Involuntary hospital admission

What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state?NY

Last month, I was involuntarily admitted to Columbia Presbyterian's psych unit after a one night stay in the ER. Here's what happened:
My girlfriend heard me say "I hate my life" a few times and panicked and called the police. I was and still am under a great deal of stress due to being unemployed and yes, I was depressed at the time. However, there's a real big difference between being depressed and suicidal, as my girlfriend told the police and the ER doctors. My girlfried, herself under immense pressure and stress, overreacted. Period.
In NY, 3 doctors have to agree that you're a detriment to yourself and/or others and they did, as they involuntarily admitted me to inpatient psych. I was completely calm and told them I felt she was exagerrating. They blew that off. In fact, when the doctor handed me the involuntary admission, I tried to defend myself and she just walked out of the room. The ONLY source of information they seemed to use was my girlfriend. They didn't ask for names of family or friends or anyone else to confirm what is an incredibly serious charge. They took her work completely. In fact, she said they asked her if she felt I should be released and she said "NO." It is so unfair and unjust I can't believe it. She meant well but she just was not thinking and got me in real trouble. I didn't have health insurance. I applied for medicaid but the medicaid office said I'll probably be rejected due to my unemployment income of $1,300/mo. So, I'm looking at a 30k bill probably and I also have an involuntary hospital admission on my medical record which will make it tough to get private insurance.
A great deal of harm has been done to me. Emotionally, financially, and mentally I feel like this hospital did a great deal of damage and I'm struggling to believe that this is an OK and acceptable hospital practice. I really can't afford a lawyer. What are my options? How can I confront the hospital? Any comments at all? Please, any help is greatly appreciated.

How long was your commitment? Are you on any medication or therapy?
While it may seem unfair, your perception of your affect may not be congruent with those professionals who evaluated you at that time.
You can make a complaint to:
NEW YORK PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL@COLUMBIA PRESBYTERIAN CENTER
622 WEST 168TH STREET
NEW YORK, NY 10032
(212) 305-2500

yes, they gave me meds

My stay was 9 days, I think. ALL they did was give me prozac and monitor me. I've taken prozac for a few years and weined myself off around 2 years ago. There is no connection between being off the prozac and this event. But don't I have any rights at all? My girlfriend exaggerated because she was under stress herself. And she admitted to this. In fact, when my family called the psych unit, the nurse mentioned that things didn't appear as bad as the ER docs had said they were.
This just can't be legal. It just can't.

Weening youself off any medication especially an antidepressant without medical supervision is not appropriate, nor or you the best judge of your level of depression. Even though your girlfriend may have been under stress, she was the one dealing with your subtle or overt threats of suicide, which may have been merely attempts to get attention, which you got. A nine day commitment as opposed to a 72 hour commitment indicates that you demonstrated some degree of despondency of which you were not aware or do not admit now that you got the bill. Hopefully, you will stay on your medication and work on your issues in therapy which should be available to you through the local mental health department http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/home.html and they should be able to assist you with your meciaid application, you may also want to apply for disability.

You may also contact http://www.nami-nyc-metro.org/ for advocacy.

I don't have issues

Of course, nobody thinks they're crazy. I told the docs I was depressed at being out of work. That's about it, though. Not exactly inpatient psych material.
This seems like an impossibe situation because it's very much a "he said, she said," kind of thing. My girlfriend branded me as being suicidal. Think about it. Just what on earth could I have said or how could I have acted to convince the docs otherwise. It's like being branded a thief or rapist or murderer. And not to sound sexist, but she's a girl, and that's a big factor also. She's this little girl, she was probably sobbing, and she was very convincing and they bought it. I'll bet you 9 outta 10 times people will believe the girl with issues like this. That's just the way society is.
You seem to think the involuntary commitment was appropriate but I was there. I really didn't have any chance. And it's not that I'm trying to get out of paying this ludicrous bill. If I had any of my concerns to the docs while I was there, they would have accused me of being in denial and would have kept me there longer. Isn't there anything I can do about this???? I will write the address you gave.

You should have fought it while you were still there. If you requested to be released the doctor would either of had to let you go or go to court and prove you were not competent. There really isn't much you can do about it now. I know how frustrating it can be because I've been there myself.

i had no idea fighting it was an option

The docs pretty much kept me in the dark about everything.

They should have told you but I'm not surprised they didn't. I don't have anything good to say about psychiatric hospitals but maybe you were more unstable than you think because 9 days is a long time for someone who is a little down.

ALL they did was give me prozac. That's it. They kept me there because they wanted to monitor side effects, etc.

grugan02 said:

ALL they did was give me prozac. That's it. They kept me there because they wanted to monitor side effects, etc.

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That's ridiculous. Prozac doesn't have many side effects. They probably wanted to monitor you in general. Like I said I've been in your shoes and I was pissed off too but the best thing you can do is let it go.

What do you know about prozac?

Many of the SSRIs, like many meds, have side effects. That's just common knowledge.
And it's so damn easy for people to say "oh, just let it go." Well, I'm looking at a 30k bill. For what? What I depressed? Yes, I was very depressed but not inpatient psych depressed. I know myself and I'm big enough to admit when I need help. I DIDN'T NEED THIS TREATMENT.
This hospital took me off the streets, put me through the trauma of an involuntary admission, based nearly everything on what my unstable girlfriend told them, and spent 30k of money I don't have. NO, i can't let this go.
Like I said, my girlfriend spoke to a social worker and was asked if i should be let go. My girlfriend said no because she wanted me to feel better. The social worker basically that she would make a strong case to the doctor to admit me involuntarily. WOULD YOU PUT UP WITH THIS ****??? Maybe you would but I can't. This is my whole future here. If i can't get rid of this huge bill, I'm looking at bankruptcy which would ruin any plans I had of buying a house, at least for the next 5-7 years. And i can forget about grad school because NOBODY will give me a student loan with a bankruptcy on my credit. This is thoroughly and absolutely devastating.
I believe there are both malpractice and human rights violations here.

grugan02 said:

Many of the SSRIs, like many meds, have side effects. That's just common knowledge.
And it's so damn easy for people to say "oh, just let it go." Well, I'm looking at a 30k bill. For what? What I depressed? Yes, I was very depressed but not inpatient psych depressed. I know myself and I'm big enough to admit when I need help. I DIDN'T NEED THIS TREATMENT.
This hospital took me off the streets, put me through the trauma of an involuntary admission, based nearly everything on what my unstable girlfriend told them, and spent 30k of money I don't have. NO, i can't let this go.
Like I said, my girlfriend spoke to a social worker and was asked if i should be let go. My girlfriend said no because she wanted me to feel better. The social worker basically that she would make a strong case to the doctor to admit me involuntarily. WOULD YOU PUT UP WITH THIS ****??? Maybe you would but I can't. This is my whole future here. If i can't get rid of this huge bill, I'm looking at bankruptcy which would ruin any plans I had of buying a house, at least for the next 5-7 years. And i can forget about grad school because NOBODY will give me a student loan with a bankruptcy on my credit. This is thoroughly and absolutely devastating.
I believe there are both malpractice and human rights violations here.

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You need to get in touch with reality.

If you don't want a huge hospital bill, then don't feign suicide threats and get a job.

Don't blame your girlfriend or the doctors for your actions.

The doctors may have asked for her input, but the decision to keep you was based on their obsevations of your unstable behaviors, just like you are not getting it now. How can we trust your perceptions if they are not accurate now?

The side effects of SSRI's aside from possible manic or suicide, are longterm, so they were making sure that you were not becoming more suicidal or manic.
This will not affect your future employment as medical records are protected by HIPPA.

This will not in and of its self keep you from buying a house, getting a loan or a graduate program however most graduate programs will assess your mental appropriateness for a program. The real thing holding you back from all these things is being unemployed which you were prior to the hospitalization. How do you expect to get a house loan if you are unemployed or have a shaky employment record?

See what I mean about being realistic?

Time to grow up, take responsibility for your own actions and get attention from the positive things you do in life rather than making suicide threats and crying about how everyone is unfair or out to get you.

Then hire a lawyer but it won't do any good. Then you will just have more money to fork out that you don't have for lawyer fees. For them to keep you for 9 days, you had to be pretty unstable. They need the beds and they wouldn't have kept you if you didn't need the treatment. I'm sorry it was traumatic for you but it would be a waste of time for you to pursue this. Are you sure it was 30k? Mine was only about $2,000 and they did A LOT more than give me pills. That seems extremly high. Not paying this bill will hurt your credit a little but not as much as not paying back a loan or credit card. Why don't you apply for a student loan now before this hurts your credit or you file for bankrupcy?

Yes, 30k. Columbia-Presby charges $2500/day and taking into consideration the ER stay and testing, it'll be around 30k.
Good idea about the student loans. I may just do that.

grugan02 said:

Yes, 30k. Columbia-Presby charges $2500/day and taking into consideration the ER stay and testing, it'll be around 30k.
Good idea about the student loans. I may just do that.

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GOOD GOD.......$2500 a day!!! That really does suck. I really don't think you have case but why don't you find a lawyer who will give you a free consultation and just see what he says? At least then you will know for sure.