This sounds similar to my stay in a psych ward after a suicide attempt brought on by a mixed episode (bipolar; was undiagnosed at the time, and was given an inc

This sounds similar to my stay in a psych ward after a suicide attempt brought on by a mixed episode (bipolar; was undiagnosed at the time, and was given an incorrect diagnosis of major depression by the admitting doctor). A psych ward is essentially a jail; not an unfashionably appointed hotel as the author suggests. The worst part is looking out the window and realizing you can't leave. I could bear the three schizophrenic cases who collectively screamed, danced and twitched catatonically. The borderline girl would shout that her father raped her and that she was in there because of a vengeful social worker. One girl tried to hang herself in the bathroom with strung together kotex. None of this was remotely bothersome in comparison to not having my freedom. Immediately after leaving the hospital I stopped taking my medication (Seroquel - for sleep, 200mg [this is off-label and 4 times the dose for insomnia], Prozac 20mg). It was causing me unbearable side effects. Despite being unmedicated and untreated, I was stable for 6 years until after moving up north. I became depressed again and was put on Zoloft. Zoloft triggered a prolonged hypomanic episode which doctors tried to treat with multiple medications over 4 months. It was a terrible time. Ultimately I told all the psychiatrists and doctors to shove off. I started using light (and darkness) therapy, because after examining my history all of my depressive episodes were in the winter. I never had any sort of disruptive manic episodes outside of the Zoloft incident. I also started exercising 4 times a week, which has largely protected me from any sort of depression in the winter (along with the lightbox). Psychiatry is closer to witchcraft than medical practice. It's a bumbling attempt to treat an organ we have yet to understand. I feel deeply sorry for anyone who has gone through the type of unnecessary suffering I experienced. There really needs to be stricter regulations and oversight of the practice, because it's in a shameful state.