My friend was sectioned 2-3 weeks ago. She was in such a terrible state that a member of the public (not her family and friends- we did try before but it didn't work out well as she kept running away) was the one who called the police and the ambulance and was thrown out of a shop. They found her on a london high street with 2 ladders that she was refusing to abandon. took 3 hours to section her. She presents as bipolar and manic with delusions that she is the Messiah who will save the world from climate change (not helped by the fact that she self medicates with street drugs). She spends compulsively and has frittered away a large percentage of her divorce monies! However the psychiatrists just said she was depressed and prescribed her with a lower dose of Prozac (which she was on anyway).
They have now released her to a hotel (instead of the supportive accommodation that was promised) and this is for 6 days. A bed in a mental health ward is £400 per day so I suppose this is cheaper. I just received a message that she was wandering around the streets of London with no idea how to get back to the hotel, 2% battery and feeling scared as there were quite a few aggressive men (according to her) and she also consumed quite a lot of drugs (which is probably why she didn't know how to get back, she has lived in London for most of her life). She then checked into another hotel (using her own money).
I used to think that once she was sectioned, she would get the appropriate help and then she would get better but it seems that we are back to square one. I know there is pressure of beds, but I don't understand how they can release her like that with zero plan???