Emergency

Need emergency shelter

This is my third or fourth post so let me apologize first.

I posted about leaving my son with his dad and was encouraged to do so.

I posted about my daily, severe panic attacks and was also encouraged to leave or go inpatient again (it would be the 4th time this year). I went to the ER last weekend because the thought of spending the weekend with my son spun me into an hours-long panic attack I couldn’t calm down from.

My mental health has been at crisis levels for 7 months, as many of u know. I am suicidal. I cannot continue mothering for one more day. I just took half a Klonopin in an attempt to calm down. It’s my last one. When I start PMSing this month I think it’s likely I will make an attempt on my life.

This is an emergency. I checked the homeless shelters and they are all full. No friends or family can take me in.

Where do I go? It’s absolutely necessary that I leave the home. I can go inpatient. I suppose that’s the only answer. The problem is when I get out, where do I go? How am I supposed to recover while living a very difficult existence in a homeless shelter?

If I would have had any glimmer that having a baby would mean losing my mind and my home I would have never done it.

Please. Please. There’s got to be somewhere that can take me in, and inpatient is not going to do it. I need a permanent place.

I’m severely ill and can’t work. I can’t shower or go to the store. There’s no way I could even get a job in this condition. I don’t qualify for disability because I don’t have the work credits; anyway it’s taking a year to get applications approved.

I can’t take the suffering anymore. I can’t take it. Please god let the Klonopin kick in.

Where do I go? What do I do? I’m gonna have to call the police and go inpatient…but then what? Then what?

I’m gonna be gone for my birthday. My partner doesn’t have to tell my son but he’s gonna know it’s Mother’s Day and I’m gone. Then I’m gonna miss HIS birthday. His 7th birthday. I can’t be a mother. At all. I’m too sick and there’s gotta be an answer for me. If you have an answer, please let me know. Don’t just say, go inpatient. Because I have to have some way to survive after that. How do I survive? I can’t live in the streets, I’m a 38 year old baby.

I’m done crying. I’m done panicking and grieving what I did by bringing a child into the world. I’m ready to let him go. But where do I go? What do I do? Can u imagine how this feels, backed into a corner with no way out? I can’t go on one more day. Please help me.

in regretfulparentsby [deleted]

64%

24d

melonmagellan

Parent

24d

So, if I am being totally honest, I think you're having a mental health crisis and should not intentionally make yourself homeless. Having a panic attack in your home is better than having a panic attack on the street.

You should make a decision after you receive impatient care in my opinion.

PolarStar89

Not a Parent

23d

Fully agree. It's dangerous to be homeless as a woman, and if you add mental health issues to the mix it's even more dangerous. There are people who are going to see a homeless woman with mental health issues as an easy target.

Melodic-Ad-9207

24d

I think the first step is getting out of panic mode. The in patient stay can help with that. In panic mode, there isn’t a lot of logic or reasoning with yourself. Also as long as your child is safe, the focus should not be on them anymore. It sounds like you need to focus on you and you alone at the moment. And that is okay! I personally found that when I wasn’t working, I didn’t have a routine or structure and it made my mental health rot. Personally I would start with finding a job after the in patient stay, but if that is too much. You can start with something as simple as doing a daily walk or reading a chapter from a book everyday at a certain time. I feel routine is key. However small the task. Unfortunately we live in a world that doesn’t offer help to others, only way through it is to find the strength to help ourselves.

lalylalylaly

24d

well said!

No_Record5855

24d

Honey, I know it's not my place to say this, but I've looked in your comment history, and I'm seeing that you have helium at home right now and are trying to make an exit bag. Honey please go to the emergency room, tell them you are close to hurting yourself, they will keep you safe, they will medicate you, they will take care of you and a social worker will help you for the following steps.

I've been in your shoes before, I've had two full bottles of seroquel ready to go, I was about to do it, but at the last minute I decided to go to the emergency room, and they kept me safe, and I'm here to tell you the same thing they told me : don't make a final decision for a temporary situation.

There is hope, there's light at the end of tunnel, please please please please leave the bottle alone, go to the emergency room right now.

bitchybaklava

Not a Parent

24d

Hey babe.

You go to inpatient right now and you talk to a social worker and they help you figure all of that out then.

But we need to get you to "then."

Go check in. NOW. We support you.

melonmagellan

Parent

24d

I think telling OP that someone is going to help them figure this all out is disingenuous. In the US at least.

Homelessness is absolutely one of the worst things that can happen to someone. Especially if you are mentally ill, not receiving disability, and cannot work.

TrustSweet

22d

Telling OP that social workers, discharge planners, and patient advocates are available at hospitals is not disingenuous. These resources may not be perfect, they may not be able to magically make everything better, but they can help, even if it's just to explore possible options.

melonmagellan

Parent

21d

I agree. However, having worked at the kind of facility where OP would be placed, a lot of people are turned out into the street.

New_Difficulty_8877

-3

Not a Parent

22d

They mean figure out a plan, not figure out homelessness 😂

SlowReception_

Not a Parent

24d

I was gonna say the emergency room too. Tell them about your mental health concerns right now. They will be required to hold you for at least three days. Warm bed, shower and food. I work in an emergency room myself.

harcher2531

Not a Parent

24d

Findhelp.org will let you find all the free help resources in your area, it searches by zip code. If you have access to a doctor's office or a hospital they have social workers there that work to help prevent homelessness and domestic violence. If you tell them you don't have a safe place to live with your baby they'll know of places you can go as well

pinklittlebirdie

24d

Id start with the inpatient stay and ask for help finding housing from the social worker. Im not sure where you are but hospitals here arent allowed to release people to homelessness. The hospital might have a step down support program where you basically go to a supported living situation

BravestCrone

24d

That’s completely untrue. Every city I ever worked in used to discharge people to the streets. Source- I’m a social worker who used to work with the homeless population. If she is here on the West Coast, these states don’t guarantee shelter period. The best this person is gonna do is call whatever county she is in and ask for then Human Services department. Step down support implies private insurance coverage, which OP might not have. She needs a space in an emergency shelter (if that even exists where she is at, and they have space, plus she meets their admission requirements). If there is a medical social worker at the hospital, they probably can give OP referrals. Unfortunately, the hospital social workers cannot guarantee a shelter space. OP needs to stabilize her mental health first as she’s not going to be able to cope in the milieu (emergency shelter is generally sleeping pads on the floor in a big room with a men’s and women’s side = no privacy whatsoever) being so emotionally unregulated. This is just the state of affairs for homelessness in America. It’s pretty shameful. In some states, like Florida, they are trying to criminalize homelessness so if she is outside Florida I guess it could be worse. She could get threatened with county jail for her ‘crime’

pinklittlebirdie

17d

Its a rule in Australia. They cant release to unsafe enviroments which can include unsafe homes (hoarding or unclean) it does create a back log though.

Peeppeep24

24d

Are you currently being treated by a psychiatrist? Why do you only have 1 Klonopin left? If you do have a current psychiatrist you should definitely call them. They can help with a mental health crisis via medication and treatment options

CrystalQueen3000

24d

Do you have an adult social worker? The inpatient care team should be able to make a referral if you don’t and they can discuss next steps with you

DancingRhubarbaroo

24d

You go straight to the ED or the nearest emergency Mental Health Facility. You deserve to be safe and feel comfortable in your brain once again. Your feelings are real but you can slow them, rest; your job right now is to go to inpatient. Request some klonopin, nap for 2 days then take a nice hot bubbly scrub shower. Then sit and make decisions with a clearer mind. Good luck.

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24d

regretfulparents-ModTeam

24d

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TrustSweet

22d

Go back to the ER. Tell them you're suicidal, that you're planning to kill yourself. Show them your Reddit post. No, inpatient treatment isn't a permanent fix, but it can buy you some time. Ask to speak to the hospital's social worker or discharge planner. They have access to resources/information that you may not be able to find on your own.

barbara_bm86

Parent

24d

We support you! There is first things first logic here. To get out of panic and extreme anxiety - medications will do their work but you must let professionals to decide which ones. So first thing is to go in hospital. When you stabilize, then you will make a plan with no panic in mind. You are not alone! Good luck lady!

DawnKnight91

Parent

19d

The when you’ll get discharged they suppose to do an evaluation of your home live with the social worker. If you need to tell them you need information to the local women’s shelter and resources to jobs programs that’s available for your condition.

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