How do you check yourself into the hospital for depression?

You have been diagnosed and prescribed by a doctor. Use that doctor to have yourself checked in as they don't take drop ins. If you go to ER you will leave as there is usually a frantic mess there.

They don't "keep" you at all. You and your doc decide how long and what treatment. I just signed out each time, 3 times in 25 years. 2 weeks was all I could take before boredom set in.

You should take all your meds and things to keep you ocupied as, unless you talk to others, you will be alone most of the day. A shrink, yours, should drop in to see how you are and there's a daily dole out of meds about 7 PM. Check the med and the dose as the nurses get that wrong often.

Nurses may wake you up every night to see if you are alive. Nurses will come and talk to you and find out "your story". I just told them their job was to fetch and carry and leave the shrinking to the professionals. They did. Nurses think they run the place. They don't.

I put a nasty note on the door saying "Mad dog, will bite" and they stopped.

You can expect good food and plenty of rest and little treatment.

Most such hospitals run group sessions but you've already done that stuff I would guess. You could go to them. If you are having ECT they will amke sure you are cared for very well.

But really, I found it very peaceful and relaxing, enjoyed the company, was very social in there, but got bored and left. I was OK when I came out as I have family.

Will it help? Couldn't say for you but I found the break from daily life great. Very relaxing and peaceful. It's not full of crazies wandering the halls, babbling. They are all real people with real problems but don't tend to bother others.

I'm talking of a private hospital here.

There was one smart ass in my last hospital who though he was highly intelligent. He had a follower who would stand there while he tried to put people down with questions about things they weren't up to thinking about. He approached me one day with a big smile, stopped me and asked "Will you ever be happy". I smiled back and said "happiness is an illusion. Check it out." And walked away. They didn't bother anyone else.