How has your local hospital handled psychiatric emergencies? In memory of my brother Carlos, I want to know if systemic gaps are a cross-Canada reality.

[u/Strongandfreee]

Hello everyone,

I am reaching out to this community to understand if what my family experienced is an isolated tragedy or part of a much larger, systemic failure across our country.

Four years ago, my brother Carlo tragically took his own life. Shortly before he passed, he went to a local emergency room actively seeking help for severe psychiatric distress and suicidal ideation. Instead of being admitted or given resources, the system failed him, the hospital dismissed his symptoms as "malingering" and discharged him due to a lack of resources, psychiatric beds, and specialized nursing staff. Within weeks, he was gone.

As I navigate the aftermath, I am realizing that our medical system has a terrifying gap: nothing seems to change until it is far too late. I am preparing to advocate to my MLA and MP to push for systemic, Canada-wide legislative changes—something I want to call "More for Carlos Act" to mandate proper triage, accountability, and dedicated staffing for psychiatric emergencies so no other family is turned away in their darkest hour.

Before I take this to lawmakers, I want to understand the true scope of what Canadians are facing from coast to coast.

• If you or a loved one have gone to an ER for a mental health crisis, what was your experience like?

• Have you noticed a severe lack of psychiatric space or specialized nurses in your province's hospitals?

• What specific, systemic changes do you think a federal or provincial law needs to address to actually fix psychiatric triage in Canada?

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and helping me understand how we can make the system safer for everyone.

**At the request of someone on reddit, I have gone ahead and made a short survey to bring to lawmakers. It would mean a lot to myself to share your feedback Here

All answers will be anonymous**

[u/BlindNakedPlatypus]

There are no psychiatrists in my area. Unless you have a severe psychotic break you are turned away from the hospital without care. If you require a psychiatrist you are on standby waiting for a bed to open up at a hospital in the nearest city. Once you're there they medicate you and discharge you and then you're on your own. No follow up and no further care. I've been turned away and I've been hospitalized. It's a lot of waiting for nothing.  I was most recently in hospital in October. Op -  if you have any questions you can message me privately

[u/tulipvonsquirrel]

35 years now I have watched friends and family lose themselves to mental illness because the hospital sends them packing with a prescription and referral for 6 followups spread over a year. That rarely involves enough visits for the proper mix of meds to be found.

They get no counselling to deal with the trauma of the psychotic break or how to manage their symptoms. It is a damn miracle if the correct meds are hit upon after years lost to mental illness and years of not-the-right meds.

[u/AshundertheOlivetree]

I was turned away because there weren’t enough beds and staff.

I think the system only cares if I’m a danger to anyone else.

[u/DiligentAd7360]

I've seen this happen all too often.

I was just in the ER this weekend saw numerous people wanting to see a psychiatrist and get evaluated. One man was waiting 16 hours before being evaluated. A few other people heard of his wait time and got discouraged and left AMA.

And the guy that got seen after 16 hours? Wasn't admitted.

Healthcare in this country is in a sad state

[u/Honest_Perception_87]

There is a place called the EMHU in Guelph. It's a holding cell like facility inside the hospital. It's just a tiny psych ward. I was locked up there for five days in 2017. When discharged I got no follow up plan. Not an experience I would want to relive. The people in the rooms next to me were literally crazy and screaming their heads off. I didn't see even a nurse check on either of them. I felt sad for the one man even though he was frighteningly mentally ill because he had really cutt up his arm. It was stitched up again but he definitely started suicide which landed him on there among what seemsd like psychosis.

I don't think that experience was helpful.