In 2016, find the help you may need

If you have no idea what a protective custody hold (also known as PC hold) is, you’re not alone. I didn’t know until I experienced it.

2015 was a year of mental and emotional growth for me. I want to share some of the experiences with those who don’t know or understand it. Most people probably know someone who has or had mental issues to some degree. Some people may know someone who required police intervention. Just because police get involved does not make a person a criminal. Police and other law enforcement officers tend to become involved if a person poses possible harm to themselves or others.

If there is reason to believe a person is potentially harmful to themselves or others, an officer may put them in protective custody or a “police hold.” In my experience at the time, I was taken to the emergency room and security was required to stay outside the door until a designated examiner arrived for evaluation and to decide whether or not to take me off the hold.

A Crisis Center in Coeur d’Alene recently opened for people in mental or emotional crises, which apparently will help law enforcement deal with these situations. The Center is open 24/7 and those who need help now have a place to go at any time. Hopefully, this will not only help the city of Coeur d’Alene, law enforcement and hospital staff. Hopefully, it will change how those who need help can now get it before a crisis reaches a fatal point.

Mental health has been in the news quite a bit over the years. It’s blamed for mass shootings, erratic behavior in people, parents harming their own kids, among so many other things. And, yes, mental stability has a lot to do with how a person behaves, thinks, feels and reacts to daily life.

Yet many people still don’t understand mental health issues and that’s understandable. It’s not always black and white. It can even be confusing even to those who work in the mental health field. How a person thinks is such a broad issue and ways to help a person through stress and a moment of crisis can be a tricky thing.

My advice to those who are either dealing with a mental health crisis or even just mental health issues, is this:

n Educate yourself. The more you understand what may be going on, the better you can help yourself. Ask for advice from those who are already educated and find out different options that may work for you.

n Speak up. If something is getting stressful, if harmful temptations arise, if you find yourself falling, find a trusted friend, call a hotline or use online help — just to talk. Talking may be the last thing you want to do; believe me, I can understand that, but there are other ways to reach out. Write a letter, chat to a help line, or if you are at a breaking point, do what I ended up doing and text a police or rescue station that has the technology (thank you Post Falls Police for having this).

n Be honest with yourself. Don’t deny your feelings — they will just grow. Admit to yourself you feel anxious, depressed, stressed, etc. Feelings last for only so long. Remind yourself that the bad, harmful thoughts and feelings that are running through your mind at the moment, will pass. Happiness, hope and a clear mind are possible.

n Do not feel that you are different or less than others. You are not much different than others. Everyone goes through the same feelings. It’s HOW you go through them that may be different. Some people can only take so much stress before they crack. Don’t let that make you feel weaker. Fighting for your own happiness will make you stronger. It may sound selfish, but sometimes, you need to take care of yourself first.

If you are put in a police hold, do not let that make you feel like you have lost. Use the experience to help you grow and become stronger. Being put on a hold does not make you weak; it shows you have reached out in some way and want to make changes. Find the people around you who actually help you, and accept their help.

I will remember 2015 as the year that started full of severe anxiety, stress, uncertainty and hopelessness but it ended on much better terms. January to April 2015 involved a number of visits by the Coeur d’Alene Police, four PC holds, a number of trips to my primary doctor and a counselor — because of a self-injury habit that I had been doing for over 20 years (but it finally hit a new low).

Everything took a positive turn around in May 2015. I felt hope and life actually starting for me and my daughter. Thanks to the state of Idaho and after a three-year wait, we finally had our chance to move to a place of our own and really start our lives together. I have not had the thoughts or temptations to harm myself for quite some time and it used to be a daily struggle. I am happier and handle stress better. I get along with certain people better.

To those struggling at this very moment, please remember, there is hope, there is life, there are people who will help. Find what will help you and use it to help you get through whatever it is you are going through. I’m not a trained counselor, but I’m willing to give a listening ear if you would like. If there are parents out there concerned about your kids falling into self-injury habits, I’m willing to talk with you also.

My hope for all who struggle, for whatever reason, is that 2016 will bring you new hope and a more positive outlook on what can be. I can’t tell you what positive things are best for you, but I can say that everyone is here for a reason and finding that reason can take a lifetime, so don’t give up; keep moving forward and enjoy what you have and who you have right now.

I want to thank the Coeur d’Alene Police, the Post Falls Police and the Coeur d’Alene Fire & Rescue stations for all the time and assistance they have given. You all show dedication and a caring attitude to those living in the community.

I want to say a personal thank you to the following: Officer Don Craft, Officer Cody Cohen, Officer Tyler Haug, Officer Jon Cantrell, Officer Dan O’Dell, Officer Mario Rios, Officer Spencer Mortensen, Officer Pete Tufford, Officer Jason Wiedebush, Sgt. Brady Reed, Officer John Kelly, Officer Rylee Phillips, Office Jake Nielsen, Laurie Sutton and Joanie Huska — your words, time and patience made a difference. Thank you!

Feel free to contact Christina at: cjmcrae@gmail.com