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ePaper created 2014-12-04, 01:15:59 | version 1.33.01
25 Emergency Room Once upon a time, in another life, I decided to throw a swing at an emergency room attendant. This lead to the arrest described in the last chapter. I'm not proud of it. I try to forget about it. The next time I had an episode I actually apologized to him for it. Why did I throw that swing? Because one of the doctors asked me why I thought I needed to be there. My dad had brought me there in the middle of the night because I was feeling horribly manic After four hours of observation with no symptoms they told me to go home, so I proceeded to give them some proof of my condition. My dad felt badly because he didn't act fast enough to jump between us. It all happened too fast. Please don't follow in my footsteps. I am including that story here so you understand how important it is to verbally get your message across to the emergency room staff without using force. They need to understand what is going on in order to treat you properly, so verbally help them as much as you can. At the emergency room the policy is pretty much observation. If you do not feel you are a danger to either yourself or to someone else, and you are not producing psychotic symptoms, then you might as well be at home. If you don't need emergency room attention, then you shouldn't be there. You can wait until regular office hours and call your regular doctor. On the other hand, if you're suicidal or a danger to someone else, the ER is heaven on Earth. There's no better place to be. A psychiatrist will evaluate you, you'll get the proper medication, and if necessary you'll be hospitalized. I highly recommend an emergency room trip if you feel like you need it. Your average trip to the emergency room could last three hours or more, so get ready to wait. You will not be rushed in and rushed out. They may set you up in a separate room to wait, but you'll basically just need to be patient. Don't make problems, don't be violent, just wait your turn. During one of my trips I was under the impression that I was a key member of the Second Coming of Christ. When a clock struck eight o'clock in the morning, I went berserk and