[nottrustin]

I noticed in the thread about worrying ones therapist that many seeme to be worried that their therapist would have them committed to a psychiatric unit. Is this normal? Has this happened to anyone? Have you discussed how your therapist handles such occasions?

My therapist told me early on that she doesn't have clients committed involuntarily. She has strongly suggested somebody reach out to their psychiatrist or go to the hospital for an evaluation. Since I work in a psych hospital, knowing this was extremely important to me as I have seen so much happen with other providers. We have a plan so IF something were to happen and I needed to be evaluated or even be hospitalized. She could talk to my husband (she has consent to talk to him but only does so in emergency situations).

Possible trigger:

A few years back I took an overdose of sleeping medications as I wanted to just sleep for a very long time. As soon as I did I told hubby and had him call T (I was there to give them permission). Since she knew our plan and talked to hubby about what to do. She told him which hospital to take me to and to have the ER doctor call her. I was groggy but was able to give consent, plus T worked for the hospital in that very ER so they trusted her.

She knew I had no actual intention of hurting myself and explained to the doctor my situation as well as our plan which included me having a session with her that evening, having hubby with me all the time for the next 24-48 hours,and us having daily contact for a while (phone, email, etc). So the doctor discharged me after I was medically cleared.

If T and I hadn't had a plan in place to handle a crisis, I am not sure that I could completely trust her when things have been really bad.

[awkwardlyyours]

It was one of my fears (now much receded, thankfully) when I first started therapy.

I haven't talked about it with my therapist though -- she had some language in the contract she had me sign early on that if she felt I was a danger to myself or others, she would contact the authorities. And, that also explicitly said that she should not be contacted in a crisis of any sort.

I remember the language being vague on whether or not she'd let me know first before contacting the authorities -- at that time, I was too scared / exhausted / not sufficiently trusting of her to actually ask her about it.

At this point, I guess I could ask her but it seems (thankfully) like a far-removed hypothetical situation (she's also been thankfully unconcerned about anything I've said to her along those lines) -- so, I know her response will be the usual "Why do you want to know?" and I'll blow precious $$ rambling on until her curiosity is satisfied and I haven't actually gotten help with anything I'm currently dealing with. Not sure I want to do that.

I do admire the pragmatic way in which you've developed a plan with your T though. Wish I'd done that when it was sort of important to know.

[ilikecats]

My T called the cops on me and had me sent to the hospital when I didn't want to go. I wasn't even suicical, she was just worried and overreacting about my cutting. I was really mad at first, but I'm over it now, and we're good. I think it's great that you have a plan like that in place. At the time, no one else had known about my cutting, so I couldn't really have a plan like that. But maybe now my mom could do what your husband does so I wouldn't have to go to the hospital again.

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[Victoria'smom]

I've unwillingly gone to the hospital. Pdoc told me if I didn't cops were going to show up at my door and I didn't want my son to see that. If I'm a danger to myself or others or off medication he can and will hospitalize me. This includes if meds aren't working. He doesn't have the ability to stabilize me fast enough according to him. He almost seem scared of me/ my MI.

[stopdog]

I have represented people the therapist called the cops on.

[junkDNA]

when i was in an residential treatment program but on a level where i wasn't living on the campus my T went to the magistrate and had me committed involuntary on christmas eve 2012. the police showed up at my apartment but apparently i was asleep, so they left. they called my T and he told them to break the door down... obv they didn't but they came back and knocked and i answered. i was floridly psychotic and suicidal from the constant barrage of voices. they shackled my ankles and handcuffed me behind my back and took me to the ER. i had to wear a paper gown and someone sat outside the small room they put me in all day. they kept trying to make me eat but i didnt wanna. they also made me lay on this cot . when i stood up they yelled at me to lay down. eventually the doctor came and i dont even remember what she said, but then i was handcuffed again and led out of that hospital to a police car. my T was waiting outside the ER. i think i glared at him the worst look ever!!! then i was off to a psych ward for about a week. i was put on injectable anti-psychotics that last a month, because i was not med-compliant which is what led to my mental state.

after all that happened i was pretty mad. but then i felt glad. because he saved my life that day.

[kecanoe]

My t called the cops on me once when I stormed out of his office. The police called me and I agreed to meet them at t's office if they wouldn't send me to hospital. Of course I get there and there are 2 police persons and they want me to go to hospital for "evaluation". I declined and they agreed to let me go into the care of a friend. I wasn't suicidal just mad.

[Nammu]

Originally Posted by kecanoe

My t called the cops on me once when I stormed out of his office. The police called me and I agreed to meet them at t's office if they wouldn't send me to hospital. Of course I get there and there are 2 police persons and they want me to go to hospital for "evaluation". I declined and they agreed to let me go into the care of a friend. I wasn't suicidal just mad.

Sometimes people who get very mad at a T hurt themselves to "show" the T. I've met a few of them in the hospital.

this is a constant worry for me it has nearly happened a few times. the first time i was 14 and the CAMHS came to my school and someone got me out of class and my parents were there and i am so scared and they said if i didnt go over to the hospital to talk to someone there they would call the police and then i would have to go with them. my parents ended up driving me and then when i got there they didnt exactly say but they said i needed to stay there and if i didnt agree they would have to look at other options but i said i would stay there. then there was the time to police picked me up off the road needless to say i had to go over there that time and then the crisis team threatened me with it but i lied and said i would be fine until the morning most of the time now i just lie to these people to avoid going there again 4 times is enough for me. it always just makes me worse i dont know why people bother.

[kecanoe]

Originally Posted by Nammu

Sometimes people who get very mad at a T hurt themselves to "show" the T. I've met a few of them in the hospital.

In t's defense, he thought I was in danger. He'd never seen me act that way. And I have never walked out again.

[DelusionsDaily]

I've been involuntarily committed once after a suicide attempt. NEVER AGAIN! Wont even talk about fleeting suicidal ideation with ANY professional.

I've been sectioned once and threatened-into-voluntary-admission twice. The section was after I did a suicide attempt that landed me into the hospital and then did 3 suicide attempts within an hour of waking up. Thing was, I was very serene. I was convinced I was almost dead (= I was convinced I was about to succeed in killing myself) and that made me SO calm and happy. My suffering was near its end. For the first time in years, I wasn't afraid anymore. The end was in sight. This all was such a relief that the depression went away entirely.
Everyone was 'a little' disturbed by it and honestly, I couldn't blame my pdoc for having me sectioned.
I continued the suicide attempts during the section and, as they failed, my conviction that I was about to die lessened, and the depression returned.

By the way - I had a crap lawyer. She literally said (well, not in English, but in my home country's language) "Breadfish wants to go home, but it's clear to me that she should stay here." WTF? You're supposed to be on MY side!

[PinkFlamingo99]

This happened to me this week, for severe self-harm. i didn't think it was even possible here to be kept for cutting. It was both my pdoc and T (works with him in outpatient psych and she's a phd in clinical) and the ER psychiatrist though.