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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think sectioning under the mental health act is rarely done

102 replies

User4647 · 05/10/2020 17:19

But it’s shown on tv shows like someone has a breakdown and then they are sectioned. The reality is it’s a battle to even get under secondary mental health care never mind sectioned. AIBU to say very few people are sectioned.

OP posts:
Crownofthorns · 05/10/2020 20:51

I don’t think it is that uncommon. My autistic brother has been sectioned, as has my sister-in-law who has schizophrenia (several times and still is currently). My husband was also sectioned after having a psychotic break three years ago where I had to call the police. If it hadn’t been been for my intervening, he would have been on a much longer section.

shamalidacdak · 05/10/2020 20:53

Last resort as it should be but I know someone who is regularly sectioned (as in 2/3 times a year)

Heartofstrings · 05/10/2020 20:54

I have no idea how uncommon it is but my step brother has been sectioned twice and my father in law once

sarahc336 · 05/10/2020 20:55

As someone who works in mental health I think it is actually more common than people think it is, it is a last resort but it's often needed for their own or others safety x

Stompythedinosaur · 05/10/2020 20:57

It is a last resort and hence is done very rarely, as it should be. Just being unwell is not enough reason to be sectioned, someone has to be in danger and there has to be a reasonable expectation that the person can be treated in hospital.

Mydarlingsleepthief · 05/10/2020 21:00

I Carry out mental health act assessments and section people, it’s not rare at all we are constantly busy, but bed availability is shocking so this makes it much harder

FlowerTink · 05/10/2020 21:00

Sections can vary in time too. With a relative of mine, the first section was 7 weeks. There was a 4 day one, and another which was 4 weeks.

PineappleUpsideDownCake · 05/10/2020 21:02

But Mydarling it wont seem rare to you as you see it everyday. It will seem rare to someone who hasn't encountered the world of mental health hospitals. Although perhaps thought to be more commonly done than it is? I guess its why the question is very dependent on current experience and perception.

Mental Health as a whole certainly needs a lot more investment....

SideEyeing · 05/10/2020 21:03

I was sectioned at 17 for an eating disorder. It was a last resort and probably saved my life but its not a nice process at all.

bsam88 · 05/10/2020 21:03

I suppose it depends on what your perception of rare is. And of course depending on what you do you may see it all the time or never see it. I think most people in the field would agree though that on the whole TV does a pretty poor job of portraying the realities of mental health and treatment

Scbchl · 05/10/2020 21:06

My brother in laws brother was sectioned last year against his will due to hallucinations from cocaine addiction. They could only hold him for a few days and he had his mobile.

Ratatcat · 05/10/2020 21:12

I have a relative who has been sectioned multiple times. Every time she should have been admitted far earlier than she was and family were begging for the section. In my experience it has been a very last resort when that person has been very sick indeed.

sarahc336 · 05/10/2020 21:14

@bsam88 yes tv does not portray mental health or therapy very accurately 😂 so i think it's so easy for people to misunderstand the world of mental health and actually how common difficulties are x

Pinkshrimp · 05/10/2020 21:21

My family were begging for DBro to be sectioned as he was actively suicidal.
It’s a miracle that he survived with no lasting liver damage after the massive overdose he took. He’s been suicidal several times since and there is still no help. Sad

SonjaMorgan · 05/10/2020 21:25

TV and film have a habit of making it look far more glamorous then it really is. My friend was sectioned and the reality was horrifying.

Freda999 · 05/10/2020 21:27

A family member was due to dementia. I think it's when they're classed at being a risk to themselves or to other people.

jdoejnr1 · 05/10/2020 21:30

S2,3 and 136 MHA detentions are running at about 50,000 a year. Whether you consider that to be 'rarely or not ...

soberaf · 05/10/2020 21:31

My dad has bipolar as well as addiction to painkillers. Around 2 years ago, I sat with him in a psychiatrists office, he was skin and bones, couldn't keep his eyes open, drooling, not making any sense, saying he just wanted to die, crying and having hallucinations and the psychiatrist still was unable (or unwilling) to section him. He was happy to send him home under the CPN team. I felt very hopeless and angry.

Luckily he is 18 months sober now and doing amazing but it really opened my eyes to how someone has to be an immediate danger to themselves or others for anything to be done.

Givemeabreak88 · 05/10/2020 21:32

I don’t think it’s as rare as people want to believe, my ex has been sectioned multiple times, I know of 3 but that’s just what I know of, the police came to my house at 1am about 2 years ago to inform me.

AwaAnBileYerHeid · 05/10/2020 21:34

It isn't as rare as you'd think. I work in mental health. We would always prefer someone to come into hospital as an informal patient however if the risk to self or others is too high and they are refusing an admission when they need to be admitted, then a section will be invoked.

PineappleUpsideDownCake · 05/10/2020 21:34

Soberaf Ive had similar experiences. The person hadn't a clue where they were, based on past experience they weren't safe, i told crisis team I did not think it was safe leaving them and left with them so they couldn't say the person was "left with me."

The next morning the gas was on full but u lit where she'd tried to light a cigarette. Shed burnt all her fingers quite badly and ended up in hospital before the psych unit. It so could have been avoided.

This isnt really uncommon...

LionessRoar · 05/10/2020 21:36

My mum has been sectioned several times but she has been mentally ill for years with very complex problems. There have been many times when she has harrassed/ assaulted people, including police officers and has not been sectioned those times. So whilst I don’t know how rare it is, but from what I can see from my mum’s case, things have to be pretty bad and sectioning is seen as a last resort (as it should be). There have been several incidences when our family has been desperate but have been unable to get the support we needed. Sectioning has only been a result of her most extreme behaviour. I do not know anyone else who has been sectioned

PineappleUpsideDownCake · 05/10/2020 21:37

(((((Lioness)))) sounds familiar. It's so hard isnt it knowing someone is at risk to themselves and begging for support. And in the days leading up to it when you can see it coming but the threshold hasnt been reached for them to intervene...its like waiting to see what damage they'll do before they can get help :(

MsAdoraBelleDearheartVonLipwig · 05/10/2020 21:38

My Father in Law was sectioned twice when he was very ill with depression. Both times he was taken away to stay at some sort of half way house where he had all his cooking, washing etc done for him. He’d be there for a couple of weeks and then they’d send him home again. Yeah cos he’s cured after two weeks. He died shortly afterwards.

AwaAnBileYerHeid · 05/10/2020 21:39

@PaddyF0dder what kind of service do you work in? I understand if you don't want to answer of course! I'm in acute admissions and sections are frequently used here. In my 20 bedded unit, we have around 6 or 7 of those patients who are on varying types of section.