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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

AIBU to think that the families of people with Mental Illness need more help than we get, because getting support is near on impossible [title amended by MNHQ at OP's request]

159 replies

VioletVaccine · 20/03/2016 15:26

I was going to NC but thought if I did, because of the contents I'd be labelled goady or a troll, I don't know.

I just want to know, Why is it, if you have a mental illness diagnosis, you can get away with anything you want to, at the cost of people being hurt, mentally and physically?

A member of my family is very ill, but nobody will do anything. Nobody at all will help, and it's making everyone involved in he life ill themselves.
Her parents are 79 and 80 years old. Yet still have to listen and travel and maintain her home and personal care because she won't clean, won't cook, won't move out of her house to buy food, and just screams at them daily, the most disgusting things. Her mother cries to me on the phone that she thinks one day she's going to just fall asleep and not wake up, and sometimes she hopes that she does, because she knows what she's waking up to.

I've moved house and moved town to escape the upset, of her walking into my home, screaming at my children and at me, accusing DH of false imprisonment, and of murder, sending Police to my home because she believes we are all political prisoners, so we left and moved into another County. I tried and tried to get her help, but she refuses medication. Says it makes her tired and fat. This has been said after every single medication switch, from tablets to a depot injection.
But now, the MHS have deemed fit to discharge her, and said its against her human rights to be medicated against her will.

Now, we are having to look at moving house again, because she found people online to find out our address and landline phone number for her (even though we're ex directory, and not on the main electoral register), and now uses that information to hound us.

I have told her, over and over and over, and over again, to leave me alone. I've honestly begged in tears for her to stop. I can't listen to the outlandish and to be honest, disgusting delusions and hallucinations anymore.
I've had enough. I've heard them for 20 years, but distanced myself from her 10 years ago because she refused help every time, was Sectioned three times in different districts but appealed each one, and was released, and then the very same day started to upset and disturb my children.

She absolutely refuses to see that she is ill. She says her medical records and psychiatric reports have been falsified, the doctors used her for experiments into genital mutilation and implanting pregnancies in her which they then removed (this is all in the UK by the way, no cultural or religious reason for her to think she's been victim of FGM).

She attacked in the street late last year, gouges in my arms and bruises on my neck and back, but when I phoned the police they said they couldn't arrest her as she is mentally ill, and they would have to refer it on to her local mental health services.

I have contacted the local MHS in her area, the Crisis Team, and the Police there even, because she has threatened to travel and get into my home here "to make sure I know straight from her face".
She has harrassed DD1 who is a child, messaging about how the Royal Family personally sanctioned her rape and her mutilation, and that her DDad (my DH) keeps me locked up which is why I don't talk to her any more.

I can't take this anymore. I've kept all texts and phone records, and there are literally dozens and dozens of messages from both me, DH and her own Parents, to leave us alone. I'm done trying to help when she won't help herself.

Today, the Police have come AGAIN to check on my welfare, despite me explaining to them the last fucking time, that she is mentally ill with a formal diagnosis.
I'm taking mood stabilisers, beta blockers and Diazepam from my GP at the moment because I can't breathe properly, can't sleep, and just go between sadness and rage that nobody will do anything to help.

The MHS tell me to contact the Crisis Team, if it's that urgent.
The Crisis Team told me to contact the police if I feel threatened or if she is a danger to herself,or anyone else.
And the POLICE just told me their hands are tied, because there's different provisions for handling the mentally ill, than general public.

I live a quiet and happy life normally, just me, DCs and DH, but this is making things hell. I can't sleep, DH is really upset he's publicly being labelled a wife beater and keeping me under house arrest, and our DCs are feeling the knock on effect because I jump when the door knocks, the phone rings, and dread knowing what's next, and nobody will help.

Can someone please tell me what the hell I can do, because I can't see a way forward and out of this.
Get a mental health diagnosis, and you can so what you want.

How do I get her treatment, or someone to at least do something, before I crack up? What the hell do I do?

OP posts:
SofiaAmes · 22/03/2016 03:45

Everyone, please read the books I recommended above. They give really great advice on interacting with family members with psychosis. Although the books describe Schizophrenia and Borderline Personality Disorder issues, the lessons they impart are extremely translatable to bipolar and other mental health issues as well.

Devilishpyjamas · 23/03/2016 06:47

Violet - do find others to talk to. You are not the only person dealing with a delusional relative & it will be so helpful to you to share stories with people who get it.

In practical terms they'll be more help than professionsls as well - I have a severely disabled child & other parents have given me all the practical advice you might expect professionals to share.

VioletVaccine · 23/03/2016 11:48

Hi, I just wanted to come back again and say thank you for all the great advice I have been given by you all, and Flowers to everyone who is also going through difficult times, either with somebody in their life, or suffering MH issues personally x

I did speak to a care co-ordinator at the Unit she's gone into, it's a Section 2 she's been placed on, but still hasn't been formally assessed. They said she's very quiet, and isn't saying much for them to get any insight into her mental state, so I told them everything I possibly could, and emailed them the screenshots I'd taken of the messages in which she says there are people conspiring to hurt her, assault her, and everything else she says, because i knew she wouldn't tell them that herself.
She will see that as a massive betrayal, again, and that say that I'm "Conspiring to have her institutionalised", which she's said on many occasions when she thinks I've defied her rights by contacting MH Services.
She absolutely cannot see that I'm trying to help. One of her oldest friends recently said to her "Violet's Mum, you are really worrying me, do you think we should go and maybe see the doctor" and she absolutely blew up, screaming blue murder and calling her friend a cruel abusive whore, and told her to fuck off our of her home and "Don't darken my doorstep again".

But now she's gone into hospital, she's being calm, polite and respectful of everyone there. It just makes so frustrated, that she has the presence of mind to show a nice and calm, pleasant demeanour to professionals, and then just retreats back to the vicious, awful and mentally destructive side for the people who have to live it day to day, as soon as the release doors of the Unit are open.
But still, still can't see, that if you have to change your personality hide who you are and what you believe, from MH professionals in order to be released- you really need help in the first place.
I'm just worried she might be beyond help Sad

OP posts:
redshoeblueshoe · 23/03/2016 12:04

Violet I am sorry, at least you have some respite. Flowers
I am thinking of you

TheSilveryPussycat · 23/03/2016 12:31

This is what being mentally ill with delusions is, surely?:

"But still, still can't see, that if you have to change your personality hide who you are and what you believe, from MH professionals in order to be released- you really need help in the first place. "

As I say, maybe in her belief system, if that's what it takes to escape these so-called MH professionals, then that's what she has to do. Sad Sad

(I have a friend under secondary MH services who thinks the DWP are sending coded messages by email - I think she thinks they are hounding her to get work, although she's been deemed not fit for work - but of course this belief just confirms that she is ill.)

Devilishpyjamas · 23/03/2016 13:17

Violet my friend is the same - as soon as you suggest she should seek help or challenge her belief system - however gently, you become 'other' & out to get her & she responds with outrageous (& clearly insane) accusations. It's incredibly difficult. I wonder if there's an awareness that things aren't quite right which is partially accepted & can be 'accessed' at times, but not others. That's what it seems like with my friend anyway a sort of varying & moving understanding of reality.

MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 23/03/2016 14:08

Fil is the same. Is convinced that his cooker and washing machine don't work so won't cook himself anything or do any washing. He must be hungry a lot of the time and running out of clean clothes. My Dh works in electrics and has repeatedly told him that both appliances are perfectly fine but he doesn't believe him.

He also thinks he has hidden cameras in his house and that his neighbours are watching him constantly. Like they haven't got a life of their own. It's because he won't watch tv anymore as he thinks he hasn't paid the licence, despite it being paid by direct debit like it always has been, and therefore he is sitting in silence and is able to hear their movements next door.

He is utterly convinced that if he went out in his car he'd be run off the road. He now occupies a different world to the rest of us and can't be convinced otherwise. I honestly don't know where this is all going to end up. He won't hear of a care home, or give us power of attorney to pay for a housekeeper etc.

Violet at least if your mum is now being held in a unit it will give you a brief respite. She's safe where she is and she can't get to you. Perhaps you could move away while she's there.

Would they section her based on what you've told them?

NotTodayDear · 23/03/2016 14:55

A Section 2 order is for up to 28 days for the purpose of assessment - could you make an appointment to see the doctors and talk to them about the possibility of gaining a Section 3 order which is for up to six months for (crucially) treatment and assessment? I'm nearly at the end of this process at the moment with my teenage daughter so I can understand a bit of what you've gone through and my heart goes out to you. It's so very hard.

K4THERINE · 01/08/2019 05:11

Someone said this behaviour is BPD all over. Absolutely disgusting. I have BPD & HAVE NONE of those characteristics. It would be great if idiots would stop demonising bpd and acting like we are psycho nut jobs. Because we aren’t. Again, never, have I ever; stolen, abused, manipulated or harmed anyone in any shape or fashion. Let alone do anything that the OP has described. Get your damn facts straight about bpd before wagging your offensive jaws

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