I do realise that I can be sectioned without any prior involvement with the mental health services, guess I'll just have to be extra careful then. I intend to leave the country soon, go somewhere a lot hotter, and be away from my family
If I avoid mental health services, and also not do anything like attempt suicide, then the services won't know about my existence. And the simple truth is if they don't know someone is going through a hard time, they won't know they should be considering sectioning them
Why did you start this thread if you are already so rigid in your thinking that being detained under The Mental Health Act involves 'horror' of some description? You seem determined to believe that it can have no positive effects.
The best way, so far as I can see (Again personal opinion) to avoid any unpleasant outcomes (ie sectioning) is to avoid professional help altogether.
Everything about sectioning I hear and read is negative. Yes, it does save lives, but what sort of lives are people living after sectioning. Everyone on here seems to have been very lucky with their experiences in the mental health services.
I just googled sectioning under the mental health act and no result I looked at came back as a positive experience.
I don't want professional help. I'm sorry, but I just don't.
Where I am getting my information from is the experiences (yes, these experiences ARE real) of some of my friends when sectioned, google and this thread.
I have had some rather unpleasant, traumatic experiences in the past (which I am unwilling to talk about on here) and I have tried to attempt suicide
The replies have been most informative and have answered my questions and I thank you all for taking the time to help me
What sort of lives are people living? I've been under two section 3's and I'm at uni living a pretty normal life...
I don't like how you've said that, a secton isn't the end of your life.
And if your thoughts should turn to death, you gotta stub them out like a cigarette..
You are entitled to your own opinions, but I fear this thread is really not helpful to those who want help. Sectioning does not always stop you from doing what you want to do. In fact, it may help you so can get towards recovery.
Sectioning is unpleasant, but if it wasn't for that then I may not be alive to worry about the future.
I give up. It seems I can't even voice an opinion without:
Being accused of being offensive or derogatory
Being accused of trying to stop others from seeking help.
I was asking some questions to find out more about sectioning and what was true and what wasn't. Nothing more. I personally think you're the rude offensive ones for accusing me of trying to do stuff I wasn't. Asking questions and voicing an opinion. That's all. Not 'putting others off help' Bellatrix
and is there a way to block certain people from viewing your threads/posts etc? Because I find certain people on here rude and offensive
Thanks to everyone for their replies, I know a great deal more about sectioning than I did a few days ago. This thread has been very helpful
You could always report the thread and ask for the mod's opinion if you disagree.
I think it's important to remember that RYL is pro-recovery, not pro-self-harm. We will always guide people towards recovering, and not encourage self harm. I agree with Jodie, that I'm a little concerned that this thread would put others off seeking help. You've heard a lot of stories here about why seeking help is a good thing to do, and I'm sure most of us regret situations where we didn't seek help soon enough. On the same note, Becky, Jodie and others have noted that their sectioning may well have saved their lives. Surely that is something positive.
I don't think, from what you've told us in your previous threads, you'd be at a high risk of sectioning, and they'd probably just offer you talking therapies (ie. counselling, CBT) or medication (ie. antidepressants), neither of which you have to try.
It doesn't matter where you come from; it matters where you go.
No-one gets remembered for the things they didn't do.
We won't all be here this time next year,
so while you can take a picture of us.
We're definitely going to hell,
but we'll have all the best stories to tell.
Of course you can voice an opinion. But so can everyone else. Let's face it, we all have different beliefs and ideas, so there will always be disagreements, but that's not necessarily being rude or a bad thing. It's just, well, we won't always agree with everyone on this site.
I'm glad this thread has been helpful for you. I don't think anyone was, or intended to be rude. We just voiced different opinions.
How is not wanting therapists ect supporting self-harm? It may not strictly speaking be 'pro-recovery' but it is definitely NOT encouraging self-harm of any kind
"Everything about sectioning I hear and read is negative"
- people have told you their experiences on here and how they've gone on to live their lives and do things like uni which they wouldn't have been able to do otherwise... which you seem to have ignored.
As far as restraint/sedation goes, they use that when necessary. If someone's headbutting the wall and fracturing their skull what do you suggest the professionals do? When I've seen people restrained it's usually because they've really needed to be. They're responsible for you while you're under their care. Do you think they should just let people die? We're talking about people who are severely impaired and making decisions when not in their right minds - decisions they wouldn't otherwise make.
When someone's sectioned it's usually because they're so mentally impaired they haven't the insight to make decisions and often when people look back those AREN'T the decisions they would've made in their right mind.
You ask what kind of lives are people living after being sectioned?
I've been under a section 2, and a section 3. I was also restrained over 100 times and force-fed. While it was traumatic and caused some damage, I don't think I'd be alive if it wasn't for the treatment the NHS provided at certain points. I am happy to be alive.
It won't affect my job prospects. What does affect my job prospects is actually the time I have had to have out of employment because of my illness.
I can't speak for America but I do know someone who went over there after being on section and they simply didn't declare it. I really doubt the US border forces are going to search everyone's medical records when they land in that country.
As far as jobs go, I doubt it makes any difference in 90% of jobs. Obviously, I wouldn't be able to join the army or the police, at a guess.
Although my experience in hospital wasn't perfect they tried to do everything with dignity. I can't hate a professional for that and also if you're talking about the "damage mental health professionals can do about entering countries" - it's the COUNTRIES decision.
One last thing is I think things are very different to how they were decades ago with regard to sectioning and I could not comment on that.
Last edited by raspberry_swirl : 08-04-2013 at 09:49 PM.
If it annoyed you so much, why read it? Or reply?
I'm seriously going to start reporting posts if the rudeness continues
Could you please specify who has been rude to you and where? People are voicing their opinion(s), to which they are entitled. You have resorted to labelling it as rude because you do not like what you are hearing.
