any recent events in your life that might be affecting your wellbeing.
Talk to your GP first
You'll need to talk to your GP to use some mental health services. This is known as a GP referral. Your GP can also talk to you about your mental health and help introduce you to the right mental health service for your needs.
Anxiety disorders are the most common of mental disorders. They affect nearly 30% of adults at some point in their lives. However, anxiety disorders are treatable with a number of psychotherapeutic treatments.
If you are on a Temporary Treatment Order, the Mental Health Tribunal will hold a hearing to decide if you need compulsory treatment for mental illness for longer than 28 days. The Tribunal can make a Treatment Order for up to: 12 months, if you are on a Community Treatment Order.
Medicare generally covers 75% of the fees for treatment as a private patient in a public or private hospital.
How much does a public hospital stay cost per night? According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), the average cost of a hospital stay in a major public hospital is $4,680.
When stress and feelings of worry or anxiety are there all the time and build up to a level that has an impact on a person's daily life, they may be described as having a nervous breakdown. A nervous breakdown, also known as a mental health crisis or mental breakdown, describes a period of intense mental distress.
While you're in a psychiatric ward, you'll receive an individualized treatment plan according to your condition. Because there are so many different types of psychiatric disorders, patients often receive treatments ranging from medication management to family therapy or group therapy sessions.
Focus on how you feel, rather than what diagnosis you might meet. Try to explain how you've been feeling over the past few months or weeks, and anything that has changed. Use words and descriptions that feel natural to you – you don't have to say specific things to get help.
If you feel your primary care doctor doesn't take your symptoms seriously, ask for a referral to a specialist or go to a different practice for a second opinion. A fresh set of eyes can be extremely helpful. Review how to present your symptoms factually, clearly, quickly, and without unnecessary minutiae.
For common problems such as depression and anxiety, your GP may be able to give you a diagnosis after one or two appointments. For less common problems you'll need to be referred to a mental health specialist (such as a psychiatrist), and they may want to see you over a longer period of time before making a diagnosis.
Initial assessment
They can arrange a face to face appointment for you, but this may mean you wait longer to be seen. The assessment will be a brief outline and take approximately 30 minutes. You will be asked a range of questions to help you and your practitioner to understand your current problems and ways forward.
They can: Ask you questions about your thoughts and feelings that might help you better understand what you are going through. Give you reassurance that you aren't “crazy” but have a medical problem. Tell you what kinds of support are available, such as counseling.
To be diagnosed with depression, an individual must have five depression symptoms every day, nearly all day, for at least 2 weeks. One of the symptoms must be a depressed mood or a loss of interest or pleasure in almost all activities. Children and adolescents may be irritable rather than sad.
Anxiety disorders (such as Social Phobia) are the most common type of disorder, affecting 1 in 6 (17%, or 3.3 million) Australians, followed by Affective disorders (such as Depressive Episode) (8%), and Substance Use disorders (such as Alcohol Dependence) (3. %).
If you or someone close to you is talking about self-harm or suicide, do not ignore this — seek urgent medical attention, or call triple zero (000) and ask for an ambulance, or go to your nearest hospital emergency department.
Interestingly, the number of mental health issues does differ from state to state. For example, Tasmania sees the highest rate of anxiety and depression -- at 21.6% and 18.1% affected respectively, while Queenslanders show the highest stress levels, with 27.5% reporting that they're regularly affected by stress.