If you’re poor then you’re basically mentally ill.

I couldn’t afford anxiety/depression meds and went to a professional. Literally told me, almost verbatim, “I don’t think you’re a danger to anyone or yourself, but I’m going to put you down as 5150. After a holding period you’ll get medicine.”

Thought about it, decided no as I didn’t want to screw up my background checks just to get medicine.

“Well I already put it down.”

I didn’t want to fight my way through two guards (though I wish I would have tried) so I had to go through a shitty, depressing, and degrading experience. And I couldn’t afford the medicine they prescribed me. The entire point of lying to game the system, the entire point of fucking me while acting like a savior, and I couldn’t even get medicine.

So yeah. Tagged as being a danger to myself or others because I didn’t have money to buy medicine… and a mental health professional thought she figured out a lifehack and tested it on a real person.

Ideally, when a medical professional genuinely thinks you are an immediate danger to yourself or others.

If you’re a danger to yourself or others, police can detain you with an APOWW, which stands for Apprehension by a Police Officer Without a Warrant, and hold you until you are deemed safe at an “appropriate” mental health facility. (Most of these places are horrible tbh. Usually filled with the homeless and genuinely mentally ill/unwell people). Back in my EMS days I would dread running calls to these places.

Dunno if there are many left in the US but if you answer the question they always ask:

“Do you feel like hurting yourself or others?“

With a “yes” they can recommend you get wrapped up “for your protection” for a short while. Then bill you of course

Harm to yourself and or others is usually the red line, in most countries.

I am not an expert, but based on TV the general criteria is if you’re a harm to yourself or others (or self commit).

Getting to suicidey I imagine.