Posted by Junebug on September 23, 2003, at 21:31:22
I have never really had a problem with depression before, but for the past couple of months I have been pretty down. Then about 5 days ago I started crying and just couldn't stop. Couldn't even really talk or move around. My husband tried getting me appointments with doctors but had no luck, so he called the hospital to see if there was a psychiatrist on duty who could talk to me. They told him to take me in; that someone could talk to me right away.
SO...I get there, crying of course, and ask to speak to a psychiatrist or a counselor. The nurse said follow me. She took me to a curtained off room and told me to undress and put on a gown, and that the psychiatrist would be right down. I asked why and she said they had to take "some preliminary tests" to find out what was wrong with me. Mind you, she never asked me what was wrong, just told me to follow her and undress. Anyway, I put on the gown, and then a security guard came in and opened the curtain. I asked him why, and he said, "People like you gotta be watched." Then he took away my clothes and my purse and told me I was no longer allowed to leave the room without a doctor or a nurse with me. So then I started crying even harder! There were so many people at the hospital and I was sitting there in one of those skimpy gowns, totally exposed to everyone. I felt totally humiliated.
A few minutes later the nurse came in, took my blood without telling me why, and told me I had to produce a urine sample before I could see the doctor. The security guard followed me to the bathroom.
When I returned to the curtained room I was still sobbing. Despite all the doctors, nurses, and security running around in full view of me, NO ONE came in to talk to me.
After two and a half hours, a "counselor" came in and told me there was no psychiatrist there that day. She was so cold - she acted like I was a total inconvenience for her. She asked me if I had a plan for suicide and when I said no, she said "OK. Well I'll get your clothes then. You can go."
It was such a humiliating experience! Not only did I not see a doctor, the counselor didn't even talk to me. All I wanted was some help. They just made it worse.
poster:Junebug
thread:262799
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030923/msgs/262799.html