Hi everyone, I'm a student at UNC. Last week, I was hospitalized due to mental health crisis, and even though I insisted to leave since I know that I couldn't afford the medical bill of emergency room and overnight stay, the hospital forced me to stay. I was told to go in for a “quick check up”, and ended up in a psychiatric emergency department without any announcement, information, and explanation. When I asked or literally begged the nurse to talk to the doctor to ask him about what he thought was wrong with me and what would happen to me, the nurse threatened me that if I asked to see the doctor one more time, she would tell the doctor to make me stay in the hospital 3 days. I was given a hospital gown that barely fit me - every time I stood up the pants simply dropped - and on top of that, I was in my menstrual cycle. I asked the nurse for a different gown, but none was given to me. I waited endlessly throughout the night with no idea when I would be evaluated by the psychiatry department. When I asked the nurses about when I could see the doctor since I was left staying in bed alone with no one came checking up on me for hours, not only that no answers were provided but I was asked to take sleep medicine to sleep so I would stop asking them questions. All of my belongings were taken away, including my phone, and I had zero contact with my family and friends. After 12 hours of waiting, the psychiatrist took 5 minutes to talk to me and called that was all. There was absolutely no emotional care given they put me in a psychiatric emergency room. I had a traumatizing experience at the psychiatric ED and the “care” that I received was not any close to helpful but only add more stress to my life with insanely unaffordable medical bills. I'm working part-time right now to gradually afford the medical bills but my bi-weekly paycheck can't afford meals, housing, and medical bill at the same time. I would very much appreciate if anyone could help me. Even $1 would help me a lot. Thank you so much.