I don't think torture is a remotely accurate description of psychiatric care. How do you think they treat people with suicidal ideation? Tie them down with chains, stuff a sock in their mouth, beat them with whips, and inject them with deliriants? Seriously dude... You get a room that looks like a normal hospital room. You have the choice to take antidepressants or not. You do group and individual therapy for a couple days. If you're actually being held on a 72 hour hold, your time will be up and you will be free to go. Otherwise you may realize that being in the hospital is beneficial and you choose to stay.
I respond to these comments because I don't want people to hesitate to call for help if someone they know reaches out in need because of what a bunch of software engineers on HN who've never seen the inside of a hospital have to say about psychiatric care.
I'm mostly referring to what comments like this[1] one sound like. They may be lies or they may be isolated cases in specific states or counties, but it's not at all the first time I've read such accounts. Grain of salt since it's the internet of course.
I respond to these comments because I don't want people to hesitate to call for help if someone they know reaches out in need because of what a bunch of software engineers on HN who've never seen the inside of a hospital have to say about psychiatric care.