The tricky question of whether a counselor or a therapist can actually send you to a mental hospital has been raised many times by people who self-harm and who tend to avoid therapy for this reason. The reality of the matter is that counselors don’t really have the ability to get you admitted to a mental hospital. However, they do have the ability to file a formal report on your condition, call 911 and inform the emergency medical staff of your condition.
The reason why many therapists and counselors break confidentiality in such cases is that they might believe the patient could commit suicide. Under law, US citizens can sue them for neglect if they don’t act, so many of them choose to make the call.
The tricky part, however, is the fact that there is absolutely no guarantee that the 911 call will get you admitted. What happens is that you get taken to the hospital and usually transferred to a psychiatric ward where you’ll be examined by a psychiatric professional. At the end of their evaluation, they will decide whether or not you need to be committed to a mental institution.
Even if the evidence that your counselor presents seems compelling, however, the psychiatric doctors who examine you will be the ones whose decisions will weigh in the most. As a result, there is really no reason to be afraid of going to see a counselor, and the alternative might be a lot worse.
If you feel in need of mental health support, contact a great therapist in Broomfield to treat specific mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, and trauma, or general day to day coping strategies.
Recent Comments