Queereaders discussion

TW:pych ward, sewer slide, depression.



Ok so basically my friend made be go to my schools counselor bc Im struggling with suicidal ideation. The counselor legally had to call my parents and they talked to me after school and like my dad does, he turned the conversation about my mental health into a political and religious debate.

I honestly hate him sometimes.

The next day, my mom said I needed to go to the hospital so I did after some argument. When I got there, they took blood and stuff and asked me a bunch of questions. They brought security over and wanded me. Then they took my clothes and gave me paper scrubs then wanded me again. Then they locked me away in a room with just a bed and a desk, kinda like a jail cell. There was a security camera and people checked on me constantly. There was no windows. After HOURS of doing nothing, a social worker came to talk to me. Then my mom came to visit and she wasn’t allowed to bring anything either. I begged her to let me go home and thank the gods she did but it was a really scary experience.
I just needed to get it out.

I don’t think I went to the best place for stuff like this and obviously, if you’re struggling, get help and if the hospital is the safest, please go. Im sure if I did get officially admitted they would have given me stuff to do and a slightly better room and maybe actual clothes? But thankfully I was let out.

It didn’t help me but it has helped some of my friends.

All of the nurses and stuff were super nice and LGBT friendly so if you do end up needing to go somewhere for your mental health, it’s kind of their job to be supportive of everyone so don’t be scared to come out to them.

Anyways, I hope you guys are doing well

I'm glad you're safe and were able to leave. Being institutionalized is a scary, if not traumatic, experience, due to having your autonomy and agency are so completely taken from you, it is genuinely dehumanizing and no, don't assume you could have gotten better treatment. What you experienced is very common. Do take time to allow yourself to process what you've been through. It may not seem like that much right now, but what you have been through is a big deal.

I have experience with being institutionalized from when I was a teen. It was not a safe place for me as a queer and neurodivergent person. I'm glad you felt safe, but that is not the case is many situations, especially here in the US with how the rights and dignity of both LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent people--especially young people--are under attack. So again, glad you felt safe there but I would recommend others be very careful with who they open up to in those places. A lot of adults working in these institutions will act like they can be trusted but will be collecting information that patients give them and that info can be used against the patients, especially if there is a parent or other caregiver who is ideologically opposed to the patient's identity or choices. These are scary times and we all need to be careful.

🫂

im so sorry that happened! hospitalization is scary, and absolutely traumatic. just know that we here on goodreads are always here for you, and we love you 🫂

Just saw this. I hope you are doing ok today.