WHEN Merinda Epstein suffered a manic episode last year, she was whisked away to a high-dependency unit.
“I was the only woman in there,” Ms Epstein (pictured) said. “And that was so dumb.”
She said the unit had seven other patients at the time and they were the ones with the greatest mental health needs. Most were furious that they were in there.
“It was like a washing machine of distress,” the Altona Meadows resident said.
It wasn’t long before Ms Epstein, 56, who suffers bipolar disorder, found her fears about being the only woman weren’t unfounded.
She said that one morning, a male patient came into her room as she was getting dressed and cornered her.
“He scared me. He pulled down his pants, with all his genitalia showing, he came over to me, pinned me against a wall,’’ she said.
Ms Epstein managed to get past the man and into a common area.
Two days later, the man returned to her room. This time, he came into her shower and began urinating in her direction.
“I can still smell him,” she said.
Ms Epstein has lodged a formal complaint with the hospital involved and the Department of Human Services.
