In 1998 I didn't pack anything. I came in by ambulance and woke up in the ER with nothing. A neighbour brought me a bag with a few necessities, and that neighbour was my only visitor the whole month I was there. So this is the list I didn't have. If that's you right now, stop reading and go. Nobody gets turned away from an emergency room for not having pyjamas.
But if you have a little time, or if you're packing for someone you love, here's the short answer. Bring ID and your health card, a written list of your medications, phone numbers on paper, comfortable clothes without drawstrings, slip-on shoes, and something quiet to do. Leave valuables, belts, cords, razors and anything sharp at home. Staff will go through your bag at intake and hold anything that could be used to hurt yourself. That's normal on a psych ward. It's done to everyone.
Every hospital has its own rules, and they change. If you can, call the unit and ask. If you can't, pack light. Someone can bring more later.
The papers that actually matter
These are the ones I'd make sure of, even if you forget everything else.
- ID and your health card. In Québec that's your RAMQ card. It speeds up intake a lot.
- A list of every medication you take, exactly as your pharmacy prints it, plus allergies. A photo of your pharmacy printout works if they let you keep your phone. Paper is safer.
- Your doctor's and therapist's names and numbers, if you have them. The team may want to talk to them.
- Phone numbers of two or three people, on paper. Your phone may be held, or you may only get it at certain times, and you won't remember numbers.
These line up with the basics clinics and health services put on their own lists: ID, a medication list and your therapist's contact (Clear Behavioral Health; Northern Territory Health, voluntary treatment pamphlet).
Clothes
Comfortable, washable, a few days' worth. Think track pants, T-shirts, a hoodie without the drawstring (pull it out before you go, or they will). Socks. Underwear. Something warm, because hospital air is weird.
Shoes you can slip on. Laces are often held. Slippers or slip-on runners make life easier.
You don't need nice clothes. You need clothes you can sleep, sit and walk around in for days. Nobody on that unit is judging your outfit. Trust me.
Things that help you get through the day
Days on a ward are long and mostly empty. I wrote more about that in what a psych ward is really like. Bring something to fill them:
- A paperback or two. Something easy. Your concentration might be shot.
- A notebook. Pens are sometimes restricted, so ask; pencils or soft pens may be allowed instead.
- A photo of someone or something you love, if it helps and not if it hurts.
- A small amount of cash for a vending machine, if the unit allows it. Not a lot.
For the autistic folks, or anyone with a sensitive nervous system: earplugs and a sleep mask. Wards are loud and never fully dark at night. I didn't know I had ASD back then. Tell the staff at intake that noise and light are hard for you. They can't fix everything, but they might find you a quieter room.
What to leave at home
Leave anything you'd hate to lose, and anything the unit will hold anyway.
- Jewellery, watches, lots of cash, credit cards you don't need.
- Laptops and tablets, unless you've checked first.
- Belts, scarves, cords, chargers with long cables, anything with a string.
- Razors, scissors, nail clippers, glass bottles, aerosol cans.
- Alcohol, drugs, and your own medications. The hospital will dispense what you need. Bring the list, not the pills, unless they ask you to.
If you show up with any of this, it's not a crisis. Staff will put it aside and give it back when you leave, or ask someone to take it home.
Things to sort out before you go, if you can
This part gets forgotten, and then it sits on your chest at 3 a.m. on the ward.
Who feeds the cat or the dog. Who knows where you are. Whether anyone needs to call your work. A friend or family member can handle a lot of this for you, and you can call from the unit once you're settled. If there's nobody to ask, tell the social worker on the unit. Sorting out practical stuff like that is part of their job.
If you're not sure you need to go in at all, read how I checked myself into psychiatry, or call a crisis line and talk it through. In Québec, 1 866 APPELLE (1-866-277-3553) or Info-Social 811 option 2. Elsewhere in Canada and in the US, 988. I wrote about what actually happens when you call.
If you're packing for someone else
Thank you. Seriously.
Pack the basics above, and add something from home that smells like home. A pillowcase, a sweater. Label things with their name. Don't be hurt if staff hold half of it at the door. They're not judging your packing either. And look after yourself while they're in there. Partners and family carry a lot during a stay like this, and the Québec government's mental-health pages include help for people close to someone who's ill.