What do they do if you go to the ER for severe depression?

I went to the ER in April of 2015 for exactly the same reason you are saying you might want to go. I was not truly suicidal but I did not care to live like I was feeling and often hoped I would die somehow and thought dead people were the lucky ones. It's not a good place to be. Go in if you feel you need help. They gave me Ativan in an IV (I felt agitated too) and asked me a lot of questions. I was honest about my answers and told them what I just said about wanting to die. They asked me if I wanted to be admitted. My husband was with me so I said I did not but I might have if I were alone. I was put on Cymbalta and that along with time has helped a lot. I did go to counseling for a few months. You will make it-- it is very important to reach out to others even though a big part of you probably doesn't want to. Please do whatever you feel inside you need to do.

They asscess you, and feel if your a threat to yourself you are admitted to pschyc ward

So sorry to hear you are that depressed. I have been admitted 10 times in ten years. In my city, Pittsburgh you have to say you will hurt yourself or someone else if you don't receive care. I always said if it wasn't for my children I would kill myself. Please if you feel bad enough to go to the ER you do need impatient treatment. God Bless and Good Luck. Sable

Jt6577,
I work at a psych hospital that is partnered with a medical hospital. Be as honest as possible with the assessment nurse so you can get the help you need. Be aware though that if the assessment nurse thinks you need to be hospitalized they can have you admitted (either voluntarily or involuntarily). He/she has to protect themself as well as you. If they admit you involuntarily, they will get an emergency detention on you that is usually good for 48 hours in order to make you go into the hospital. I'm not trying to scare you or give you second thoughts; I only want you to know how this works. Most people think they can go in, get some meds, and go home and they become angry when they are admitted. Hope this helps.

It depends on which hospital you go to most will have a mental health counselor evaluate you and see if you need inpatient care if not they will give you a referral to a mental health provider for further treatment. If you are suicidal they will probably have someone sit with you until you can be seen by the mental health provider sometimes it is a security person or sometimes an aide depending on severe the depression and suicidal thoughts are. If you are depressed please seek out help for yourself and let me know how you make out. This is a good site for some support as well but if you are severely depressed you may need some meds and professional counseling and then you can come back here for reinforcement and support. Good luck my dear and hope you are well soon, marjorie zych

I did this once. Bascially they asked me questions, mainly if I was sucidal or wanted to harm someone else, I said no that I was sad and hopeless. They gave me some ativan. Took some blood and that was it. They would only admit me if I had said I wanted to kill myself or someone else.

They have someone on staff access you, if they feel you need to be hospitalized you will be admitted. (also when you go to the ER for depression you usually don't wait a long period of time, they will take care of you as soon as possible.