So my mother had a psychotic break...

[SayCoolNowSayWhip]

Hi, I'm really just looking for advice on how to deal with my current situation.
Background - my mother has been admitted to a psychiatric ward. She is suffering under an intense delusion, very hyper religious and with manic and psychotic episodes. We still have yet to have any kind of diagnosis, or indeed any proper treatment due to it being the bank holiday.
She was taken to A and E originally and kept under a section 5(2) in the obs ward while they found her a bed. It took over 24 hours to get her moved to a secure place.
She doesn't know what's going on, and doesn't think there's anything wrong with what she's doing or saying.
I just want her to get the best care and treatment. She's been on this hospital for three days now and hasn't had any proper treatment other than observation and a couple of emergency sedative injections when she tried to assault staff and switch off another patient's life support machine.
Has anyone got an experience of the mental health system and what I can best do to get her treated?

[sadie9]

What age is your mother? Has she suffered psychotic episodes like this before?

[SayCoolNowSayWhip]

She's 68. She's always had kind of cyclical manic episodes but nothing to this extreme.

[Dontyouopenthattrapdoor]

That must be so hard for you. I'm really sorry. It seems to my inexpert mind though that until they've observed her in her current state for a period of time that they won't know how to treat her? Hopefully they are building the picture so they can then make the right decisions going forward. You're right to keep on top of it though. It shouldn't be who shouts loudest but sadly it often seems to be...

[dangermouseisace]

Poor you OP. And poor your mum. Am I right in thinking she's on a section 2 and therefore on a psychiatric ward now?

If she's on a section 2 they need to observe her for a while…can offer medication which she can refuse as within her rights. Then if the dr's agree that she needs to be have treatment they'll put her on a section 3. This requires meetings, social workers, drs etc and takes time to arrange. They need to have gathered evidence, through observation on section 2 that a person actually needs treating for a mental illness- it's an important safeguard really. If she refuses medication etc under section 2 then they will probably move her onto section 3, then she will have no choice whether she has medication/treatment or not. With your mum being the age she is has she been checked for a urinary tract infection? As when we get older they have a tendency to send people loopy even if they don't have an underlying mental disorder.

I've been in hospital a couple of times, most recently over winter. I was amazed at what a state people could come in like, extremely confused, not making sense at all and then a few weeks later they would just be pretty normal and remember nothing of their escapades whilst their minds where elsewhere. But I remember it took ages to get one man onto a section 3…and he was creating merry hell in the meantime…

I hope things get better for your mum soon.

[buntymo]

Perhaps she will be waiting for an AMPHs assessment? Is this the first episode? Is she now on an older adults ward? Is there any other significant health needs? Is she orientated to where she is? Sorry on app can't check your post, are you the next of kin/point of contact