PrinterDrop

Does the success of your subversive act depend on there being little appetite for it? If the game had been well-recieved, what would that indicate to you regarding society's relationship with the war on terror and/or capitalism?

Some time ago, I was feeling suicidal and a friend offered to call in the "on-call crisis counselor". I agreed. The cops showed up, put me in handcuffs, and drove me to the hospital from whence I was transferred to a mental institution where I was held for 72 hours.

I'm alive, yes, but this contributed nothing positive to my long term mental health. The way in which this incident was handled has caused me to never ever tell anybody when I am feeling suicidal again. Not to mention how I was treated was traumatic in itself and something I still struggle with.

I didn't have the opportunity to speak to the crisis counselor at all. My friend called them, relayed to me that the counselor would come but the police will show up first. I responded that was fine, assuming the police's role would be to ensure a minimum level of stability and security and that my main interaction would be with the counselor.

My assumption was misguided. Two officers arrived, one took my friend to a different room to talk while the other spoke with me. He asked me four or five basic questions: my name, age, what's going on ("I was thinking about jumping from the balcony and then I called my friend"), why did I feel that way (I tried to blow this question off with something like 'my girlfriend broke up with me blah blah...'), and how I am doing now ("better than before but the thoughts still haven't left my mind"). The respective interviews took no more than ten minutes. The officers came back together, spoke a few sentences in code, and announced they were taking me to the hospital.

I immediately said "I will not" and, while remaining seated, slapped my hand on the couch. This is was got me cuffed, which subsequently led to profuse apologies and tears. No matter. I was put in the back of their car and taken to the hospital.

My time at the hospital and the mental health facility are also somewhat lengthy stories, but I remember darn near everything in vivid detail. To summarize, though, I didn't have any individual contact with a trained mental health counselor until about 36 hours after initial contact with authorities. Is that normal? Also, a few months later, I requested the police report and the officer quoted me as saying "I would jump off of the balcony if I was left alone that night." I absolutely, unequivocally, said nothing of the sort! God dammit!

Edit: By the way, thank you for reading and responding. It hurts for me to remember these things, but at the same time it feels good to say them.

On what are you basing your assumption regarding the opening of N. Korea?

I'm happy to hear your friend is doing better. And if I can share from my experience, I completely understand why my friend made the call. Afterwords, I heard from a close mutual friend, that she who made the call was scared I would blame her for what happened and hate her. At first, I certainly did harbor some resentment, but that wore off soon and I now am thankful to her for being there when I needed her most and taking action to help me.

It was not her fault I was treated the way in which I was. That blame rests solely on the officers and other people I encountered. She will always hold a special place in my heart for caring.