pregnant relative trying to commit suicide - what do I do?

[urgenthelpneeded]

Please help, my bi-polar SIL is 24 weeks pg, and already tried to commit suicide earlier in the pregnancy, by overdosing, but convinced the doctors at that stage that she did it accidentally.

Few days ago she tried to hang herself, and yesterday pretended to overdose again, but using vitamins. (of course the o/d of vitamins was harmful to the baby, how much damage we don't know obviously)

WHAT DO WE DO?

She has a 3 year old boy and social services have been called, and they have told my brother that they will not talk to him but only to my SIL. But due to my SIL bi-polar disorder she is good at making up stories. My brother is concerned that they may try to take the three year old, if she makes up stories.

WHAT CAN I DO?

[DarrellRivers]

Can you contact the Crisis team?
Or her Community mental health team or key worker in the CMHT to tell someone your concerns?

[MarthaFarquhar]

take her to A&E, any time. there is always a psychiatrist available there.

[tiggerlovestobounce]

Is she safe? It isnt clear to me from the OP if she is getting care? If not you need to take her to A+E

[urgenthelpneeded]

She will not go to doc or a&e,
Doctor receptionist refused to let my brother see gp yesterday

Sorry for my ignorance but what is the Crisis team?

[ladylush]

She needs a domicilliary visit from the CMHT (who will need to be briefed in advance preferably by the G.P of her suicidal intent). Depending on their assessment, they can arrange for a Mental Health Act assessment which will involve an Approved Social Worker and 2 doctors making a decision whether she needs to be detained in hospital under the MHA.

Also a lot of mental health services now have a Perinatal Team who specialise in looking after ladies pre and post birth.

[urgenthelpneeded]

Thank you ladylush, how do we get in touch with CMHT? as I said GP receptionist refused to let my brother talk to GP.

[MarthaFarquhar]

Some CMHTs take self-referrals. However, they would normally expect GP to provide supporting evidence.

You can usually find out how to contact the CMHT from the Mental Health Trust website. Which part of the country are you in?

[tiredemma]

Is she not already under MH services?

[MarthaFarquhar]

I forgot to add, should she attempt to harm herself you can call 999 for an ambulance to take her to A&E even if she is not physically hurt. A severe episode of mental illness if reasonable grounds for calling an amublance out.

[urgenthelpneeded]

Unfortunately although obviously she has been assessed by mental health, who gave the diagnosis of bi-polar disorder, she refuses point blank to take any medications, and from what I understand she would need to self-refer, which she is not going to do.

Her family have disowned her, and my brother is powerless to get anyone to listen it seems.

[urgenthelpneeded]

I assume that the CMHT team she would have been linked with would have been from when she got her initial diagnosis years ago when she was still living at home. But she has no current contact (that we know of) with any CMHT as she refuses to take any medication of any kind. (Ironic that she is using overdose for two of her "suicide" attempts)

[littleducks]

I think that your brother should force the gp issue, and follow it up with a complaint to the practice manager, as far as i understand due to patient confidentiality the gp may not have been able to say much to your bro but should certainly be able to listen

[tiredemma]

when was she assessed by the MH team and who prescribes her medication?

[FabulousBakerGirl]

I would either take her to A&E or make someone listen to you.

It isn't just her, there is the baby to consider and the whole family needs help.

[urgenthelpneeded]

Thank you for all your advice here. I think that it would be impossible to get her to go volunarily to A&E, and would not be possible to force her.

She was originally assessed by MH team long before my brother met her, and she refuses to take medication so is not really under any MH team currently.

I am very worried for the baby she is carrying too

My brother is worried about his wife, and child and unborn child, he does not know what else he can do, he tried talking to gp, and called social services as he was so concerned, but now it appears that social services are only interested in their other child and not at all with the mother and unborn baby. His wife and unborn baby are much more at risk than their other child. But social services also refuse to talk to my brother, they are only going to talk to his wife - WHY?

[tiggerlovestobounce]

If it appears that there is imminent risk the police could be called, and they would then be able to take her for an emergency psychiatric assessment, if they felt it was appropriate.

[ladylush]

Urgent - if your sil is being watched by your brother through the night and he feels he can manage the risk in the short term then he could contact the GP first thing tomorrow (insist on speaking to the G.P) and request an urgent home visit with a view to getting a CMHT out on the same day. A G.P can also do a medical recommendation for a Section 2 (for admission to hospital under the MHA)which means she would then only need to be seen by 1 other doctor and a social worker in order for the section to take effect. I am very concerned that noone seems to be listening to your brother. What part of the U.K does he live in? Most london trusts have a service called PALS which is an information line for patients but they also get in touch with MH services when someone is in crisis. I would advise your brother to find out who the local CMHT is and to phone them himself for advice/find out whether they will take a direct referral. Suicide risk should be taken VERY seriously. He can also contact MIND for info. Most areas have a local branch. Another poster is correct in advising that an ambulance can be called out to a home address if someone is actively suicidal. Then once at hospital your sil would be assessed by the Psychiatric Liaison Team and assessed for possible admission. From what you describe, it really does sound as if she needs to be admitted and treated. for your family.

[DarrellRivers]

Ladylush is speaking good sense.
Your SIL can be treated against her will if she is severely mentally unwell, but she needs to be assessed by the right people to do this, ie the duty social worker and psychiatrist
If your SIL is refusing to go anywhere, calling an ambulance won't work, you can call the police but it would have to be if she was in immediate danger to herself.
The Crisis team or duty social worker can be very helpful and your SIL's GP should be able to access these

[ladylush]

tiggers - depends on the police imo. IIRC they only have powers to remove to a place of safety under a Section 136 - which means the person must be in a public place. Some will stretch the truth and say an individual was on the doorstep, when in fact they were in the house. Others follow the law to the letter. The police can remove a person from a private dwelling under Section 135 but this involves a Social Worker applying for a warrant from the Court and takes time to organise.

[tiggerlovestobounce]

Im aware of occassions where the inside of a house has been said to be a public place, as the police would say if they were able to be there then it was public. From what you say though it obviously depends on the area.

[ladylush]

the inside of a house is never (according to the law) a public place. I do believe that in some instances the police act in good faith by lying stretching the truth.....other times, well....I'll say no more

[tiggerlovestobounce]

Thats interesting, I did not know that.

[bubblagirl]

this site may be of use

[bubblagirl]

try this link

[DarrellRivers]

I like that, stretching the truth.
I think a lot of talking through letter boxes and windows goes on, and often trying to tempt the person at risk out of their home into the street/a public area