My good friend admitted himself to a Counseling center... How good are they and do they help? Please help!?

Question

He has been going through a very rough time, his depression has gotten exceedingly worse. I have been encouraging him to better himself. So finally today I received a note from him saying he finally hit rock bottom, and is going to check himself into a counseling center. Can you use phones there? What do they do? Will he be influenced? Please help, let me know anything you know about this!!! And he has been going to a therapist once a week and is on anti-depressants, I assume the therapist recommended this to him. I am trying to be optimistic, this is a good thing right??

Answer 1

Psychwards are not meant to help. They are just there to provide a place where killing yourself or someone else is less likely and to allow for observation when switching medication if you're so nuts that you need it. If you misbehave, they lock you in a room by yourself as long as they feel like it. Yes, there are phones, but he can only use them as a reward for good behaviour. It's like prison for the mentally ill. Since it sounds like he's voluntary though, he'll have more privelliages and may even get day passes so he can leave and buy smokes or whatever.

Answer 2

In most situations, this is a good thing. I have had many friends in the same situation... and they have done quite well. Usually they are unable to use the phone for the first day or so...and then they should be able to make a call, but that depends on the place he is at.
As far as influence goes...I would not worry about that. They usually have group sessions and individual counseling to get the person to talk about what they are feeling and try to give some perspective to them.
Try not to worry too much about him. He is in a safe place and when he comes home should be doing somewhat better than he is prior to going in.
Keep your chin up and know he is safe and doing what he needs to do to get back on his feet and feeling well again.

Answer 3

Yes, this is a good thing. They do help. For the most part no phone calls or visitors for the first week. After that, they may be able to take visitors 1X per week, and can periodically make outgoing phone calls on a pay phone, however no incomming phone calls are allowed. He will participate in one on one therapy as well as group therapy. HIs medication will be monitored and or adjusted as needed.

Answer 4

theres nothing wrong in going to a councellor. they try to make the persons problem look smaller from a different dimension which gives a easy way to solve the problem. so don't worry!