My HORRIBLE Inpatient Experience & All I've Learned

Over the years, I have been hospitalized five times. Four of these five were in general psychiatric wards rather than specialized eating disorder units... and it sucked. But let me tell you the entire story before bashing the system completely.

I'm not here to tell you that hospital is horrible and you need to avoid it at all costs. Of course not. That was never my intention. However, I think it is important to be open about the good, the bad, the ugly. My first hospitalization felt like hell on earth, and my one-to-last killed me on the inside. I can easily find something in all of my inpatient stays that I (and / or my ED) did not like.

However, that is not to say I wouldn't do it all over again. My first hospitalization saved my life. My last hospitalization is the one that pushed me, finally, into full recovery. There's always two sides to the same coin, so today I'm talking about everything I learned and gained from my inpatient experiences.

I think it is definitely worth checking out, particularly if you are feeling stuck in your recovery or scared/afraid about how to break through any remaining barriers. Accepting help is NOT a sign of failure (whether this means going in-patient or working with a professional), and it in fact shows incredible strength. And I know you are strong because you made it this far.

Hospitalized for the first time in Hungary (intensive care and then regular inpatient treatment) in 2009, I had no idea what I had gotten myself into. Trapped in a new world with people speaking a different language than me, I felt hopeless, yet I slowly crawled back to the surface... until in 2013 a life-changing move to Slovakia against brought me into hospital, this time in Bratislava. Locked behind double doors and with bars in front of the windows, this experience was worse. My weight did not budge and I went into treatment in Belgium... Welcome, all-inclusive! If you want to learn more about the main differences between eating disorder treatments abroad, check out this video. 

Also, let me know: what experiences do you have with inpatient treatment? What has helped you most in your recovery?