Going Mental
My friend just checked into a mental hospital. What’s the protocol? Visit? Write?
Answer:
Basically, any contact is really up to her family and doctors. Even though you may be convinced that her overbearing mother is what drove her there, you still have to follow the hospital rules. Kirsten McMahon, spokesperson for the Menninger Clinic, a psychiatric hospital in Topeka, Kansas, says, “If the friend is thought to be a cause of strain for the patient by her family and physician, she won’t be allowed to make contact.”
If you do receive permission to get in touch, your friend’s family will give you the name and address of the facility. “They’ll also explain the procedures for sending mail or calling,” says McMahon. If you send a letter, “the contents may be checked to make sure they’re not going to be disruptive or potentially dangerous to the patient,” she adds. “Specific wards will have their own phone lines, which you can get from the patient’s family. Incoming calls are accepted only at certain times.” This may sound like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, but people often need time alone to focus on getting well. Experts say your best bet is to get updates from a family member and send cards to let your friend know you care. Save the bulk of your positive energy and support for when she gets out.
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