I remember being handcuffed when I was taken to an ER when I had a complete breakdown even though I went voluntarily and when I was transferred to the psych ward that had an available bed I was strapped in like this Except my legs were together and a strap was around my thighs. At first it sucked but in transit I ended up having a flashback and then the paramedic explained that even though I was voluntary and normally voluntary patients aren't restrained, if they're having psychotic episodes a patient has to be restrained during transport because were they to lose touch with reality how willing they are doesn't make much difference. And given that where the door to the room was in my flashback was where the door to the helicopter I grasped that concept VERY quickly. But even though now I understand the necessity it still felt demeaning being handcuffed for my neighbors to see :(
And even though the medical restraints were more restrictive it wasn't as demeaning because handcuffs are supposed to be for criminals. On my time at the ward I met people who said that even though they weren't acting violently (they were depressed) they were still transported in handcuffs and it made them feel awful. Another thing that traumatized others at other hospitalizations was strip searches (I wasn't thankfully). I know they say it's for safety but the hospital is supposed to help the patients and you're discouraging safety, not promoting it if you're discouraging people from getting the help they need. I would rather risk non-violent people bringing sharp objects in and hurting themselves than them avoiding treatment and killing themselves (because inpatient should only be used when lives are at risk). It's unlikely that they could bring anything that they could kill themselves with on their body off their clothes (which you could just ask to look through after they change into a gown). And even if they hurt themselves, YOU'RE ALREADY IN A HOSPITAL!!!
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+1 y
That's why I think restraints should only be used for psychotic/homicidal patients and strip searches only for homicidal because of the risk to others in the ward. It's better to risk someone hurting themselves in the ward where they have access to medical help than someone killing themselves because they refused to seek treatment for fear of being strip searched.
Do you think handcuffs and strip searches should be used for suicidal patients in mental hospitals?
I think the restraints were going too far if there is no real reason. However i do think a search is necessary (not really a strip search), but some kind of search because even though they are in a hospital depending on what they do it chould be too late to save them.
That's really stupid, having to remove them is normal because I had to do that when I went to the hospital so did my mom, but shaking them out is just degrading.
Yeah, restraints suck but they are necessary at times. I remember the first two days I kept having full fledged flashbacks (thinking I was where I was when I was raped) and would go ballistic all over the ward and got pinned down while fighting back (thinking the security people where my attacker) and booty juiced then waking up an hour later strapped to the bed. Thankfully they let me out when they saw I had snapped out of it.
That's good. As much as it sucked getting sedated and restrained even if I could I wouldn't have left because better something like those flashbacks happen in a protected environment than out on the streets where I could get killed.
And given that a) they couldn't hide anything on their person that they could kill themselves with that you couldn't find by looking through their clothes b) if they do hurt themselves they're already in a hospital c) if they're just suicidal they won't use it to hurt others It really isn't necessary.
What do you mean by a? That it's not important to go through their clothes? B is not a good excuse to not take precautions. It is ALWAYS better to keep everyone from harming themselves than letting some people harm themselves and being ok with it because "they're already at a hospital". That's fucked up. Everyone's safety is taken into consideration. I really don't know what to tell you at this point. It's a safety procedure to make sure the patient doesn't harm themselves and others. Mentally ill people aren't exactly predictable, which is why I understand they want to treat everyone with the same amount of caution. It's just a part of the safety protocol. They're not doing it to humiliate you.
No matter what the purpose is it's distressing and them being in the hospital isn't reason enough but it deterring suicidal people from seeking help and them dying instead of getting hurt is.
The friend I mentioned in the other question you wrote had this happen multiple times, she hated being seen stuffed into the back of a police car by her neighbours. She wasn't a criminal, she just needed help at that moment. She was afraid of the police because of it.
Why not? If it makes you feel like a criminal, get over it. If you've got enough problems to be in a nut house, this one seems pretty insignificant compared to the other issues you may have.
Did you not read anything I wrote? Being handcuffed and put in the back of a police car is a deeply upsetting experience for even a mentally sound person and for someone in crisis it can be downright traumatizing (which is what you're trying to fix).
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