My husband is acting is strangely

[Deppcandouno]

My husband is acting in a very depressive manner and is reading bizarre meaning into things like adverts. He is also saying phrases that don’t make any sense like ‘we need to level up like super Mario’ and expecting that what he has said is normal. He keeps disappearing to do household jobs and is gone for an hour but has no recollection of what he has been doing. He has said he is concerned about his mental health and feels he meets the criteria to be sectioned. What do I do? Pl ease help.

Can you guarantee you can keep him safe until tomorrow morning - 100%

that you will stay awake and keep him in your sight at all times.

If not 100% then you need to take the advice given, even if it means sitting for hours in an A&E department.

That wouldn't be the case here, being sectioned is not easy nor will it result in 5star luxury care!

It means waiting around for fucking ages, being shoved from pillar to post and told theres no room at the inn and having to really fight when you feel least able to do so, for any sort of care.

I really hate this idea that if someone is saying they fear they're having a breakdown or need sectioning or might kill themselves, they're obviously not actually going to do it.

It just isn't true. I thought I was having a breakdown, and then thought that because I thought that, I couldn't be, so I didn't seek help.

I was having a mental breakdown, I did need help. I was hearing fucking voices in my head, seeing shit that wasn't there!

I have known people who absolutely were using threats of suicide to manipulate and control others. Still ended up dead by their own hands though.

Lifes just not that black and white that you can say 'saying x never means x is accurate' and it is fucking dangerous to suggest it.

My sister did similar. She was experiencing psychosis.

please seek help asap! Here if you need anything x

Does he have a history of mental health problems?

I agree that this sounds like psychosis.

what are you more frightened of? Calling 111 and him being sectioned (as he has SAID he thinks he needs) or his "normal" involving a big knife?

He clearly isnt well and you would be failing him to not listen to him and get him help. He has literally asked you for help when he says that he thinks he meets the criteria to be sectioned, so give him that help.

What causes it?

Does he have epilepsy? This sometimes happens in the days after a seizure. Agree he needs to be seen & would take him to A&E and stay with him x

As others have said, could be a side effect of a physical illness or something psychiatric but either way he needs help. At this hour mental crisis line may be a good idea if one available. 111 are likely to just say go to A&E which I agree is probably not a good environment in this case

This. ASAP.

HCP here, please call 111 or crisis line NOW. Better to be safe than sorry.

111 ,specify for mental health crisis ought to transfer you to psyc services. It is vita for yours and dh peace of mind to have him assessed at earliest opportunity.The fact he is having more lucid moments and aware hes behaving\thinking unusually -to degree he feels may need sectioned is really all you have to say to them. please call

Please don't be scared, you really need to ring 111 for advice as soon as possible. Ultimately if he is so unwell that he needs to be sectioned then that is the best course of action at the moment, he will be assessed and hopefully receive the treatment he needs.

It sounds like he is experiencing psychosis and could be having auditory and visual hallucinations. I know it's scary and he's acting out of character but you need to get him help as soon as possible. Please call 111 and explain what's happening. They will get you help. Your husband needs to be seen straight away. Do you have a family member who can come and be with you for support?

Yup. OP he needs help now. Don’t wait.

111 will triage him to ensure he gets the right support. Getting sectioned is not as easy as saying you need sectioning. Services are stretched, they will probably take all the details and unless they feel there is an immediate risk provide some outpatient MH support. I’m saying this from experience of working with people with MH concerns.

This is psychosis, by definition. If he seems to be a threat to himself or you, get him to A&E. If not, get to your GP as soon as you can. Keep the words "psychosis", "psychotic", and "psychotic depression" prominent in any conversations - don't try to play it down or mealy-mouth it. There are excellent drugs that can help with the symptoms while they look for the underlying cause.

Phone 111 and select the option for mental health. They will do a telephone triage and then take it from there. That might mean an urgent assessment or referral to the community team for assessment or recommendation to attend A&E. Being sectioned is way down on the list of options - if he is saying he needs to be sectioned then that would suggest he is insightful into his mental health and may be admitted informally (ie voluntarily) to hospital. Again, this is way down the list of options - home treatment is preferred.

Does he have a history of mental health? If not and he’s never experienced anything like this before and it’s very sudden then the MH team will probably want him to be cleared medically before they will see him. They will need to rule out any biological factors such as Infection, Diabetes, Cva/ TIA which can all present with some strange symptoms including delirium/ psychosis type symptoms in extreme cases. A&E is probably the best place as they will be able to do bloods etc and get an Assessment in the same place.
Ring 111 for advice or 999 if you believe he is a danger to himself.

Agree with PP OP, please get some help for your DH. If he leaves the house, you can ring the Police, who can detain him under 136 Mental health Act and take him to a place of safety (professionals). It sounds scary for you both. I hope you get the help he needs .

I hope you’ve phoned them.

A lovely woman I know with a responsible job and family told me she was once so ill, she saw monkeys in trees, when driving home.

She sought help, got medication, and has been fine ever since.

Dont worry now, when things can be helped, and made better.

Better to get help now before things get worse.

I'd be more scared of what will happen if you don't call. Try phoning the local Crisis Team.

Potentially sounds like psychosis (I'm a mental health nurse).

HOWEVER, it could be a delirium caused by an underlying physical issue, such as a UTI. He could have had a vascular event. It could be a tumour.

Providing you aren't concerned for his safety, I'd ring 111 and push for an urgent OOH GP appointment. They really need to do bloods/urine screen to rule out anything physical.

If his confusion has been sudden onset and seems acute/fluctuating the most likely cause is typically delirium, which can be caused by many things, but most commonly infection. Has he recently started any new medications? Has he had any surgery? Does he have any wounds?

Any new sudden onset confusion is very concerning and warrants a 111 call at least. If it was psychosis related to his mental health, it usually happens a little more gradually and there will have been other signs. Has he been depressed for a while, and seemed a little out of character? In this instance, it's more likely his mental health.

Call someone
What good is it to keep it quiet to the doctors but share on here?

Yes definitely ring 111 my brother fell into phycosis aged 18 and had to be sectioned for his own safety

The NHS is not at all like a holiday camp. I was once with my dear friend who was acting very strangely. Over several hours. Don’t shoot me down - I actually called 999 as she got progressively worse and became a danger to herself (I called them when she’d tried to harm herself whilst I was in the loo and had to wrestle a kitchen knife from her and pin her down whilst I rang them - she went from odd behaviour to a switch being flipped and was indeed having a psychotic episode). Earlier whilst more chatty she’d said she felt odd, tired, and when I offered to call her doctor she kind of laughed and said she was worried about being sectioned.

She ended up being sectioned.

The ward she was on was …. Unpleasant. But it was necessary to get her the help she needed at that time. I wish I’d called someone earlier, but I’d never been in that position before.

They won’t section him unnecessarily- but if he needs help, then please call 111 and see what they advise? It won’t do any harm and it might put your mind at rest as I imagine you’re worried and stressed too.