Do y'all know what it's like to get psychiatric help in New Zealand? Let me do a thread for those of you who have not experienced this first- or second-hand.

One cannot not simply present at a psychiatric service when they are in distress. This support just doesn't exist for members of the public. You need to present at the hospital emergency department (voluntarily or under compulsion).

Then you need to share some details if you can (name, phone number, address etc.) and request to see someone from psychiatric services (or they will request them for you if they suspect you need it).

Sounds pretty straightforward, right? Well. Now you wait. And wait. And wait. Sometimes in the emergency department waiting room. Sometimes in the emergency department itself, surrounded by other patients in distress, pain; perhaps drunk. Perhaps bleeding. Often crying. You wait.

Sometimes this can last over 4 hours (speaking from experience). Random staff will check on you occasionally while you wait. They don't know who you're waiting for. Often they will ask to you share what's going on. But they can't do much. They're too busy dealing with other pts.

Finally someone arrives from psychiatric services. They apologise for the wait. They're having a busy day. They'll escort you to their facilities. You will be asked to wait again. This time in a bare room with covered windows. You'll be alone (unless you have someone with you).

Eventually a psychiatric nurse arrives (sometimes with a medical or social student in training; they ask permission first). They'll take a detailed record of your mental health history, any recent events or stressors, drug and alcohol use etc. They may offer you a cup of tea.

They explain that you now have to wait for the psychiatrist (who is very busy). They might give you a time-frame, but it's often much longer. It can take HOURS. And no-one waits with you (unless someone came in with you). In a bare room with covered windows.

Then the psychiatrist arrives! And you have to repeat everything that you told the psychiatric nurse earlier, except this time you're more tired, probably extremely hungry and dehydrated too. But it's okay, there's an end in sight right?

Well, not exactly. Often the psychiatrist needs to get a second professional opinion (especially if they are a registrar or junior doctor). So you need to wait for another psychiatrist! And they're really busy too, and probably not on site. So you wait again!

An hour or two passes. Are they coming soon? Yes, they'll be here soon they say. Another hour passes. You're exhausted. You may get a hospital meal at this stage. It tastes delicious because you're so hungry. Green jelly and ice-cream for dessert. Plastic cutlery of course.

The second psychiatrist arrives! They apologise, they've been at three different hospitals that day. Can you tell me what you told the other psychiatrist, I'd like to hear it from you rather than read your notes. So you repeat everything again.

I think you need to "go on the ward", they say (no shit). Cool, can I go now? No, we need to sort the paperwork. Oh. How long? Maybe an hour. Also the ward needs to prepare your room. Hopefully it won't take long they say.

More waiting. An hour perhaps. At this stage you don't really care. You could probably sleep right here on the floor if you tried. The paperwork is submitted! The ward is ready for you! Can we go now? Well, not quite. We are organising your transport. How long will that take?

Well, we're waiting for so-and-so to do such-and-such (it doesn't matter at this point). Hopefully within half an hour. Okay.

Perhaps you arrived in the morning and now it's night-time. Or vice versa. There's no clock in the room but the amount of light outside has changed. The car is ready! Time to go to the ward. Time to get some medication and rest! Right???

You're finally on the ward. A staff member greets you and asks you some questions. You repeat everything again (if you can). Sounds like you need some medication they say? Can I have it now? No. The doctor hasn't "charted your medications" yet. You have no idea what that means.

Just wait here, they say. At least this time there are windows you can look out of. Maybe a fish task. Colourful pictures on the walls. It's warm and bright, compared to your previous room. Can I go outside for a smoke? No. It's a smoke-free hospital they say.

So you wait. They check your belongings (if you have any) and remove anything sharp, any lighters, etc. If they can't do this on the spot they'll just take them away to 'check' them. You ask if your medications are ready. Sorry, the doctor hasn't something-something-something yet

And this is how it goes. You wait. You become distressed. You wait longer. You become more distressed. This is how our mental health system 'works'. It is short-staffed and over-stretched. It is so easy to fall through the 'cracks' because they are gaping sinkholes.

I want more people to know what getting "pRoFfeSiOnAL HeLp" actually looks like. Because it is not straightforward. It is not efficient. And it is *not* easy.

Had to finish this thread because my family member just called me from the ward very upset. They said "it's like a fucking puzzle that I can't figure out". A puzzle with missing pieces that you have to complete in the dark.