DSS has been sectioned

[marne2]

DSS (22) has been fighting with mental health issues for a couple years, has been in and out of units, on various medication and has had little support from mental health team ( when not in a unit ), 4 months ago he walked of of the unit he was in and decided to go it alone, this has failed badly , he got mixed up with people who only wanted to use him! got involved in drugs which has made his mental health ten times worse! a few days ago he was beaten up by 'so called friends' which seems to have caused another break down. Luckily one of his neighbours alerted his mum as they were worried about him, he was found hiding in a cupboard, since then he has attempted to take his life which has ended with him being sectioned.

A bed was not available for him in our county so he has been taken 100's of miles away until they can find him a bed nearer home, this means no one can visit him. We have no idea what is going on, how long will he be kept sectioned? We are worried he will be released too soon and will return back to the life he had before he was sectioned.

I wish we could afford private care for him because so far mental health services have been pretty useless. It's been such a stressful and emotional few years trying to get him help, trying to get a diagnosis and trying to get the mental health team to see he can not live independently ,we don't know where to go from here, we have a strong feeling that this will end badly with DSS taking his life.

[wannabestressfree]

If you find my thread on here my son went through the same thing aged 14. We live by the seaside in Kent and he was first sectioned in London and after escaping [it was a medium secure unit] he was moved to Birmingham. I made that journey for TWO YEARS on and off and looked after two children whilst working full-time. Looking back on it now I don't know how I did it.

The good news is that he has largely had 18 months out of the unit incident free. He is at school and working. For me it is a miracle as I felt he would never come out or indeed commit suicide.

Am here if you need a chat.

[marne2]

Thank you wannabe, I'm glad your son is doing well, I shall look for your thread.

We are down south ( as south as you can go ) and the closest bed available was in Yorkshire , they said they will move him as soon as a bed becomes available but I have no idea how long that will be.

He has never been given a official diagnosis, he has always had ASD and ADHD traits ( both my girls are on the spectrum ) but now he shows signs of psychosis the only diagnosis that has been mentioned is schizophrenia ( there's also a family history of this ).

Dh is a mess as is his ex wife, I feel like I'm trying to hold everything together. I don't know what dh should do, he is having surgery on Monday so can not travel for a while, I have 2 dd's with their own issues to deal with. We are worried sick. DSS says he will escape from the unit on Sunday as it's his mums birthday and he wants to come home to be with her.

[wannabestressfree]

He might say that put I think its unusual that they can. It was a MAJOR thing that my son managed to escape - it was even discussed in the commons!

My son also has ASD and co-morbid ADHD and that didn't help matters. He was diagnosed with psychosis and now has a diagnosis of bi-polar even though he is under 18.

I would just keep pushing for a bed. Even do you own research [thats what I did]. And engage a solicitor.

[gamerchick]

Have you rang PALS I found them more use than mental health services. Also get in touch with the carers association.. They have access and help to places you haven't thought of yet.

You have my utter sympathies, if you haven't already been to the gp.. beta blockers are awesome things to help you cope in the mean time.

[marne2]

Thank you, I will look into all the above , dh is also suffering with depression but so far has managed without anti depressants! I'm afraid this might tip him over the edge . I guess it's easier for me too stay calm as he is not my son ( although I have been in his life for a long time ), I can't imagine how dh and his ex must be feeling.

[wannabestressfree]

How was the weekend Marne?