My World Of Hopes, Dreams, Fantasies

Mental Health

I am in a mental health group. I worked in mental health for 17 years. I thought I would share a few things about my time working in mental health. I worked the midnight shift and things were strange at times.

I had a patient swallow a thumb tack twice. The one health worker and I drove her to the hospital. She loved going to ER. She knew what Doctor and what nurses were working.

Two weeks later, I had just walked in the door. She asked who the charge nurse was that night. They told her it was me. She hung herself! We cut her down and she didn't die. Thank God. I was so upset. I ran to the kitchen and took my cell phone. I cried. I called my husband. He comforted me and I got it together. The woman was transferred to another facility.

Another time. The doorbell rang. My coworker answered the door and said his name was Tim and he had just moved in today. We had gotten a new man but being on midnights, I didn't get to meet them until the next day. The man I worked with said what if he just let in a serial killer. Oh no. Tim was harmless. He did lay in bed at night and say Kill someone several times. He sounded like that little guy in Lord Of The Rings!

The one woman got out of bed and would quote Dr. Suess.

One night, a tall man we had there jumped out the window and ran away. I called the police and they found him. He threatened the police and said he was going to kill them. The police called me and said they were afraid of him. The patient was nice to us. The police afraid of this man. Really? I called my supervisor and the police took him to Inpatient. He was there a few days and got better.

The one girl that was 19 was mentally ill and felt bad because her sister was going to a military academy and had all won all kind of honors. She felt inadequate. I told her she was a pretty girl and had some issues to work through and she was getting help. She was just as important as her sister. Someday, she would have a great life and she was off to a good start. She got her GED and she got her own apartment. I pray her life had a good ending.

I have more stories. I will share more later.