Anyone here been through the system?

I got 5150'd once, but that's a long story and I kind of deserved it. I have no problem with mental health rehabilitation programs, except that they're becoming more and more like jails themselves. I figure we need more programs that help, and not punish. As far as jail and shit goes, nothing much more then spending 6 hour holds in drunk tanks. Almost faced a felony aggravated assault after a fight with a security guard (fucker deserved it), but I took a plea bargain down to a misdemeanor and only had to do a year of formal probation and 100 hours of community service (which I have no complaints against).

Other than that, I've managed to remain pretty stealthy and under the radar.

 

Throughout my teens and early 20s i had a few run-ins and close calls with the law, but I've managed to talk my way out of them. Spent the night in a mental health facility for evaluation, managed to talk my way out of that one the next morning as well. In my teens I was diagnosed with depression, never got meds had no insurance. Since I've had my kid I've pretty much stayed under the radar, aside from being stopped here and there for "looking suspicious".


Nothing ever major. If you're ever the elected spokesperson to talk to the cops at the door on behalf of a housefull of drunken party-goers, be courteous so they don't decide to search you and find that ounce of weed in your pocket.

 

I never have, come pretty damn close though...over the summer I was busted by the cops with some pills (I've since stopped taking street and pharmaceutical drugs...homegrown weed, booze, and good tobacco I'm still down for ..might have to snag some acid tabs if they come my way too), but nothing ever came of it...I guess since there were like 2 and a half pills only and I wasn't violent or belligerent or anything the cop decided not to do anything...I did get a $100 fine for the weed me and my friends had though (weed's decriminalized here). And when I was 15 I finished my only year in high school by being busted for an eighth of (really fucking good) weed, all I got out of that was a 2 day suspension (I lived with my mom in Canada at the time, shortly thereafter I moved in with my dad here in Massachusetts)

 

Between the ages of 13-17 I had been in a mental ward 4 times and of course i had to take meds..I had some family problems...thats as far as I wish to go with the reasons why I had to be in the mental ward.But once I got out of the range of my family problems things got better for me and I had no reason to bother with meds or doctors ever since,not that i think the meds ever help the problem anyway they just made me a zombie and constantly sleepy and worst of all they caused me to gain weight and make me sick.As for run inns with the law,I got popped with a dime bag of pot one time only reason me and i friend got pulled over is because a cop ran my friends plate and he had a warrant.What happend once i got downtown was the cops pretty much wanted me to rat out where i get my pot,he gave me a notice to appear and a undercover cops number and i left.Never called the cop of course I just took my community service and that was it.

 

About 7 years ago i spent a few days in College Park, mental hospital in costa mesa orange county, I have been battling anxiety issues since i was 20 (hence my username). It wasn't a bad experience per se, i met some cool people who like me were just having trouble getting their shit together, I have been on all kinds of psych meds over the years, I recently started taking Zoloft and honestly it seems to finally be what i need, i took prozac for many years, and it worked at first, but i gained a lot of weight on it. Also as well as xanax, and more recently klonipin And at one time was on Luvox, and it was awful, and didn't work, and when i stopped taking it it was almost like i had to detox In fact i'm on my way to see the shrink again later to day. (not really a shrink, just the Psychiatirst who prescribes me drugs.) So yeah, i have kind of been through the system, but my anxiety disorder kind of keeps me from beinging involved as much as i'd like to in activism and stuff, and also has kept me from being able to really have a job, but i have been working for myself the last few years so it isn't as big an issue as it could be.

And to answer your other question, i definatly have experienced shunnings from people who don't get it, whether it was girlfriends, my parents, or people who simply feel that mental illness is all in the mind. My father especially feels this ways and thinks im full of shit, and that it's all a matter of thinking positive. I wish it was that easy.

A band i used to be in, i was about to play my first show with them at the whiskey in hollywood, and i had a major panic attack on the way to pick up the band mates, luckily they were understanding and helped me through it, and because they were supportive i was able to make it there and perform with no problems. sometimes that's all it takes is someone supportive to back you and catch you when you fall.

I've also had experiences that were the opposite where i'd have one and the person i was around would get annoyed or mean, and it would make me feel worse.

 

I went to jail in Montana for urinating on customers and food in a public dining setting. True story. But yeah, I went through a lengthy idiot crusty stage and spent quite a bit of time in various jails. Shit's weak.

 

Yeah, i would give pretty much anything to 'feel normal' again. That is something people do not understand, it's like they think i have chosen to feel the way I do or something... I have come a long way, but it is a constant battle.
good luck to you as well