In July of last year, Ms. Lin, a Chinese American from Southern California, walked into her psychologist’s office with the intention of obtaining a prescription for sleep medication. Instead, she found herself unexpectedly transported by ambulance to a psychiatric hospital, waking up to a reality that has left her grappling with fear and anger.

Reflecting on her experiences, Ms. Lin explained that her complicated relationship with her parents was what initially led her to seek therapy. “I wanted to figure out whether the issues were stemming from me or my parents,” she shared. After her family doctor referred her to a psychiatric clinic in Arcadia, she felt comfortable enough to open up to Wendy, the social worker assigned to her case, discussing her childhood and other personal matters over several sessions.

However, her life took a dramatic turn on July 7 during one of her appointments. Ms. Lin, who had been struggling with a disrupted sleep schedule due to late-night online gaming sessions with friends in China, voiced her request for sleep medication. “I knew I needed to regain control over my schedule,” she recalled. When Wendy informed her that a psychiatrist had to prescribe the medication and that it could take months, Ms. Lin sought quicker alternatives. Wendy suggested that she go to the emergency room, assuring her that she could receive medication within 24 to 72 hours.

Though Ms. Lin intended to drive herself, Wendy insisted on calling an ambulance. As the paramedics arrived, Ms. Lin attempted to retrieve some clothing from her car but was stopped, which heightened her apprehension. When asked if Ms. Lin was there voluntarily, Wendy hesitated, though she assured Ms. Lin that her stay would be limited to a maximum of 72 hours.

Upon arriving at the emergency room in downtown Los Angeles, Ms. Lin was overwhelmed by the chaos around her. Surrounded by medical staff, she felt panicked and struggled to communicate her situation. Despite her efforts to use a translation app to explain that she only sought medication, the doctor dismissed her concerns, insisting on following through with the referral without explanation. Attempts to contact friends were thwarted by a doctor who denied her use of her phone. Her anxiety mounted as she stumbled over her English, and ultimately, an interpreter fluent in a language she did not understand was brought in to assist her. After being sedated, she lost access to her phone.

When Ms. Lin finally awoke in a psychiatric facility in Rosemead, she found herself among individuals in distressing conditions. “These people are genuinely mentally ill,” she noted as she observed their behavior. For the first two days, she was heavily sedated and disoriented. By the third day, she refused medication and asked to leave, but found herself facing nurses who insisted that she would not be released unless she complied with the treatment plan. Struggling to remain composed, she fought to prove her sanity. It wasn’t until she briefly checked her phone that she saw more than 300 messages from worried friends trying to understand her sudden disappearance. She was finally discharged on July 17.

On the day of her release, Ms. Lin returned to the Arcadia hospital seeking answers, but with Wendy unavailable, she confronted Wendy’s supervisor instead, expressing her intent to take legal action.

What began as a request for sleep medication spiraled into a traumatic ordeal that shattered Ms. Lin’s sense of safety. “Now, just hearing the words ‘ambulance’ or ’emergency room’ sends me into a panic,” she confessed. Before this incident, she was a student, but the consequences of her hospitalization forced her to withdraw from school. The past year has largely been consumed by her lawsuit, leaving little time for employment.

As she delved deeper into her case, Ms. Lin obtained her medical records from the Arcadia hospital, which shocked her. Notably, the records indicated that she had attempted suicide at age 16—a claim she refuted, insisting she had merely taken extra cold medicine to garner her parents’ attention. The records inaccurately stated she now harbored suicidal thoughts and portrayed her as lacking autonomy, assertions she strongly disputes. “I never thought about suicide,” she stated firmly, recalling that she had even planned volunteer activities shortly after her hospitalization. Additionally, the documentation falsely accused her parents of abuse, when she characterized them as simply being distant. “They fabricated so much of this information, and that frustrates me the most,” she added.

Currently, Ms. Lin has filed a lawsuit against the hospital and is actively seeking legal representation to navigate the complexities of the legal system. She has also submitted complaints to various government agencies and elected officials. Beyond seeking financial compensation, she desires to have her psychiatric hospitalization record expunged to prevent it from undermining her personal and professional life.

Under California law, mental health professionals—including psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed social workers, and law enforcement—can conduct a 5150 assessment, which allows for the involuntary 72-hour hold of an individual for psychiatric evaluation if they are seen as a danger to themselves or others. Ms. Lin maintains that she never had any intentions of self-harm or harming others and questions how the hospital could have fabricated her medical history. By sharing her story, she hopes to shine a light on the flaws within the mental health care system.