I came to the Lake Norman Regional Medical Center emergency room because I had taken too many Xanax because I had severe PMS symptoms and was in a manic phase. The amount of Xanax that I took was not enough to die, or have severe health problems but I decided that I should go to the emergency room as a precaution.
Upon my arrival, I became sleepy and do not remember anything until the next morning. I was told that while I was under the influence of the Xanax that I said ""my family is better off without me."" I do not remember saying this. It is highly unusual that I should be interviewed by a mental health professional while I was mostly asleep and in an altered state. The mental health professional was from New River Behavioral Health Care, Statesville. He had no medical degree, did not know me, had no access to my health records, and he interviewed me while I was semi-unconscious, and he did not allow my husband to be present during the interview. He diagnosed me as a depressive, when in fact I was in a manic phase, one does not take a depressant to alleviate depression, one takes Xanax to alleviate anxiety that comes from a manic phase. This ""professional"" is inept and unqualified to make medical decisions.
The statements that I was accused of making, while under the influence, should not be considered valid. This ""professional"" claimed I was suicidal, which I was not, even my psychiatrist and husband knew I was not suicidal because I told them immediately after I took some extra Xanax to alleviate my stress symptoms. I should have been reinterviewed the next morning when I became when all of the medication had cleared out of my system and when I became lucid. I do not believe in suicide because of my Christian beliefs but no one would listen to me.
A nurse at this hospital was extremely nasty to me, she lied to both my husband and I, locked my clothes up, and held me against my will. I had to tell the hospital employees to keep away from me because they were becoming hostile toward me.
Because of the decision of the New River mental health professional, I then was told that I was going to be taken to a psychiatric ward in Davis Medical Center in Statesville against my will. The cops were called and I was escorted out of the hospital by a sherrif's deputy and taken by police car to Davis. This was a shock to me since I never have been arrested and I do not have a criminal record, but I was treated like a criminal. I cried all the way to the hospital.
While at Davis I was exposed to extremely poor hygiene by staff and patients, I was put in a room with a person who had breathing problems and snored loudly, so I could not sleep at all. I was forced to intermingle with patients who had severe mental disorders where my life could have been in danger. I was improperly touched by a women who was a sexual aggressor. Also, I was forced to mingle with people with criminal pasts.
I was taken to Davis psych ward because I was supposedly ""suicidal"", however no one checked on me for over 12 hours. It took almost one day to see a psychiatrist. I already had an appointment with my own psychiatrist the next morning but they decided to kidnap me and take me to a place where I received no psychiatric care.
How would you feel, while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, you said something you did not mean and then someone arrested you without a trial? Seems like the patients are running the clinic at this hospital.
This event has scarred me for life and I feel that I can trust no one. I went to a hospital for help and then I was incarcerated. If I wasn't suicidal before the incident, I could have certainly been suicidal after my forced imprisonment.
I have contacted an attorney. The attorney stated to my husband that Lake Norman Regional Medical Center has a long history of ""kidnapping"" patients and transporting them psych wards, as well as poor attitudes from staff and poor care.
.
more