12 Minutes

Edited & medically reviewed by THE BALANCE Team
Fact checked

Mental health is an important constituent of overall wellbeing. While one in five adults in Australia has a mental health condition in any given year, access to good sustainable mental health support is often limited.

Mental health institutions in Australia provide a controlled environment where people suffering different types of serious mental health problems are helped with appropriate treatment, care, and rehabilitation.

The need for mental health support cannot be overvalued. Individuals feeling emotional or psychological disorders can benefit greatly from mental health support. Timely professional intervention is needed to stop a crisis from getting out of hand and establish the stability needed to start the journey of mental health recovery.

Signs Indicating The Need To Visit A Mental Hospital

It is sometimes hard to discern when a situation necessitates professional assistance. Some telltale signs include intense feelings of hopelessness, thoughts of self-harm, or behaviors suggesting loss of control. Plus, if your symptoms like feeling very anxious or depressed to the point you can’t cope and get on with your life, you might need to go to the hospital for mental health.

When To Consider Admission

Mental health crisis can be panic attacks, emotional outbursts, or not being able to take care of yourself. Urgent help is required if someone is at risk of harming themselves or others.

At times mental health institutions can provide a safe and structured environment in which professionals can oversee the crisis and guarantee individual safety.

Is A Mental Health Institution Right For You

Not all mental health issues need hospitalization. However, it may be time to consider more intensive support, when outpatient therapy or medication is not effective or when symptoms worsen. Mental health institutions are set up to provide structured care, therapies, and supervision and generally are for those who require round the clock care.

In some cases, working with a mental health professional is a means to help determine whether or not an inpatient stay is appropriate for you.

Knowing the different options for mental health care can help someone seeking mental health care find the right support. Australia’s mental health institutions provide a variety of services to different needs including short-term crisis intervention and long-term rehabilitation programs.

Public Vs. Private Mental Health Facilities: Key Differences

Mental health care in Australia is provided publicly and privately. They are funded by the government, and the government pays for them, which makes access through Medicare cheaper or free for those who are eligible. Some facilities provide this type of care but they have waiting lists because they are in great demand.

On the other hand, private mental health institutions will provide more on one care and quicker services. They are more costly and frequently require out-of-pocket payments or private health care insurance. Private institutions may give a wider span of therapeutic options and a lesser crowded environment to those who can afford.

So, What Happens In Mental Hospitals In Australia? Overview Of Services

Mental hospitals throughout Australia help stabilize patients, offer therapies, and assist customers to once again handle their mental wellness. One on one counseling, group therapy, medication management and work on coping skills are typically included services. Also, patients are supported by a multidisciplinary team; psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers.

For more severe cases, patients are watched around the clock to make sure they do not injure themselves. The idea is simply to stabilize mental health patients during a crisis and have a plan for ongoing care after discharge.

Specialized Care In Mental Health Institutions: Finding The Right Fit

Certain mental health facilities tend to treat specific conditions, like eating disorders, drug use disorders, or severe mood conditions. The quality of care is much improved by finding a facility which specializes in the specific needs of the patient. They are usually staffed with specialists in certain therapeutic approaches and allow more customized recovery.

Deciding to look for help in a mental health institution in Australia is a starting point in healing. Knowing how to come through the admission process, and what to expect, can make this transition easier.

The Voluntary Admission Process

If you think you need intensive support out in Australia you can elect to voluntarily admit yourself to a mental health facility. This is usually done by calling up the institution concerned or going to an emergency department, where a mental health assessment will be carried out.

If professionals decide that inpatient treatment is the best treatment, they will help with placing you in an inpatient facility. Voluntary patients have the right to be involved in decisions about their care, and can, if well, usually leave a facility when they feel ready.

Preparing For Admission: What To Bring And What To Expect

Packing essentials is key when you know you’re going to a mental health hospital. You will want to include comfortable clothing, toiletries, any essential medications, as well as any items that provide comfort, such as books, or journals.

There often are rules and regulations in many institutions about what can be brought in to ensure everyone is kept safe. Interaction and focus on therapy may be encouraged by limiting personal gadgets.

Patients can expect that once they’re admitted, they’ll be in a structured environment with a schedule of things to do – a therapy session, a group discussion, or some recreational activity. The idea is to build up a routine that enables recovery and helps the patients develop coping strategies once they are no longer in the hospital.

Self-Referral Vs. Seeking A Referral: Which Path To Take

A self-referral is possible, whereby you can go directly to a mental health facility, however, a referral from a GP or mental health professional may be necessary if you want the services of a private mental health institution.

A referral also gives the institution a broad background information on your past mental state history that helps the doctors lead you to a good care plan. While self-referral is often quicker, a professional referral will help facilitate you to the correct facility according to your needs.

Often helping your loved one get the professional care they need is the best way to support them when they are struggling with their mental health. It’s a difficult time and knowing how to navigate the admission process can make all the difference.

Steps to Follow In Hospital Admission

If you think a friend or family member in Australia requires admission to a mental health institution, talk to a general practitioner (GP) or a mental health professional first. They can evaluate the individual and refer them if it’s necessary. Otherwise, the person can be accompanied to an emergency department at a hospital where an immediate mental healthcare assessment will be performed.

In such situations, if the individual is dangerous to themselves or others, local mental health crisis teams should be contacted immediately. These teams are capable of making on-site assessments and arranging transportation to a mental health facility for admission if that becomes necessary.

When Involuntary Admission May Be Necessary: Legal Issues

A person is involuntarily admitted only as a last resort when they will not or cannot help themselves and present a risk to themselves or others. In Australia, laws by each state determine when involuntary admission is allowed. Usually, it is two authorized mental health professionals who agree that the person needs inpatient care for safety.

Families and friends can have the tough decision of involuntary admission, but it makes sure that the person will receive the care they need while having a mental health crisis. Involuntary patients are not quite as autonomous as voluntary patients, but they still have rights this means that they have the right to appeal their admissions and be given appropriate treatment.

Role Of Family And Friends In The Admission Process

Supporting a mental health patient through the admission process depends a lot on family and friends. They can be supportive, emotionally and help you ensure that the patient has all that she or he needs for the time they will spend in the hospital. Furthermore, families can be updated on the patient’s progress and be corresponding in drafting their plan of leaving the hospital.

Having support from a loved one during this time can help someone feel a bit less isolated, so going to the hospital for mental health in Australia does not come as a daunting prospect. The experience can be emotionally difficult as well and so families need to seek out their support if they need it.

If you’ve never been admitted to a mental health institution, it’s an experience that is unfamiliar, but having some idea of what life is like during a stay can help de-escalate some of that uncertainty. The asylum in Australia gives a safe, nurturing environment for nurturing and makes every patient focus on healing and recovery.

Day-To-Day Experience: What Happens In A Mental Hospital

In a mental health institution, the daily routine is a structure, stability, and therapeutic support system. Patients usually have also pre-planned activities such as group therapy sessions, individual counseling sessions, and art therapy sessions as well as recreational activities such as exercise and mindfulness therapies. The structure of this course helps mental health patients with creating coping skills and learn new habits that can be useful when they are discharged from the system.

Participation in these activities is encouraged for patients because these activities are focused on helping patients to gain better knowledge of their mental health issues, and ways to improve on them. Routines are structured, but there’s time for rest and processing emotions in a safe place. Latch offers meals and healthcare staff is available to check the patient’s progress and change their care plans.

Support Services Offered To Mental Health Patients

In Australia, mental health institutions also provide many kinds of support for recovery, including access to social workers and community resources who help patients plan for life after discharge. They will look at whether or not medications are provided to patients, whether psychiatric care is available to manage medication monitor its effects, and make sure that treatment is adjusted if needed. Institutions also often offer access to a peer support group, of patients who face similar trials.

In addition, some facilities will have specialized programs like trauma-informed care, which helps those who suffered large trauma. Without these support services, to mental health patients these are the tools and encouragement they need to get started with recovery.

Rights Of Mental Health Patients In Australia: What You Should Know

Even though mentally ill patients may be in an involuntary stay, in Australia, certain rights protect them. These rights include the right to proper and appropriate care, to privacy, and to communicate with family and friends and legal representatives. In addition, patients have the right to participate in their treatment plan so long as they can and to state what kind of care they would like.

Where involuntary admission is involved, patients have the right to appeal against the decision and have their case reviewed by a free-standing tribunal that has no connection to any hospital. When patients and their families understand these rights they can feel more secure about the treatment process, confident that care is being provided with dignity.

The transition from a mental health institute is a time for support to continue to progress and work through the recovery. Transitioning can be tough if you don’t have a solid plan or clear ideas of what you can leave behind while you make the transition, but having one in place can make this much easier.

Transitioning Out Of A Mental Health Institution: Steps For Success

Before a discharge, institutes will plan the transition with the healthcare team back into the community from a mental hospital. This plan may include a schedule for follow-up appointments with a patient’s mental health professionals (such as a psychiatrist or a psychologist) who monitor the patient’s progress. Patients may be provided referrals to support groups, community programs, or other resources to help them maintain ties with others who have ‘been through it.’

Patients need to be able to gradually get back to daily routines and responsibilities. It is important to pace the reintegration process or it will be too much to return to work or school. In addition, Patients should learn to set themselves up for long-term success, by circumnavigating high stressors, engaging in a consistent, stable routine, and advocating for time for sleep, healthy nutrition, and rest.

Community Resources For Ongoing Support

In Australia, there are many community resources for people leaving mental health institutions. Government-funded services such as the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) include support for people with long-term mental health conditions. Other resources include counseling by local community health centers as well as support groups and workshops on mental health.

Helplines, peer networks, and educational programs are also provided by nonprofit organizations. Case managers or social workers can help connect patients with needed services for those who need a little extra help. It is these resources that are extremely useful in helping people maintain stability and also construct a support network after discharge.

A Long-Term Mental Health Plan After Hospitalization

Having family and friends be a part of the recovery process can be a great encouragement and follow through. Patients’ support and help with treatment plan adherence can be rendered by them. Since mental health patients are very prone to setbacks, a strong support system is important to keep them going after the hospital and not allow them to abort their progress.

How Much Does It Cost To Self-Check Into A Mental Hospital In Australia

The costs to check yourself into a mental health hospital differ for Australian public mental health vs. private mental health. In Australia, public mental health institutions are free or cheap to Australians, as they are subsidized by the country’s government through Medicare. However, some of these facilities will have queues, if they are in demand.

Typically private mental health facilities charge higher fees but are often quicker at offering appointments and being able to provide extra services. The cost varies in private care based on the types of institutions and level of care needed. Many private healthcare facilities do not accept payments upfront for some portion of patients’ stay; instead, they require private health insurance that covers mental health services.

Government Support And Insurance For Mental Health Patients

In Australia, Medicare covers several mental health services: psychologists, psychiatrists, and other allied health professionals. This allows some of the costs for seeing these professionals to be subsidized, thus making care cheaper. However, public hospital admissions are heavily subsidized by Medicare, and private hospital stays are either out of pocket or paid for by private health insurance.

Private hospitals are also covered by many private health insurance policies in Australia, where that policy includes mental health treatment, such as inpatient care. If this is your chosen route it is best to check with your insurer regarding the specifics of the level of your coverage, especially around waiting periods, and the cover for mental health services.

For people struggling with financial hardship, whether long-term or not, there’s additional government support available, like the NDIS for long-term support or through state-based financial hardship services.

Why Seeking Help Is Important: Breaking Barriers To Admission

In Australia, for many, it’s the fear of judgment that blocks them from going to the hospital for their mental health. It’s often because of misconceptions about what goes on inside mental health institutions or fear they’ll judge you on needing support in the first place. While it’s scary and not always easy, getting help for serious mental health problems takes courage.

If you admit yourself to a mental health institution — whether voluntarily or following a referral — it gives you a safe place to get the care you need. During times of acute distress, it can be the first step towards gaining stability again. Communities can break down the stereotypes by sharing stories of recovery and by making the point that mental health treatment is self-care.

Changing Perception Of Mental Health Institutions In Australia

Change in public attitude towards mental health care is best served through public education. Sharing facts about what it’s like to be a mental health patient in hospitals, e.g. around a supportive and therapeutic environment, will help bust myths. More people will seek help for themselves or support others in seeking help when people learn that mental health institutions are places of healing.

This is also true for shaping attitudes, amongst other things through media representation. Making the world aware of positive stories about people out there, who have tried, done, and managed to come out of their mental health journey can help inspire people to seek help. If we change the narrative from shame to strength, Australia can turn into a culture where seeking help has a negative connotation.

1. Health Direct Australia. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/australian-mental-health-services

2. Wikipedia. Mental Health In Australia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_health_in_Australia

3. Australian Institute of Health And Welfare. Australia’s mental health system. https://www.aihw.gov.au/mental-health/overview/australias-mental-health-system