Mental Health Wards vs. Psychiatric Hospitals: Understanding the Differences
Mental health is a vital aspect of overall well-being. Addressing severe mental health disorders often requires specialized support and care. Mental health is the state of emotional, social, and psychological well-being, affecting how a person thinks, feels, and acts.
It is highly important for handling stress, building relationships, and making independent decisions throughout life. Mental health and psychiatric hospitals are two of the most important components of the mental healthcare system. While both of them provide vital services to people with mental health conditions, they serve a distinctive role, have different structures, and offer varying .
This article will explore the differences between mental health wards and psychiatric hospitals, highlighting their unique functions, patient types, and the care and support they offer. they provide.
Understanding Mental Health Wards
Mental health wards, also known as behavioral health facilities, are specialized structures within the general hospitals. Specifically, these wards cater to individuals dealing with chronic mental health issues or those requiring short-term management.
Individuals admitted to a mental health ward may suffer from conditions such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or other psychiatric disorders that require immediate intervention.
Key Characteristics of Mental Health Wards
Short Term Care Provided at a Mental Health Ward
A mental health ward in a mental hospital typically provides short-term care, usually lasting for a few days to a couple of weeks. The primary goal of a mental health ward is to stabilize the patient, manage the symptoms, and develop a treatment plan for discharge.
Integration with General Hospitals as a Characteristic of Mental Health
Since mental health wards are part of general hospitals, patients have access to a wide range of medical services. This integration allows for comprehensive treatment, especially for patients with comorbid mental health conditions and physical difficulties.
Crisis Intervention in a Mental Health Ward:
Psychiatric clinics equip their mental health wards to handle psychiatric emergencies. Involuntarily admitted patients may pose a risk to themselves or those around them. Mental health wards focus on immediate assessment and intervention involving medication, management therapy, and rigorous monitoring.
Multi-Disciplinary Approach at a Mental Health Ward
Mental health wards often involve psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, and social workers. This team of experienced professionals providing mental health care creates an individualized treatment plan, addresses the patient’s needs, and plans for ongoing care after discharge.
Limited Capacity and Specialised Focus
A mental health ward in a psychiatric hospital usually has a limited number of beds, reflecting its focus on acute care.
Understanding Psychiatric Hospitals in India
Psychiatric hospitals in India, also known as mental health hospitals, are facilities exclusively dedicated to treating individuals with severe mental health disorders. These psychiatric hospitals offer a broader range of services than mental health wards. Depending on the patient’s needs, psychiatric hospitals can provide both short-term and long-term care.
Key Characteristics of Psychiatric Hospitals in India
Specialized and comprehensive care in a psychiatric hospital:
India’s psychiatric hospitals are well-equipped to manage a broad spectrum of mental health disorders, spanning from acute conditions to chronic mental health conditions. They offer individualized care, including intensive therapy, medication management, and support for patients who require long-term hospitalization.
Long-term treatment in a Psychiatric Hospital
Unlike mental health wards, the best psychiatric hospitals in India provide long-term care for patients who need ongoing treatment, rehabilitation, and supervision. Depending on the severity of their condition, some patients may need to stay in a mental hospital for several months to years.
Residential Environment at a Psychiatric Hospital
The best psychiatric hospitals near me are designed as residential facilities for patients to live for 24/7 and avail treatment.
Intensive Therapeutic Programs at a Mental Hospital
Mental hospitals offer various therapeutic programs, including cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), individual and group therapies, and recreational therapies to promote rehabilitation and skill development.
A Broad Range of Services Provided at a Psychiatric Hospital
Psychiatric hospitals in Delhi often provide services for comorbid disorders, such as substance abuse and mental illness. They also take into account specific populations, such as children, adolescents, and the elderly.
Differences in admission and treatment approaches between mental health wards versus psychiatric hospitals
Admission Criteria
Mental health clinics generally admit patients with acute psychiatric problems where immediate care is required. These patients stay here for a short period, and the focus is on crisis intervention.
On the other hand, Psychiatric Hospitals admit patients with more severe or chronic mental health conditions that require extensive treatment and care. The controlled and supportive environment surrounds these treatment facilities for psychiatric disorders.
Treatment:
Treatment in mental health wards is often focused on short-term care, medication management, and crisis intervention.
In psychiatric hospitals, the treatment approach is more comprehensive and long-term. Patients may receive a combination of medication, therapy, and rehabilitation services designed to address both the symptoms of their mental illness and the factors contributing to it. In a psychiatric clinic, the primary focus is on the individual’s overall well-being, including physical health, social skills, and life skills.
The Role of the Mental Healthcare System in India
Both mental health wards and psychiatric hospitals play an important role in India’s mental healthcare system. Mental facilities in India offer a bridge between emergency care and long-term treatment, ensuring that patients receive the immediate support they need. The best psychiatric hospital in India is essential for patients who may not respond well to outpatient care or short-term treatment and may require a structured setting to recover.
The Best Psychiatric Hospital in India
Athena Behavioural Health, Gurgaon, Delhi, NCR, India, stands out as the best psychiatric hospital, dedicated to providing comprehensive medical care and treatment. Unlike general mental health wards that focus on short-term crisis intervention,
Athena Behavioral Health offers a full spectrum of long-term, specialized treatment for severe and persistent mental health difficulties. Athena has a multidisciplinary team of experienced professionals, such as psychiatrists, psychologists, and support staff who provide intensive therapy, rehabilitation, and holistic care, catering to the unique needs of each individual with personalized and compassionate treatment.
FAQ
How to choose between a mental health ward and a psychiatric hospital for treatment?
Mental health wards provide short-term care, whereas a psychiatric hospital specializes in the psychological disorders of a person, providing comprehensive and long-term treatment that is required.
Can I receive the same therapy at a mental health ward as I would at Athena Behavioural Health?
Some basic therapies might be available in both mental health wards and Athena Behavioural Health. However, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and other holistic approaches to treatment may specifically be found in ABH.
Can I expect a personalised treatment plan at Athena Behavioral Health, unlike the general care in mental health wards?
Absolutely, ABH specializes in creating a personalized and comprehensive treatment plan that addresses each individual’s unique needs, ensuring a deeper and more effective path to recovery compared to the generalized mental health wards.
Does a psychiatric hospital collaborate with any community services or groups?
Yes, psychiatric hospitals work closely with the community, mental health services, and social agencies to ensure continuous care for patients, particularly during the transition from illness to community-based care.
Is there a difference in the duration of treatment between mental health wards and psychiatric hospitals in India?
It solely depends on the psychiatric illness of the person getting treatment in a mental health clinic. Some mental disorders may take about a week, and some may take about a year, depending on the condition.
Also Read:
Myths Regarding Mental Health Conditions
Managing Stress: Strategies For Better Mental Health
Breaking Barriers: Life and Care in Mental Health Wards
Best Transformation of Mental Health Treatment with Time
