involuntary commitment

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should the rules surrounding involuntary commitment be loosened or tightened?

What do they give you when you commit yourself? Do you have to pay? What's the food like? Can you leave at any time?

That's a really tough question. To take someone's freedom by force, there should be real evidence that the person is a threat to themselves and others, but at the same time, a person who is not mentally stable may lack the facilities to make the decision to get help on their own.

I think in some ways, they need to be loosened for the initial 72 hour EP.

When I call the State mental hospital they say a person cannot self commit, at least not there. A Doctor referral is required. Maybe it has to do with financing. I know it is possible to walk into an emergency room displaying signs of self harm or harming other and being admitted for observation. That is a form of self committing. I couldn't see a for profit center or institution accepting a self commit unless payment is guaranteed, and most insurance companies are going to require a referral. It really doesn't seem like society actually cares about the mentally ill. It is all about money. Maybe money can buy a stay in an institution if there is no referral.

Just my observation. I have only been in VA mental facility and one for profit via emergency room when I had private insurance.

The doctors tried to have me committed twice. One time they walked me to the ER and presented me to them so I could be held for observation, however,
my insurance would not permit it so they said they could not hold me. This was "suggested commitment".

Later that week, I overheard the phone message of the insurance company calling my employer and saying, "WHO THE F IS THIS PERSON ?" on the answering machine.
(Resperdal was like $800 / bottle I believe ten years ago - very expensive stuff back then - the insurance company probably did not like that - as well as me wanting to spend several days in the hospital)

Perhaps it depends on the situation.

well you still get locked in the psych ward, still have to pay unless you have insurance or medicaid...and the food varies. I have been in a psych ward twice, second time was apparently involuntary but I didn't see it that way because I went willingly some weird policy thing, but the food at that one was pretty good the first one I was at had terrible food that I couldn't really eat much of. Also basically you can leave if its determined you are safe to do so. So hypothetically you could go in voluntarily but then be stuck there longer than you want if they think you're unsafe to leave. But you're still entitled to legal rights and can challenge such decisions if you disagree and such.

as far as what they give you....mostly meds pretty much and some necessities like hospital clothes and toothbrushes and stuff like that if you don't have any. Of course usually people have some family member bring them more clothes and such but stuff as to be checked in as there is all kinds of stuff they don't allow.

What is the point of going there?

I was "involuntarily" committed only once. I found the process to be traumatizing. They didn't tell me what was going on. It's just all of a sudden I was off in an ambulance without any explanation as to why. They didn't give me urgent care that I needed to detox. I needed charcoal and meds ASAP! But instead they sent me off to a psych ward against my will. Basically they prolonged my agony and suffering to "teach me a lesson" or some nonsense. They thought I was dangerous to myself but they didn't take the urgent steps necessary to reduce that danger. Basically, they didn't do their job.

For acute schizophrenia cases that aren't drug related - I think the rules may needed to be loosened some but only for those that are a threat to themselves or others.

In my case so i didn't attempt suicide, they usually only commit you if you are a danger to yourself or others.