How I Survived Restraints and Seclusion
To write this essay on my experience with restraint and seclusion is an honor. What I am about to tell you is a true story on what I went through with restraints and seclusion.
When I used to be in the hospital, I had out-of-control behavior that usually led to restraints. During my restraints, I did a lot of struggling when they were holding me down to get me into the restraint bed and to give me a shot so I could calm down, but being in restraints at the same time did not help.
I was in my teenage years when I was first restrained. I was angry at the time but being put in restraints made it worse. I felt bad when my peers were restrained or secluded.
Things that would help me avoid restraint and seclusion: When I was having a difficult time I would rock, listen to music, write in my journal, talk to staff or I would go to the sensory room. Those were the coping skills that helped me at that point and still help me today. I also used to calm down using a blanket wrap. When I used the sensory room, the main tools I used were the sound machine and the rocking chair. For me, rocking helped a lot. My social worker introduced rocking to me. She had me sit on the edge of my bed or on a mattress on the floor, I crossed my arms and just rocked. For awhile when I used to see people rocking, it scared me. But when I did it myself, it helped. I would rock until I calmed down.
The advice I would give to children and transition-age clients is to use your coping strategies and if you are in the hospital, do what staff tells you to do. It keeps you out of trouble (restraint/seclusion-wise). It helps you with your goals to get discharged sooner than you think. Stay safe - hurting yourself only keeps you in the hospital longer.
Thank you for letting me share my experience with restraints and seclusion.
Hannah. 23