Which sucks because there are plenty of stable people, including myself, who have been 5150’d without good reasoning.

Edit: before I get shitty comments, let me explain how shit the system is. I went to Carrollton Springs to talk with an intake coordinator about their outpatient program and was told I could leave at any time. I wasn’t suicidal and I wasn’t a threat to myself or others. I had been through the outpatient program before for postpartum depression so I knew how it worked. They recommended inpatient but told me I could decline care. I did. I’m a mom and was in the middle of finals at the time.. I literally couldn’t stay. I asked to leave and they told me to wait, I waited for 3 hours, Denton County MHMR came at 11pm and told me I was 5150’d.

Completely bamboozled me. Was left without a way to contact my ex and MIL about childcare arrangements (they knew I was going to ask about outpatient) because they took my phone and refused to let me call anyone. Finally made it to the unit at 6am (I arrived at 2pm the previous day).

I was given a court-ordered attorney and a court date. There was one other person that had been 5150’d because he got into a fight. I spent 72 hours in pure hell that made my situation 100 times worse.

The attorney couldn’t believe they kept me and told me if I wanted to sue, it would be hard, but she’d be willing to represent me.

If you’re not advocating for better mental healthcare in this country, you should be.