"To be honest it was lifesaving!"

I went to cheadle Royal July 2015, I stayed on orchard unit! It was the best place I ever stayed. The staff were incredible, always someone to listen to you, take you to the garden. Even if it was a rubbish bit of area.

They are the most friendliest staff you will ever meet. The corridors and communal areas, and bedrooms were cleaned daily!

They always did their best to ensure your safety stayed the most important thing.

I was sent to orchard as I had a history of ligaturing, overdosing, violence and self harm. I was supposed to stay there for 8 weeks maximum. I stayed for 6 months, and have only just been discharged from there.

I was very violent towards members of staff, patients and myself mainly. I was in constant floor restraints, with IMs! I quickly because section able first on a 2 then on a 3. I begged doctors to let me go, but they wouldn't. I self harmed very badly one day, which ended In restraint due to the mass of blood flowing. It was horrible. That's the violation. I threw a chair at one of the members of staff and again was put in to a restraint. I begged them to let get, biting, kicking, punching, pinching doing anything I could to get out! But I couldn't. One of the HCAs stroked my head and told me everything would be alright, I was so scared. I just wanted to die. I had many psychotic episodes whilst I was there and even escaped to the lift. I legged it on grounds and almost ran in to the road. It was horrible, I didn't know what I was doing? I had tied lots of ligatures, so I had my room stripped, my clothes locked under my bed an 1:1 observations. I wrecked my room and was put in seclusion for a while. I had been restrained out of my room, I was threatened to be tube fed, and I felt really small. But luckily, I got home leave in my fourth month. I met some incredible people, both boys and girls and although we were all poorly, we managed to stay strong. For the well people with out any incidences, there were outings to black pool, airports, and bowling. Dancing, painting! It was fun when the ward was quiet, which was rare. There was always incidences. I am out now, on the correct meds, with the diagnoses of a personality disorder, diagnosed by the amazing care team. The staff were like friends! The food was rubbish, but that was it!. I am 18! Living life.loving-every second, have a job. Stable income and hoping to go back to college September. I thank orchard staff for everything they have done and everything they continue to do. The worst 16 months of my life! But now, couldn't wish for better!