Embarrassment during section 136 *can be triggering*
 

About four weeks ago I was sectioned on a 136 (I am on a section 2 now, having Christmas leave though). I was taken in a police van to the section 136 suite etc etc but when the police brought me into the seclusion room there, they started removing things off me. Headband, shoes, belt, ok, but then they said I had to take my bra off! I was freaking out completely because of the Voices and paranoia. Then suddenly a policewoman unhooked my bra underneath my t-shirt. She took it off, and I wouldn't have minded so much if there weren't male police officers there. I felt humiliated having my bra removed in front of male police officers, even if it was all done under my t-shirt. And all that time a male police officer was restraining me
Do you think this was right?

Because they were even suggesting to take my trousers off me because of the cord! Luckily I got to keep them otherwise I'd have been half naked

I kept yelling to them that I felt humiliated but they ignored me

Obviously there were trying to keep you safe, but I understand how embarassed you must have felt. I had to have some tests done in hospital and had to remove my bra and t-shirt and it was a man doing it and I've never felt so embarassed so I can totally understand!

Baggyleans, thank you. They said they were removing my bra because it had a wire in it. Too embarrassing

I think they have certain protocols they are forced to follow when it comes to dealing with people who may pose a risk to themselves. That said however it is unacceptable that male officers were in the room at the time, personally I'd write a complaint to the IPCC (Independent Police Complaints Commission) about your treatment by the officers and how you felt humiliated. You never know, something may come of it a change in guidelines perhaps forbidding male officers from being present in future.

Thanks Rhuben, that's a good idea. I will talk to my friend about it. My friend is writing a letter to his MP about treatment of s136 patients, using me as an anonymous friend

There were several extremely embarrassing things that happened when I was psychotic in hospital, and the way I dealt with it afterwards when I was well again and remembered what had happened was to think that the nurses weren't embarrassed and were far more concerned with my care, and that (hopefully) I will never see any of them ever again!

The same things apply to this situation. Try and hold on to those facts.

Take care.

Mikey, you have a good point there. I guess I should think that the police officers only wanted to make sure that I would be safe. I think they were professional enough not to "laugh" at me

Although when I was being restrained on the floor by four police officers, the policewoman on my left arm told me to stop being an idiot when I was hallucinating that my body was on fire!

Thanks for the hugs btw

That's reminded me of when I was also in hospital and was freaking out a bit and the nurses ran me a bath. They left before I got in it but then one of them came in again to get something and I was so embarassed but they are so used to it that it probably didn't occur to me that I would be embarassed. I think it would have been the same with the police officers but I can still understand why you might want to complain about it!

Thanks Baggyjeans. I'm sorry you had to go through that. It's just that I've been sexually abused before (as a child), so the presence of male police officers while having my bra removed gave me flashbacks and made me freak out even more. Two police officers had to hold me while they were doing that.

Baggyjeans, I think you're right about the nurses, they're used to seeing skin let's just say

I hate men for that reason too, so I understand. Big hugs!

Thanks, hugs back

Must of been awful. ):
I would of been embarrassed as well.
Hope you're okay now, hun. x

Thanks Katie. It was deeply humiliating. I'm struggling tbh

Thanks for the hugs

I'm sorry to hear that, Oly. I think that people are right in saying it was for your own safety and protection, but also that the police need more training in how to deal with people brought in on 136s, and more training on mental illness.

Thank you. I agree, they need more training indeed, especially the policewoman who told me off for being an idiot

I think the policewoman saying stop being an idiot is actually the problem. I do understand how humiliating it is to have clothing such as a bra removed in front of male police but they used a woman to remove it and sadly in 136 suits there is limited staff and female officers holding you may not have been enough to do the job, and doing their job in keeping you safe is the priority above all else.

I have had instances where male nurses have entered my bathroom in an emergency and that's just them trying to keep me safe as quickly as possible, I understand that now, but at the time it was absolutely horrible. A female nurse was already there, but she needed help.

*cuddles*

Sorry you had to experience that Oly. I can relate, I was abused by men as a child and adolescent so I can most definitely relate to the intrusive nature of being held involuntarily and the presense of men in those situations.

Miss anonymous is right though, the staff numbers would be an issue, and that the concerning part was the idiot comment, that should be reported.
Hope you are ok

Miss Anonymous, you're right, staffing is an issue. There was one policewoman there which I guess made it a bit less traumatic. If it was a man undoing my bra I would have had an even more catastrophic reaction

Bleeding Black, thank you. I am sorry to hear that you got abused

I remember saying "why the hell are you all holding me down on the floor like this?!" to them. A policeman said something about it being for my own safety etc, but then the policewoman interjected and said "because you're being an idiot". I don't know if later on she was told off or not for saying that because the policeman on my right arm was pretty kind and understanding

I understand and have been having memories recently of being strip-searched by the police. For me it was most scary when they put the latex gloves on because I didn't know what they were going to do. Luckily I only had women at the time. Like people said, it's just so they can keep you safe.