Terry Gross

That's 988.

I want you to describe a dissociative episode that says something about when the police intervene in mental health crisis, how they don't always know how to deal with it.

So let's start at the beginning with the dissociative episode that caused you to call the Suicide Prevention and Crisis Hotline.

The police mishandling you, that's a problem of who we send to help, you know, to get you to a hospital.

I mean, like if you're having a heart attack, they don't send the police.

They send EMTs.

They send people who, you know, have equipment to help save you, who have some medical expertise, and they take you in an ambulance.

So it's a problem with the system.

So what I'm about to say isn't to demonize all police, but three officers came to your home to take you to the hospital.

And one of them, he not only handcuffed you, but he really hurt your wrist.

I mean, the handcuffs were too tight.

He struggled to put them on you while you were, you know, like put on the ground or pushed onto the floor to cuff you.

And you were complaining about how much it hurt and how bruised your hands were becoming.

and it didn't seem to matter.

I mean, that is not the right way to treat someone who voluntarily called a hotline for mental health help.

And that's why you use the word criminalized, because you were treated like a criminal, not like somebody who was asking for help to save their life.

Now, your parents, when they were younger, they were both police officers.

My guest is Rachel Eliza Griffiths.

Her new memoir is called The Flower Bearers.

If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or is in crisis, you can call or text for help at 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.