I’m sorry this happened to you. It would be helpful if you explained up front what sectioning is as it’s called different things in different places.

In California, it’s called being 5150ed. It’s a 72 hour hold for assessment. After that, if there is still a concern, a 14-day hold called a 5250 is the next step. If a judge and doctor agree, a person could be involuntarily committed to a mental Heath facility indefinitely or placed under a conservator ship.

The thing some people don’t realize is that being locked up with people who have severe mental illness can be a traumatic experience even if you are released in a few days. It should never be done to teach an unruly teen a lesson, for instance.

One person I know was roomed with someone who masturbated constantly. It was pretty awful. Some people are there because they might harm themselves while others because they are a danger to others. While that’s being assessed, everyone in the facility is at risk. This process should only be initiated as a last resort.