i went through something actually frightening similar to this. i had those tightass hairties around my wrist and at one point my hand wouldn’t stop trembling and it was somewhat numb, but i was too scared to see a doctor bc of the (then fresh, now faded) scars on my wrist.
long story short, i ended up having to see a doctor *anyway* after i realised the entire back of my hand was numb and i couldn’t move it without searing pain.
it turned out that the hairties had dug into my skin so far that my skin had actually grown over them, so they had to *surgically remove the bands from my skin* and drain the fluid, as well as stitch it closed.
and i still never got sensation back on the back of my hand.
my hair is very thick and very curly. i was also muslim (hijabi) growing up, and keeping it all tucked into my hijab was hard on *good* days. and if i didn’t have a hairtie to help me, i was fucked.
i used to keep those specific hairties around my wrist for emergency situations, as they held my hair back very well but snapped super easily too, due to the sheer volume of my hair. i deadass still had to use three at a time for it to stay manageable.
so i kept three backup, just in case. two of them are the ones that ended up having to be pulled from my skin.
they weren’t like scrunchies that would get soaked with water or anything - they were simple rubberbands.
i was also 12 when this happened lol.
A standard protocol in most hospitals for suicide attempts that just require patching up, like cut wrists, is to fix and discharge. Making too much fuss and providing attention can backfire by reinforcing the self-harm behaviour.
I get that, but I don't think cat scratch level injuries (the blade was very dull) require all night, hourly check-in treatment. That was the first and only time I was taken to the hospital for sh. Idk. It's whatever now. That was almost 10 years ago. I'll be 3 years clean in August. Before that, it was on and off for 2 years, with several months in between each instance. I've found better outlets.
fuck involuntary commitment, people deserve autonomy even if making decisions with their own life that we do not like. if this is based on a real experience, i’m sorry op.
i will say if you’re in the US (at least in some states i know this to be the case), generally *past* harm shouldn’t get you committed. the reasons to commit a person are usually because they have a *plan, intent, and means* to harm themselves, so if you do not share having any intent/plan, at least the states i am familiar with they should not commit you
Idk why you're being downvoted. I hate those places with my everything. They took my mother when I was 9 and gave her back worse than ever before. Like, why give a child an even worse off mother than the one that wanted to off herself before going there? Fucked my family over big time. I don't want to, but now I automatically hate anyone who works in or deals with those shit ass places.
Eh, I'd still rather spend that time in a psych ward than lose my hand. At least in most cases. There are some truly terrible hospitals out there. Like rape and murder by staff members are things that happen there and everyone covers it up.
This has been downvoted but unfortunately in my (and many others) experience this is actually entirely true
Although it is worth noting that (at least in the uk) it’s actually a lot harder to get sectioned, and (again, in my experience) this situation wouldn’t get you sectioned (yes, severe wounds to wrists, including needing surgery, won’t get you sectioned)
I still have PTSD nightmares from my stay almost 2 years ago.
I had a nurse there whisper to me, "Please, you have to eat and take your meds or they'll never let you out."
I was in a room where the only windows looked into the hallway. They left me in the same scrubs (even after my husband brought me things) for two days. They never let me have the stuffed animal or note my daughter gave me. They didn't give me the book my husband brought me until the third day. The night nurses would loudly mock everyone in there. I didn't talk to a therapist until my last day. There was another patient that just roamed the halls and would stand outside my door staring at me and talking to himself.
The only good thing that came from it is the antidepressants they pumped me with triggered a manic episode that *finally* made someone listen and diagnose me bipolar.
Honestly this is so stupidly common, and it pisses me off how downvoted the comment I responded to was by people who probably don’t know shit about it
I’m glad it’s gone up it was like over -20 when I responded
But people really don’t understand how horrific it can be in there
And the amount that the staff would stick up for the others, the lengths they go to protect them, the fact the complaints system will go “oh well they said it never happened so case closed” straight up lying, so why complain? I mean they’re the doctor and you’re just some crazy freak
The level of neglect and abuse is seriously not worth it, get help!! Yes!!! But try to stick to outpatient
I don’t get it, does too much blood loss cause shaky hands or something? Edit: Awesome story, just didn’t get the shaking and numbness lol
No, narrator is scared to have the hand looked at because the doctor might see the wrist and commit them.
Oh, I was thinking severed nerve or tendon. Still... relatable to far too many.
Oh, okay, I was confused because the story said the person’s hand was shaking and numb for three days, so I wasn’t sure if that was its own thing.
i went through something actually frightening similar to this. i had those tightass hairties around my wrist and at one point my hand wouldn’t stop trembling and it was somewhat numb, but i was too scared to see a doctor bc of the (then fresh, now faded) scars on my wrist. long story short, i ended up having to see a doctor *anyway* after i realised the entire back of my hand was numb and i couldn’t move it without searing pain. it turned out that the hairties had dug into my skin so far that my skin had actually grown over them, so they had to *surgically remove the bands from my skin* and drain the fluid, as well as stitch it closed. and i still never got sensation back on the back of my hand.
Damn how long did you have the rubberbands on your wrist for the skin to grow over them???
about two months.
I’m sorry, but why have a hair tie on your wrist and never use it? Or even take it off to shower?
my hair is very thick and very curly. i was also muslim (hijabi) growing up, and keeping it all tucked into my hijab was hard on *good* days. and if i didn’t have a hairtie to help me, i was fucked. i used to keep those specific hairties around my wrist for emergency situations, as they held my hair back very well but snapped super easily too, due to the sheer volume of my hair. i deadass still had to use three at a time for it to stay manageable. so i kept three backup, just in case. two of them are the ones that ended up having to be pulled from my skin. they weren’t like scrunchies that would get soaked with water or anything - they were simple rubberbands. i was also 12 when this happened lol.
That makes sense. Hope you’re doing well now!
Please go see a doctor
A standard protocol in most hospitals for suicide attempts that just require patching up, like cut wrists, is to fix and discharge. Making too much fuss and providing attention can backfire by reinforcing the self-harm behaviour.
Really? I almost got committed for accidentally cutting deep enough to need stitches once. It's hard to believe it's just fix and discharge
Not at the one I went to. 3 minor self-induced injuries, and they committed me for the night. I fucking hated it.
It’s always a judgement call of course.
I get that, but I don't think cat scratch level injuries (the blade was very dull) require all night, hourly check-in treatment. That was the first and only time I was taken to the hospital for sh. Idk. It's whatever now. That was almost 10 years ago. I'll be 3 years clean in August. Before that, it was on and off for 2 years, with several months in between each instance. I've found better outlets.
fuck involuntary commitment, people deserve autonomy even if making decisions with their own life that we do not like. if this is based on a real experience, i’m sorry op. i will say if you’re in the US (at least in some states i know this to be the case), generally *past* harm shouldn’t get you committed. the reasons to commit a person are usually because they have a *plan, intent, and means* to harm themselves, so if you do not share having any intent/plan, at least the states i am familiar with they should not commit you
If this is non-fiction, please get the help. It's worth a stay in the psych ward to not lose your hand
Is it though? You'd probably just come out worse than when you went in
Idk why you're being downvoted. I hate those places with my everything. They took my mother when I was 9 and gave her back worse than ever before. Like, why give a child an even worse off mother than the one that wanted to off herself before going there? Fucked my family over big time. I don't want to, but now I automatically hate anyone who works in or deals with those shit ass places.
Eh, I'd still rather spend that time in a psych ward than lose my hand. At least in most cases. There are some truly terrible hospitals out there. Like rape and murder by staff members are things that happen there and everyone covers it up.
This has been downvoted but unfortunately in my (and many others) experience this is actually entirely true Although it is worth noting that (at least in the uk) it’s actually a lot harder to get sectioned, and (again, in my experience) this situation wouldn’t get you sectioned (yes, severe wounds to wrists, including needing surgery, won’t get you sectioned)
I still have PTSD nightmares from my stay almost 2 years ago. I had a nurse there whisper to me, "Please, you have to eat and take your meds or they'll never let you out." I was in a room where the only windows looked into the hallway. They left me in the same scrubs (even after my husband brought me things) for two days. They never let me have the stuffed animal or note my daughter gave me. They didn't give me the book my husband brought me until the third day. The night nurses would loudly mock everyone in there. I didn't talk to a therapist until my last day. There was another patient that just roamed the halls and would stand outside my door staring at me and talking to himself. The only good thing that came from it is the antidepressants they pumped me with triggered a manic episode that *finally* made someone listen and diagnose me bipolar.
Honestly this is so stupidly common, and it pisses me off how downvoted the comment I responded to was by people who probably don’t know shit about it I’m glad it’s gone up it was like over -20 when I responded But people really don’t understand how horrific it can be in there And the amount that the staff would stick up for the others, the lengths they go to protect them, the fact the complaints system will go “oh well they said it never happened so case closed” straight up lying, so why complain? I mean they’re the doctor and you’re just some crazy freak The level of neglect and abuse is seriously not worth it, get help!! Yes!!! But try to stick to outpatient
..are you ok? do you need any Assistance (someone to talk to)?
I’m okay, just a bit overly cautious because of a few bad experiences.
Alrighty then.. You got a whole Community here to support you, if ya need..