General Discussion

JDPriestly

(57,936 posts)

78. You could see a lawyer about getting the person committed to an institution.

Thu Dec 20, 2012, 03:32 AM

Dec 2012

That is one possibility.

You may or may not have enough grounds to take some sort of legal action to get some help for the person.

We don't want to have people placed in psychiatric care just because they are inconvenient, but there are times when it is best to make sure a person gets help. Maybe a pastor could assist you. Maybe you could find a social worker. Depends on the community. Don't be too passive. Do something and do it in a way that shows respect for the adult in the person you are trying to help. That is my advice.

Mental hospitals used to be dismal places. I don't know what they are like now. But I understand that a lot of them have been closed. In some cases, that is a very sad thing. In others, it is good.

I have a dear friend who has had terrible psychiatric problems. I see her a couple of times a week. Only recently have she and her doctor found the "right" medication, one that gives her a lot of good days. Even though she still has tough days, I am just so happy for her. I always give her a hug and let her know that I am happy that she is more present and with us now than she was before. It is a simple thing, but she knows I really mean it, and that makes her feel happy too.

It is important, in my uninformed opinion, to let a person with psychiatric problems know that you see their humanity through the self-centeredness and fear that psychiatric problems may inflict on them. That's my opinion for what it is worth. I hope you find the right answer for you.

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Even if the US had adequate mental health coverage, how does one force a mentally ill person [View all] graywarrior Dec 2012 OP

call it in as danger to self and others? n/t a geek named Bob Dec 2012 #1

Most of the time this person is stable. graywarrior Dec 2012 #2

up to you... n/t a geek named Bob Dec 2012 #4

There really isn't much that can be done Sekhmets Daughter Dec 2012 #19

You can't unless you can prove they are dangerous. Not easy to do. Happyhippychick Dec 2012 #3

Which begs the question how to handle mental illness and guns. graywarrior Dec 2012 #6

I agree. No real solution unless we want to strip the mentally ill of their civil rights. Happyhippychick Dec 2012 #15

I know. Check out this story. graywarrior Dec 2012 #16

In my country we have draft tama Dec 2012 #36

That's the problem vankuria Dec 2012 #5

It's frustrating because if he got treatment, his life would not be so complicated. graywarrior Dec 2012 #9

It's his life tama Dec 2012 #37

You're approx the 20th person to say that. lol graywarrior Dec 2012 #39

That's what they always say tama Dec 2012 #46

All is suffering is not negative when you really think about it graywarrior Dec 2012 #61

and then they only get southern_belle Dec 2012 #54

It depends on the state, but generally it comes down to demonstrating a danger to self or others, Brickbat Dec 2012 #7

Court ordered commitment nadinbrzezinski Dec 2012 #8

i have a brother worse of than yours. it's very hard. unblock Dec 2012 #10

Arrrgghh, that would kill me! graywarrior Dec 2012 #11

that a big problem for mental illness in general, and bipolar in particular unblock Dec 2012 #75

I can tell you from personal experience, generally you can't force anyone into treatment. slackmaster Dec 2012 #12

Damn it slackmaster, given your experience it seems like a lose-lose situation in many cases. Other jody Dec 2012 #17

Despite heroic efforts by the police and medical professionals and myself, the only person... slackmaster Dec 2012 #18

And that's all you can ever demand of yourself. Sekhmets Daughter Dec 2012 #21

So sorry for you. I have several friends from Vietnam, one an Aussie Squadron Leader, commit suicide jody Dec 2012 #25

That's frightening. graywarrior Dec 2012 #20

Yes it is. I'm in a cold sweat right now from thinking about it. I was in therapy for 4 months. slackmaster Dec 2012 #26

The solution to the gun/mental health issue won't be easy. graywarrior Dec 2012 #31

"hate me and bully me"! I'm an old man and held many responsible positions in govt., education, and jody Dec 2012 #40

!!!! graywarrior Dec 2012 #62

Adam Lanza had EASY access to guns. That's the difference. riderinthestorm Dec 2012 #57

Thank you for your kind words slackmaster Dec 2012 #77

Oh gosh! Odin2005 Dec 2012 #48

What about using Baker acted...n/t monmouth3 Dec 2012 #13

Is legal system the only way? nt jody Dec 2012 #14

They lie...and the person goes in for 72 hours and emerges pissed off SoCalDem Dec 2012 #22

I know, even when he sees his primary care doctor, he's pissed for a few days after. graywarrior Dec 2012 #24

Yes, my friend who I had "5150'd" absolutely hated my guts when she got out slackmaster Dec 2012 #27

The laws and mechanisms vary from state to state, but, in general cbayer Dec 2012 #23

They only have to be stable enough to tell the police "I'm fine" and maintain for a few minutes slackmaster Dec 2012 #28

Not true everywhere. In many places, EMT's or police can bring someone into cbayer Dec 2012 #30

Thanks for that. My actions in the case outlined here were taylored to San Diego, and the victim. slackmaster Dec 2012 #42

Florida had a thing where physicians were 5250ing elderly with no family to fund their clinics. TheBlackAdder Dec 2012 #60

Saddly these issues cross two of our most sacred cows Sen. Walter Sobchak Dec 2012 #29

The original American Horror Story graywarrior Dec 2012 #33

Someone needs to make an editorial cartoon Sen. Walter Sobchak Dec 2012 #50

You nailed that one! graywarrior Dec 2012 #51

If you can't get them Baker acted, at least talk to police and get a paper trail started. HooptieWagon Dec 2012 #32

You don't force people tama Dec 2012 #34

Very interesting comment. graywarrior Dec 2012 #47

If you ask good psychiatrists tama Dec 2012 #53

Absolutely! graywarrior Dec 2012 #55

<3 tama Dec 2012 #63

You rock! graywarrior Dec 2012 #66

Bipolar person chiming in here. Just wanted to point out that GreenPartyVoter Dec 2012 #70

What a great post, GreenPartyVoter! graywarrior Dec 2012 #71

Thanks. :^) I just thought it might help to hear from someone who has the DX. GreenPartyVoter Dec 2012 #72

For sure! graywarrior Dec 2012 #74

Even treatment is not the only solution to the mentally ill. randome Dec 2012 #35

And when the village tama Dec 2012 #38

Tama, you've pegged it. Almost makes me hope the Mayan 12/21/12 prediction is correct. nt jody Dec 2012 #41

By the look of the world, it is tama Dec 2012 #43

Indeed! graywarrior Dec 2012 #64

It's very hard to get somebody commited nowadays because it was horribly abused... Odin2005 Dec 2012 #44

Yes and if a person is a paranoid schizophrenic (like someone else I know) they graywarrior Dec 2012 #49

I am in favor of compulsory annual mental health exams for school kids... Comrade_McKenzie Dec 2012 #45

Bottom line: You can't. Been there, done that, with a family member. MotherPetrie Dec 2012 #52

"Force" is the key word. Fire Walk With Me Dec 2012 #56

I think the point is that we don't know who is a threat to themselves or others... randome Dec 2012 #58

Eliminate the stigma by acceptance tama Dec 2012 #67

That really doesn't help. randome Dec 2012 #73

You can't. So the solution is to make mass slaughter virtually impossible for them riderinthestorm Dec 2012 #59

It's a complicated issue. easttexaslefty Dec 2012 #65

I used to do art therapy in a MA asylum. graywarrior Dec 2012 #68

You can call it in but if they passed a MSE and arthritisR_US Dec 2012 #69

I heard 85% of us need help tblue Dec 2012 #76

You could see a lawyer about getting the person committed to an institution. JDPriestly Dec 2012 #78