To want this lady supervised?

[Sparklymommy]

Ok, a neighbour of ours clearly has mental health issues. I sympathise, and always thought she was harmless but a few months ago she caused a row in the street (really with my mother, who she thought was looking at her funny) and was effing and blinding in public, accusing me of all sorts of vile and untrue things. She used my dds name and it shook me up. Mum phones the police and they came straight out to be fair, told us neighbour was known to them, not a lot they could do.

Fast forward to last week. Another neighbour witnessed her walking around with a claw hammer in an agitated way. She phoned the police who apprehended her. When she was picked up she had knives and blades concealed in her underwear. She was sectioned.

Within three days she was back on the streets aggressively accosting passers by accussing them of being liars and followers of satan. Clearly she is a danger to herself and others so why is she allowed to live alone and not be monitored? I genuinely fear seeing her out and about and I am not the only one I know. Is it unreasonable to want her supervised? Not locked up, but just someone making sure she took her meds would be something.

[GiddyStars]

What Ignatius said.

Call it gossiping if you like but people with serious MH problems only really get help if they have someone fighting in their corner. OP may not have professional understanding of MH issues as many of us don't and clumsy references to 'taking pills' but she is obviously seeking to help this woman. Making one call and then doing nothing else is not minding your own business, it simply means the poor woman will drop off the radar until something dreadful happens.

Seeking wider advice from a forum where hopefully someone with more knowledge may come along with a suggestion you hadn't thought of is in my opinion sensible and proactive, not gossipy.

[firesidechat]

Keep reporting and when you think you've reported enough, report some more. I know that this is a total pain and shouldn't be your responsibility, but it may get her the help she needs in the end.

We have a close family member who has had severe mental health issues for many decades. While it was only the family suffering nothing was done. It was only when members of the public were at risk that action was finally taken and it was exhausting and devastating for all concerned. The lack of help and ultimately money to fund care for the mentally ill makes my blood boil.

[Sparklymommy]

As someone who has myself suffered with clinical and PND in the past I am aware that popping pills is not the answer. Maybe that was an ill thought out comment. I apologise if it caused offence.

[Mitchy1nge]

I don't get the bit about it being a tourist town. Is it a little interesting detail or do you mention it for a reason OP?

[Sparklymommy]

Mrs x was quite ill so I called the police- leads naturally to further questions!

Mrs x was sectioned- meant that we were aware she was not at home for a couple of days. Meaning we weren't questioning her absence.

Despite her vileness due to her illness (which should not be swept under the carpet) no one wants to see her come to any harm and we do worry about her if she is not seen for a day or two.

[herecomesthsun]

Carrying blades etc. or being rude and threatening is not a symptom of a mental illness. In order to be sectioned she would actually have to have a treatable mental illness like depression or schizophrenia or need assessment for mental illlness. People can be dangerous or unpleasant or threatening without any evidence of treatable mental illness. If she can come across as perfectly reasonable a lot of the time then that would tend to suggest that she isn't severely mentally ill.

If she doesn't have a sectionable mental illness but is a threat to other people's safety the police can however take other action, such as pressing charges relating to her behaviour.

[Sparklymommy]

Not really, just that, for visitors to the town she can be doubly scary, and as our publicity has not been great in recent months its another reason tourists may be put off visiting. She is well known to locals but visitors would not know to give her a wide birth.

[SirBoobAlot]

Herecomesthesun, you're wrong on so many levels. Especially with, " If she can come across as perfectly reasonable a lot of the time then that would tend to suggest that she isn't severely mentally ill." That, put simply, is bollocks.

And God forbid she scares a few tourists Seeing as one in four people suffer from a mental illness at some point in time, I'm sure that firstly, she isn't the only mentally ill person in your town, and secondly that your tourist town isn't the only one with someone who is severely ill.

[pigletmania]

When will the authorities and police sit up and listen, how many more lives should be lost as people are out in the community who really should be in prison or a mental health facility.

[pigletmania]

Anyone carrying knives and claw hammers in her state should not be out in te community

[mrsjay]

Sirboob what do you think the Op and her neighbours should do not mention this woman's behaviour and just ignore her. she sounds dangerous for whatever reason she needs to be helped and other people need to feeland be safe where they live, I do not for one minute the OP is labeling all people with a mental health problems as the same as this woman that they are all going to wave blades and harass people
Disclaimer I know you or anybody on here said maniac

[pigletmania]

Meant state of mind. She needs to be kept inside for hers another's safety, the authorities do not always get it right and lives have been lost or people severely injured. She could have easily used those weapons against somebody

[pigletmania]

If op sees behaviour that concerns her she has every right to go to the police

[valiumredhead]

Here-where on earth have you got all that from?

You can be sectioned to assess if you have a mental illnesses for starters, it's not just for people with existing problems.

[valiumredhead]

And you are very very wrong about not bring mentally ill if you come across as reasonable etc.

[valiumredhead]

Being not bring

[ParadiseChick]

I think all you can do is keep reporting your concerns to the police. I don't see the harm in discussing it with your neighbours

[Mitchy1nge]

has she ever actually hurt anyone?

[Mitchy1nge]

how do you know she had 'knives and blades concealed in her underwear' when she was picked up?

[pigletmania]

Someone witnessed her carrying knives and claw hammers. Why do we have to wait until someone gets hurt she clearly needs help now!!!! She seems quite unstable and volitile

[IgnatiusSprat]

If she can come across as perfectly reasonable a lot of the time then that would tend to suggest that she isn't severely mentally ill.

This is tripe but sadly so many people within the actual industry seem to believe it. I sat in waiting rooms with my MIL while she wept and clutched at me and told me that FIL had threatened to stab her if she didn't sign divorce papers (rubbish, but she seriously believed it) only for her to be interviewed by a doctor minutes later where she sat perfectly composed and lucid and told him she wasn't sure why her family had made this appointment as she was perfectly sane and dandy. It was INFURIATING.

[yamsareyammy]

I do not like gossip. but if "gossip" in this case gets the help that this woman needs, and stops people around her, including children from getting knifed, then I am all for some gossip in this particular case.

[financialnightmare]

Do you know who is her landlord? Most likely it's a specialist landlord - contact them and report your concerns. They should be pleased to have the information.

There will be professionals visiting her - stop them and tell them.

Report it to the Police, preferably in a letter, cc to your local authority (council), the landlord, your local mental health trust.

Tell as many 'authorities' as you can - lots of problems happen because the right people don't know. Take photos, keep notes of her behaviour.

Speak to your local beat officer - ring police non-emergency line and say you'd like to speak to someone about it.

Yes MH is much understood but unfortunately the lack of communication between agencies is a massive problem too. Spreading the word to the right people will help.

Good luck - it's grim.

[SirBoobAlot]

What the fuck would be achieved by contacting her landlord?? Nothing except putting the tenancy in jeopardy.

Jesus Christ.

[DyouSeeWhatISee]

Sirboobalot, your self-righteousness is a soupcon annoying. Can you just lecture tell us what would be the politically correct thing to do?