Usually, if you don't tell them you have a definite plan they will just question you. What I mean to say is that you have to make a strong point that you cannot live with the pain if they take you off the opiates. It is not that easy to get admitted to the VA nuthouse. I wanted to be admitted and I had to tell them I would not contract to not kill myself over some other issues not pain meds. It can be harder to get out , but they don't really want to keep you since it costs. My shrink never even asks me about suicide and I am SC for depression as well as some other stuff. If she asks me if I feel like I would be better off dead at times I would say "yes" and be damned. That does not mean I have a plan to hang myself. The plan is the main thing and any threat to OD on VA meds would get them excited.