I haven't published a book, but in my experience promoting my album, I've seen how hard it is for folks who don't have media behemoths and teams of PR people behind them. While a lot has changed about media distribution, that aspect hasn't changed enough yet. It seems you have to engage all your friends to ask that your work be carried. But that's not enough. They have to follow through and buy it there. Personally, I've had trouble getting people to show up at Amoeba or Down Home to buy my album. But the need to do it is why I bought my friend's novel at our local bookstore and why I bought my own brother's album at Tower (this was a ways back...).

I just heard from a second person that suicide hotlines have advised him to call 911.

If a person meets the criteria of having a plan and being a danger to him/herself, then ANY mental health professional is mandated to advise going to an emergency room or calling 911. If the person doesn't agree to do so, the mhp MUST do so.

If they don't, and the individual follows through, the liability is staggering. Very, very sad, and not at all what a depressed person wants to hear, but it's a fact.

The truth is, there is NO perfect 'system' to deal with fragile human emotion.

Did the police shoot him? That's kind of...what happens here. (But SB1070 isn't creepy at all.)

Many double posts today...not sure if it's me, or the board.

bonny, I do understand that therapists and such are required by law to report any credible threats of suicide. I don't know for sure with the one fella what he said to them or whether he is a serious suicide risk. My sense of it is that he is not. But the other fellow also said he'd gotten that 911 referral as a matter of course. He's given up calling hotlines when in a bad depression place because, he says, they just feel scripted, and if the conversation gets too involved, they'll tell you to call 911.

erika, no they didn't shoot him. Eventually the cops went away. Which is good because he's in TX and I wouldn't be surprised if cops there were less trained to deal with those situations.

To be fair to the cops--they never know what they're going to be facing. They're getting information from the 911 dispatcher. Not all local police forces have the same kind of training or knowledge in dealing with mental health issues.

I've worked with some local NAMI chapters in helping get training for officers so that they don't unintentionally escalate a mental health issue in cases like this. It's not easy and not all departments are receptive.

I agree that it's not easy. And that's why I was trying to convince this guy to de-escalate the situation because cops come at situations never knowing when someone is going to shoot at them. But I'm mad that so many agencies jump right to committing someone. There are people at different stages of depression where they're not a true danger to themselves and are no danger to others and they're not going to call a hotline for help if calling one gets them in a situation with the cops outside of their house grabbing them to take them away. What happened today placed additional strain on this guy and his gf. It made things worse, not better.

Spidra, I'd suggest that the guy look for a local NAMI chapter's consumer support group--see if there is a more user-friendly way for him to get some support that doesn't include commitment or frustrating hotline calls.

Thanks, Cashmere. I've linked to that resource.

It sounds like (for better and/or for worse) there's a combination of things going on that add up to the police response.

I do understand that therapists and such are required by law to report any credible threats of suicide.

"Credible" is a very flexible word. Your idea of what's credible, and my idea, and the idea of a person at the end of a 911 line, are probably three different things. Add in

If they don't, and the individual follows through, the liability is staggering.

In a litigious society, the therapist now has a lot of incentive to refer someone to 911 and little incentive not to.

I don't know the answer. Cashmere's NAMI suggestion is probably as good as any because it gets the guy a chance at help without judgment. Or if you trust your friends and family enough to say, "I've got a problem," you might be able to get a name.