Is it possible?

[littlemissminime]

Can anyone tell me, is it possible to fool mental health? What I mean is, is someone is assessed is it possible to make it look like they don't have any issues? Someone I know had substance induced psychosis some years ago an was given the all clear a few years later, she's being put forward for a mental health assesment by childrens services as they feel something is a miss, is it possible for her to fool them, like act and answer the question put to her by telling lies?

[mrssmith79]

All depends - is it psychosis they're being reassessed for? Or something else? PD / depression / bipolar etc? In my experience its comparatively easy to fool a layman, or even an expert initially sometimes but it's bloody hard work, incredibly difficult to keep up the pretence and the truth always comes out at some point.

[PoshPenny]

my late aunt managed to fool the team that came out twice with a view to sectioning her, then eventually the dementia got too much and she couldn't hold it together to do it any more and got sectioned. so I would say yes.

[Reallystrugglinginside]

Very easy to fool them if you know how.

[littlemissminime]

Not actually sure what for. She alienates her kids against their dad and family, she lies to SW and school, defies the school even though the school are trying to help her son, her lies are always found out, behaviour is erratic but not extreme, they lies that come from her mouth are unreal.

[Appletini]

I think you need to contact them and explain your concerns.

[blubirdy]

I will answer this with a categorical "yes it is most definitely possible", from my experience at least.

two close family members. Both later diagnosed with personality disorders

the first one fooled her psych for 2 years, it was only when her husband intervened and ...long story short, but more or less gave the ultimatum,

"I come with you to your therapy for one or two sessions, I tell the therapist how things at home really are, you get help for your real issues, OR, you carry on the charade you have been playing with your psych for the last 2 years and I leave you and we divorce".

second family member was similar, but they only managed to keep up the charade with their psychotherapist for 6 months as their spouse got fed up of the suicide risks and ultra-risky behaviours and contacted the mh crisis team after another suicide threat. Turned out later that the 20 odd sessions they had had in the 6 months leading up to the crisis, my family member had just been saying more or less anything that they thought the therapist wanted to hear, or would get the therapist to say "well that's you much better now, as far as I am concerned our sessions can cease". They had told maybe 10% of what was really wrong with them, 10% of the problems they were actually experiencing. The psychotherapist wasn't the kind that even tried to scratch beneath surface, so it was very easy for them to lie and be believed.

In the first instance I blame my family member, they are good at lying and could easily pool the wool over the eyes of any professional.

In the second instance, although ultimately the blame has to be placed with my family member for being every economical with the truth, I actually blame their psychotherapist too, as I feel she was WAY too willing to believe her client and disregard their spouses version of events as being over-worried about nothing.

[littlemissminime]

I've been in touch with access & crisis back in dec, they agreed it was out of sorts and to speak with childrens services, back then they didn't want to know but now they are heavily involved and putting together a section 7 report for child access with her ex. School have also provided evidence to suggest something is amiss. Back when they had psychosis there was suicide attempts and one last year where a text was sent to her own child threatening so.
It might be worth me speaking to their social worker about my concerns. Would they then maybe pass these on to mental health?