How do I fix the system? TW

The system is horribly flawed. In crisis? Pdoc, nurse, therapist, every one says call the crisis line. Do that and all you'll get is a cop at the door to put you in a $800 ambulance ride so you can sit in a tiny room for anywhere from a day to a month to be transfered to a place where they put you on all these meds and set you home whenever you say "this second I don't want to put a bullet in my brain." Then you get home and say "****, this sucks." and then you spiral. and spiral.
Then eventually you say "the system doesn't help" " there is no help anywhere else" "I do want to put that bullet in my brain."
So you tell your treatment team. They tell you to call the crisis line again. Cycle repeats.
Maybe it's better somewhere else, but I sure as **** don't have the money to go somewhere else.
I'm no longer telling my treatment team. I'm no longer calling the crisis line. All they do is piss me off

I'm going to single handedly fix the system. I'll start protests, call whoever, make emails, I'm going to fix this. I'll make myself president of the world if I have to.

I am sorry you are going through so much pain. I can definitely relate. I often wonder if it’s better to get treatment from a low-quality place or to just avoid treatment altogether. I sometimes think it actually does more damage than good. I think that would make for an interesting study sometime. It’s not enough to work in the mental health field you need to be competent too.

The system could be at least partially fixed if, instead of sending cops, a mental health outreach team (2 people) would come to the home of the person who called the crisis line. The crisis team would talk with the person. The only way cops would be involved is if the person is violent. And even then the cops who become involved should be CIT (Crisis Intervention Trained).

I know, but how do I make that happen? Like who do you call/email?

So Sorry that you're struggling! i am not sure whom you could call to make your voice heard, but perhaps you can start from some specific complaints about your structure by e-mailing their office or any other place that will listen/accept complaints. Whatever route you take i feel like it will be REALLY good to make your voice heard and Hopefully someone will listen. Just remember that it is hard to change the world entirely by ourselves probably but we can at least make some small changes if we try and with some luck. Sending many Safe, warm hugs to BOTH you, @Sapien, your Family, your Friends and ALL of your Loved Ones! Keep fighting and keep rocking NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, OK?!

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Originally Posted by Sapien I know, but how do I make that happen? Like who do you call/email?

In the county where I live, NAMI worked with the county to set up a crisis center where people with mental health issues can go and talk to a counselor. The cops are slowly, but surely, being CIT trained. Pretty soon we'll have crisis teams here.

It takes serious grass-roots effort. NAMI...your local mental health board...city council meetings...

I'm sorry you're going through this I can relate to some of it, and definitely to their lack of competence. I agree that it is not enough that they work in the mental health field, they need to be competent too

I wish I knew how to fix it.

Cit trained cops are still cops. They still have the lock em up mentality no the whole country needs a system wide colon cleanse. It should be SW that response to crisis s. I was in a crisis and at a php but not getting any sleep. One night I finally fell asleep about 5am and because I’m deaf didn’t hear the phone or them knock when it was time to pick me up for the php. So what do they do? They sent cops for a “wellness check” they can’t rouse me and the management can’t unlock the deadbolt so what do they do? They knock my door off the wall and surrounded my bed with guns drawn! What woke me up was my terrified cat pawing at me. The maintenance guy explained to them that I was deaf and offered to take the hinges off, but no they had to pound the door in with guns drawn! All because I’d finally fell asleep!

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Originally Posted by Nammu Cit trained cops are still cops. They still have the lock em up mentality no the whole country needs a system wide colon cleanse. It should be SW that response to crisis s. I was in a crisis and at a php but not getting any sleep. One night I finally fell asleep about 5am and because I’m deaf didn’t hear the phone or them knock when it was time to pick me up for the php. So what do they do? They sent cops for a “wellness check” they can’t rouse me and the management can’t unlock the deadbolt so what do they do? They knock my door off the wall and surrounded my bed with guns drawn! What woke me up was my terrified cat pawing at me. The maintenance guy explained to them that I was deaf and offered to take the hinges off, but no they had to pound the door in with guns drawn! All because I’d finally fell asleep!

You are absolutely correct - CIT cops are still cops.

What a horrifying trauma to go through, Nammu. Absolutely unacceptable.


When I went IP in 2018 I had a horrible experience with the cops. I was not resistant or violent in any way, but they were awful. Abusive.

I strongly support the idea of more crisis centers, and having a crisis team called instead of police, in psych emergency cases. It makes perfect sense! Why wouldn't it? However, part of the current problem is how the idea is worded to the public. The whole "defunding of the police" gives conservatives fodder for scaring people, when it really shouldn't. Also, some very far left groups have perhaps too extreme of an idea that helps support the fear mongering from the far right. I'm not saying I'm middle of the road here. No, I'm quite progressive, but words do matter. Proper understanding is necessary in this case. Unfortunately, news (on TV, crap on the internet, etc.) too often doesn't properly educate.

I agree with BethRags that NAMI is a great organization for mental health advocacy. Or just individually writing to your congressperson and senator is a start. That's what even NAMI does, to a large degree. Votes are crucial for change. This is a unique time in US history for it (speaking to those in the US). Right now, there are basically four or five significant political parties, even though still only two have any chance. One has very progressive ideas about making major positive changes to healthcare. Another is being influenced by that political group, because the other is gaining traction. Of course the opposite end of the spectrum is wishing to live in the past, or has priorities that, in my view, are totally out of whack.

One well-known political figure was recently asked how to win over the far opposite end of the spectrum. His answer was something like "Improve their lives and they will start to believe. True improvement fights fake news." But we have to have to have people who make a difference. In a sense, a positive revolution. Does this sound at all familiar to people? If so, then you might guess who said the above.