Durham CND “9KEY Eileen” True Support and Caring .... I am thankful the time was given to help me thru my darkest hours. It was nice to feel I was in a safe place when you become lost.
4 /5
PJ Wells I’m glad I waited to post my review of the CSU at SNMH. They claim they are an entirely separate entity from the hospital, which is simply not the case. I have seen on several occasions/visits over the past year, doctors and nurses from the ER coming to their door repeatedly and consistently. In fact, the doctors that came up the ramp when I was there recently have acted brazenly unprofessional, and have heckled me a few times, stating, “What, they making you wait outside?” and more insensitive comments like this. Because it’s like, when I’m experiencing psychotic symptoms, that joke isn’t really even funny, in fact, it’s disgustingly disrespectful. I was mistreated at the ER and CSU recently during a psychotic episode, (2 separate occasions) and the staff was completely ill-equipped in all aspects, but it comes down to training. The staff supervisor at the CSU admits to not being trauma-informed, nor any other staff employed therein, mind you, after the intake worker concluded and I escalated to a borderline admit to the ER. Disclosure of any trauma, old or fresh, isn’t always enough if that someone treating you, or staffed to “listen,” doesn’t understand where you are coming from or how to properly respond. For example, if you have become violent around your family or children during an episode or maybe they have been violent towards you, to ANY degree of severity, the proper initial response would be to listen and ensure safety, NOT seize the opportunity to disclose and reinforce that they are mandated reporters. If I am there seeking help in a state induced by immediate trauma, timing on this disclosure of ethics is everything, right? I am not trying to impugn the importance of mandated reporting, but if the person across from you is hallucinating, maybe it’s best to probe further without injecting fear as a barrier? I thought the inherent purpose of the CSU was to deescalate, to receive care and emergency respite, or so I was told by community mental health advocates, Nevada County Crisis among those. No, apparently, it’s to shame you straight away during an episode, MORE systematic power mongering. In my case, I came in completely confused and disoriented, and thankfully I resisted the care they offered me, although refusing care was a terrifying process because I was experiencing acute psychotic symptoms, as I mentioned. During my intake interview, the worker asked after several minutes if I attended church regularly, because church is a proper and helpful place to activate community and social supports, and here is where my anger trigger helped me stop the conversation. My anger actually activated my lucidity in a moment of sheer terror. I will say, the consistent trauma-informed offering they have had every time I have been in, is a “bed.” Except, how does one hurdle over their interviews to actually get to rest and self-assessment? Is this a screening process to steer people away because they don’t have the facilities? Am I being naive here? Maybe so, but who actually listens to and responds to our complaints? The good news is, with enough bad reviews, the funding will hopefully be directed towards better mental health training for their staff. I’m not holding my breath on that.
1 /5
