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In reply to the discussion: Any suggestion on dealing with a bi polar sibling? [View all]Warpy
(111,255 posts)and talk her into getting a real evaluation as an inpatient, there's not much you can do. If what you suspect is bipolar disease and she's only being treated for depression (common, since that's the mood swing they never want to come back), the drugs she's on might be making it a bit worse.
Unfortunately, we have too narrow a definition of "harm to oneself or others" that basically forces us to wait until the person is brandishing a weapon at us before a cop can take them in for a 72 hour involuntary committment. It's too restricted and too short.
Bipolar disease is all through my extended family. The ones on drugs are doing fine while they stay on the drugs but they miss the highs and go off them periodically. The sadder ones are the ones who self medicate with alcohol, which actually works for a while but eventually leaves them as alcoholic bipolars.
Good luck to you both. It's hard enough to mourn a death without having to cope with crazy at the same time. I hope you can both beat the odds and get her some real help.