My husband is acting is strangely

I can appreciate and understand this feels completely alien, because on the whole, we don't discuss severe mental health episodes the same way we do heart attacks, bleeds, broken limbs. I have been in your shoes before, and repeating the excellent advice here, please call 111 now. This is not just about supporting your husband, it's about keeping him and others physically and emotionally safe, as episodes of psychosis can quickly change in seconds. I am not trying to be dramatic but hoping you can learn from me who dithered about whether to call for help and it had consequences. Please call 111

I'm sorry you and your DH are going through this. It sounds very much like he needs assessment and support. I would probably ring 111 tonight for advice if I were you. If you decide to wait until the morning, I don't mean to alarm you, but you should hide any car keys from him and any medication or other things he could do harm to himself or others with, tonight.

Getting help is nothing to be ashamed of, try to think of it the same as a physical illness.

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Your husband needs urgent medical help and I really don’t think you should be preventing this. IF it is something biological such as an infection he could well develop sepsis before morning. If it is the onset of a psychiatric episode he might self harm or harm you or someone else.
His behaviour is saying “ help me”. I’m sure you’d summon help for your child why not your husband?

Old a family member come over? It’s late, but I’m sure a relative or even a friend would come and help - just by being in the house whilst you go with H, if he is told to go to hospital.

What if it’s an infection and it’s moving to sepsis? I don’t want to sound all dramatic but I had a family member nearly die from this. They were admitted to hospital and put on IV antibiotics - at that point they were talking to dead relatives (they survived but it was touch and go).

I realise it’s stressful for you and you’re likely tired - but it could be a lot more stressful if it gets worse.

I hope you can get things sorted.

You have had excellent advice on here. Please do ring 111. The crisis MH team can often come to you. They will also screen for signs of infection and get an emergency ambulance if necessary.

Please call an ambulance now. It's cold and foggy and if he gets lost or in an accident it could get far worse. You have no idea what's causing it - you need professional help.

Please don't wait until the morning. It's vital that you get some help for him now. Call 111 and they can put you through to the local mental health crisis team. They will likely come out to you and make an assessment.

This is what ambulances are for. He's not drunk wandering around looking for a loo.
He is at serious risk of hurting himself, you, your DC, even a total stranger.
Call 999 and ask for help.
Would you say you'd wait til morning as the kid's asleep, if he was having a heart attack or symptoms of a stroke?
This place boggles me sometimes.

the threshold for someone to be sectioned is very very high. It’s if someone is at risk to themselves or others and cannot be managed in the community, if he’s saying he meets the criteria you need to consider if he understands that and if he is actually telling you that he is at risk.

just call 111, no need to go to a&e unless they tell you to. Get advice tonight, there’s every chance they will tell you to call his GP in the morning but I think for your own peace of mind you should get advice tonight

He could have encephalitis. He needs to be treated with antivirals/antiinflammatories/steroids.

Please do not risk him having further brain damage because it is inconvenient.

Sorry but yes, you can. If he was having a heart attack would you wait until morning? This could be serious. Please take it seriously. You would hope that if you were unwell, he would do the same for you!

Edit: The confusion etc could be the result of an infection. He could be dead by the morning. I'm sorry for being "dramatic", but you really really really need to listen to us here.

I don’t think you can wait. A family member was acting in a similar way and was diagnosed with psychosis and was sectioned for 30 days. He could be a danger to himself and others. It sounds like he is willing to get help. Can you call an ambulance or ask someone to watch your son? X

If you’re not reaching out for medical help tonight, I’d at least watch him all night. For everyone’s safety.

Call an ambulance. You know you need to intervene, don't look back at this episode and be left thinking, if only I had acted sooner.

he really doesn't sound like he's in a good place. especially if he's still able to recognise that voluntary sectioning might help him.
at the very least he needs to be able to talk to someone about his options. if he's talking about voluntary sectioning, he must be FEELING out of control and like he needs help.

when my husband was sectioned it was involuntary, under section 28. I can't imagine him asking for it. so he must be feeling pretty helpless.

that may or may not be the right action for him at this time but he definitely needs help and support right now, and is asking for it.

mental health teams can be seriously overloaded, especially at volatile times of the year like now, but reach out to any sources of help you can. GP, A&E, local mental health team (should be able to look them up) and be stubborn about setting something in action. even just knowing things are being acknowledged and people are trying to help him may help him feel more stable

In that case call an ambulance and let them take him.

Don’t muck about with psychotic episodes.

@Deppcandouno can you call an ambulance to take him for you?

My DM has schizophrenia and has suffered psychotic episodes in the past, the sooner he gets help the better. He shouldn’t be roaming around outside til dawn.

That’s assuming he understands what sectioning means - which I don’t think he can - or he would know it wouldn’t be necessary if he accepts the need for assessment.

I think what he may be saying is he feels like he may meet the criteria for mental health intervention.

If this was my DH I would be calling 111 or if I thought I couldn't keep him safe I'd call 999.

Don't delay OP, your husband needs help from professionals.

OP, lack of sleep will make any pending psychosis much worse. Call 111 now, but try to get him to sleep tonight and go to hospital tomorrow, depending on what 111 says.

Edited.

You’re right but I took that as him likely not understanding the process and language around this. Some think being sectioned is the standard term used for anyone who goes on to receive treatment rather than a specific law that is enforced when the patient is deemed noncompliant.

OP, you are describing some very worrisome symptoms. Finding hidden meanings in adverts and saying things that make no sense, along with the depression, are serious symptoms. Call 111. Nothing bad will happen. He might need antipsychotics. But he should be assessed. If he has psychosis - and it sounds like this MIGHT be developing - then he will experience a complete break with reality, and who knows what the consequences will be. Please get him medical help asap. I would call 111, who'll probably direct you to the best place, and they'll be waiting when you get there.

Has he taken any drugs? I have a relative that was psychotic for 8 weeks from a couple of days of European marijuana while on holiday. He hadn't done it before so had no tolerance and particularly in Amsterdam the THC level is very high.
He was seen immediately by a mh team after I got him home.Was given medication and slowly got better. He didn't have to go to hospital because I stayed with him 24/7 at home . It did take the 2 months but then he was signed off the books and now he would be the last person in the world you would pick to have suffered psychosis.
Also have experience of untreated UTI's causing delerium, particuarly in men.
Personally I'd call an ambulance but I know in the UK that doesn't seem to be the done thing. Do you have clinics attached to hospitals that you just walk in and wait. ( not a and e). but beside the hospital. Or Urgent Care Clinics?
You poor thing it is very scary but the medication is amazing and if it turns out to be an infection then that can be fixed too. Best wishes.