As a therapist, I totally agree with what you’ve written above. However, I also have the unfortunate experience of working with mental health providers (mainly psychiatrists in pill-kiosk roles) who will send patients to the ER if they mention any suicidal ideation out of a paranoid fear of losing their license. Thankfully, ER doctors tend to actually assess the seriousness of said ideation and don’t admit people who aren’t seriously considering self-harm, but it’s still an ordeal.
So, I would simply add to your advice that if any mental health provider calls 911 at the mere mention of suicidal thoughts, get yourself a new provider immediately. That provider either hasn’t learned how to properly assess suicidality or is too chicken-shit to do it (far more likely, the latter).
As a therapist, I totally agree with what you’ve written above. However, I also have the unfortunate experience of working with mental health providers (mainly psychiatrists in pill-kiosk roles) who will send patients to the ER if they mention any suicidal ideation out of a paranoid fear of losing their license. Thankfully, ER doctors tend to actually assess the seriousness of said ideation and don’t admit people who aren’t seriously considering self-harm, but it’s still an ordeal.
So, I would simply add to your advice that if any mental health provider calls 911 at the mere mention of suicidal thoughts, get yourself a new provider immediately. That provider either hasn’t learned how to properly assess suicidality or is too chicken-shit to do it (far more likely, the latter).
Thanks for the professional insight!