To be worried about mental health act assessment

[busyweeks78]

My care coordinator mentioned this a few weeks ago I think now but luckily I managed to convince her I would be better off staying at home. Today when I meet her though she’s said she’s asked for one to be done and it will be done tomorrow. It’s to do with concerns for both my mental health and my eating etc. If I end up up being detained will I be sent to an acute ward or an eating disorder unit?

Are you eating now that you're in or refusing food?

OP on the bmi calculator I am currently 23. To be a 20 I would need to be a stone lighter. I've not been that light since I was going through a really dark time (domestic abuse, divorce, family breakdown). To be another 15lb lighter still would be extremely physically challenging.

Is there anyone who can advocate for you whilst you are on the ward to get you the support you need? Can you explain to us why you refused the blood tests?

@busyweeks78 - make sure you are seen to be engaging in hospital - take meds, go to OT groups, try to eat, engage with the consultant. Ask what you need to do to be ok to be discharged. If you want to be discharged that is a good sign - show you want to do whatever it takes to get better.

Well I’ve been offered meals but don’t want them and they haven’t said anything. The blood test I just don’t feel comfortable having.

Are they offering you Ensures? Can someone bring in some snacks you would eat? Why don't you want the blood test? It is very normal for them to want to check your blood.

Not comfortable about a blood test, but why? It seems very routine to rule different conditions out and move forwards. Is it the procedure itself or the potential results which worry you?

I just don’t feel comfortable with it.

Have you had one before?

I’m 16.2 - very skinny but not close to being hospitalised

I suspect it is much much more to the situation why such heavy involvement

She's not going to eat snacks or a biscuit lol.

OP, they'll keep you in until you do the bloods and engage with them. I know you can't see it, but you're very unwell! The brain is a muscle and as your body degenerates, it will consume the poor old brain. Your body needs food. I've told you how I literally seized up when I had vomiting and diarrhoea. The body needs fuel. They'll need to take the bloods just to see what minerals you might need. Don't worry - there's no calories in a potassium or magnesium drip - it's just water infused with the minerals.

I know this might feel like your last defence of retaining some control, but you're destroying yourself! You deserve to live normally, just as much as I or my next door neighbour do. But you need to let them take bloods so that they can get you back on an even keel. I'm sure you don't want to live like this? In a psychiatric hospital? Do you?

Ah I see you have been diagnosed with BPD

@lovemenorca For goodness sake don't try to normalise a bmi of 16. This is not a proana website

But it is my normal.

My point is - I suspect that the heavy external involvement is much less to do with ED and more to do with BPD and perhaps other issues
However the OP is focussing on the ED

Don't think lovemenorca was normalising, she may have given example of how low BMI can be & still be treated in community.

I dunno much about sections; do they have to document what the specific risky outcomes are that they think they are likely if they don't section the person?

I’m diagnosed with bpd and depression and also general anxiety disorder.

What's it actually like there, busy? Are you in a dormitory type set up? You sound subdued so is that what the other residents are like, too? Quiet & keeping to selves, maybe. Are there any activities for you to keep busy, how are you spending your time? Can you go outside or are you stuck in a single room or a few rooms?

No we all have our own rooms. These a lounge and a garden.

@AraGrand - it was just a suggestion - rich tea biscuits were a safe food for me and the tea and biscuit ritual helped me. We have an anorexic girl at my hospital now and she will eat certain snacks brought in by family and it was the same for an anorexic friend on my acute.

They normally don't hospitalise BPD unless very severe or dangerous shing.

@busyweeks78 - have you had treatment for BPD? Are you shing (only say if you feel comfortable of course)? Do you feel your depression is under control?

They're all diagnoses that a lot of us have. You can manage to get your ass out of there. Just let them take bloods, give you whatever minerals you're lacking in and get out. Or stay in if that's what you need.

What on earth is 'shing'?

Weekends tend to be very boring on a psych ward as the OT staff don't generally work at the weekend. By Monday there should be activities available and ward round with the consultant where leave can be discussed.

Hope you are doing ok, OP

@aragrand - sorry self harming.
They won't put OP on a drip there - she would need to go to a general hospital for that. She won't get proper therapy on an acute ward either.

Honestly what have you eaten today?

Have they given you ensures, @busyweeks78?