This is one of several news articles that were written about my daughter’s struggle with mental illness, the mental health care system in California that failed her and how she lost her life as a result of her mental illness, specifically psychosis.
We were never listened to or understood even at the very end of her life. The last time she was hospitalized, we asked for them to hold her until her 72 hour hold was over so we could once again request the doctors to sign off on a conservatorship but our request was denied.
She was released at 4am to the cold dark streets of San Diego after the doctors said she was no longer a danger to herself. This is not only unfathomable but inhumane, especially to someone experiencing a psychotic episode. Hospitals don’t treat and release. They admit and release.
10 days later she died doing the same thing that the police brought her in for originally — running in and out of traffic.
*Each story is shared by someone impacted by untreated SMI, lightly edited for clarity, never for meaning.
THE ASK
The author’s message for legislators:
Encourage and support legislation to protect our mentally ill and create new ways to help them that don’t involve imprisoning them. Force them to take medication so we can save their lives. My daughter died with her rights on. She could have lived without her rights and learned to live with her illness.
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One Response
I’m so very sorry for your loss. We live in fear of having a similar outcome for our daughter as well.