Please or to access all these features

Mental health

Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you have medical concerns, please seek medical attention.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

I have been sectioned.

999 replies

lazyhazydaisy · 26/01/2012 11:23

I have just got access to the internet. I am much less petrified than I was at first but definitely 0 out of ten. I have a tribunal and if that fails I think I will be here until July. I feel as though I am living in a nightmare. I have never felt so alone.

OP posts:
tralalala · 25/02/2012 20:28

lazy, I hope that you are feeling OK. I don't know much about the legalities of sectionning, though I have been sectioned twice (I had two bouts of psychosis). I really feel for you having to go on a ward, even when I was totally bonkers it was horrible.

I agree with the boredom, I took up smoking(don't recommend that). I had not only shit jigsaws but woodwork...sounds good? that was until we realised we werent allowed tools so we glued together pre cut balsa wood!

Now, I know nothing about your situation but I didn't know I was ill until months afterwards, I spent months convincing my psychiatirst I was normal, only to be taken off meds and then running around til I got re-sectionned.

that doesnt mean I don't believe you aren't ill, just that it is very hard to judge from what someone is saying (either way).

If you have to go in again I will be thinking of you. Try and make friends with people, I met some amazing people.

if the boredom gets to you start a 'I am the resurrection' conversation in the TV room (always good for a laugh...we had 3 jesus'es 2 gods and 1 buddha ) Grin.

seriously speak to your legal advice, see what they say, if you don't have any MH probs I'm afraid your best bet is to go along with all the bullshit, play ball do the stupid jigsaws and say how much better you feel. If you do realise you have MH probs the advice is exactly the same.

good luck x

tralalala · 25/02/2012 20:31

would you also mind me asking why you are estranged from your parents?

lazyhazydaisy · 25/02/2012 20:34

Thank, Mad I do not know why I am here.

OP posts:
lazyhazydaisy · 25/02/2012 20:39

This is the third time I have posted to ask this question.
The recommende dose is 50mg - 750mg. This is only for cases of serious mania, which I am not, and both the Ward manager and my disinated nurse agree.
I know practially nothing on this subject, but some one must know?

OP posts:
springydaffs · 26/02/2012 02:05

Are you seeing your MH advocate? They should shed some light on the q's you have re your mum, for a start. I assume you can talk about your meds to your psychiatrist - you should be able to!

lazyhazydaisy · 26/02/2012 10:08

Thanks again for your time. My advocate will be with me tomorrow and I will let her to as much of the talking.

OP posts:
springydaffs · 26/02/2012 11:15

Can you write down your list of q's - for her to answer and/or take away with her - to keep you on track. As your psychiatrist is not giving you a forum to talk it isn't surprising that you gush when you see your advocate. How long do you have with her?

lazyhazydaisy · 26/02/2012 16:21

It is not 'gushing', it is 'pressured speech'
[smile, with rivers of tears attached; hope they don't flood your laptop]

OP posts:
springydaffs · 26/02/2012 18:00

Yes, I do know what you mean. I can pour forth a flood of 'pressured speech' when 1. I haven't had anyone to hear me out or answer my q's 2. for a long time 3. through a terrible period in my life. I really hope tomorrow is productive with your advocate. This nightmare will be over one day daisy, please remember that and hang on.

and, blast it, have a ((hug))

lazyhazydaisy · 27/02/2012 00:10

What cognitive function tests are they going to do to me? Do I need to count backwards in sevens or something?

OP posts:
springydaffs · 08/03/2012 09:18

I don't know if you've posted a separate thread about this daisy - sorry I don't know about the cognitive tests. My dad had a breakdown when he was young. Dring the assessment, the psychiatrist held up a pencil and said "What is this?". "A pencil", my dad said, meekly. Hmm

How are you doing?

inhibernation · 09/03/2012 00:26

Sorry to hear of your experience/distress. I am a bit Hmm of all the differential diagnoses - lazy psychiatry.

I don't know you so I won't offer an opinion as to whether you present as unwell or not. What I will say is that some people can present as extremely plausible to others and indeed themselves when in fact they are in the grip of psychosis. Ime persistent delusional disorder is one of the worst culprits and notoriously hard to treat so I do hope that if you are unwell, that it's short-lived and that you stay in remission for a long time.

You can contact PALS to complain about your treatment if you are so inclined. I worked on a ward for a long time. Most of that time I felt good about what we were doing but I now work in the community and really notice how little engagement happens on the wards. A therapeutic ward requires all clinicians to be working toward that goal not just one or two.

I hope things work out ok for you.

lazyhazydaisy · 09/03/2012 19:37

Thank you.

My problem is definitely lack of insight; apart from that I am feeling OK. Organising a patient food preference survey of the ward atm, which is a bit challenging because the preferences are things like steak and strawberries and cream.

It does feel a bit like being a student. I still haven't gone to OT, and they have stopped bothering to ask me, or even to attend my ward round meetings, for which I am grateful. I am doing quite well with my language course CDs and the hot topic is people stealing other peoples' food from the fridge.

I saw the registrar today for a good hour, with my advocate, and for the first time I felt listened to.

I have looked at all of my notes and it seems that references to 'elevated mood' all come from the same nurse. I am not sure what to make of this. She is quite senior and seems determined that I am bi-polar, but not schizophrenic. This is the same nurse who advised me, (off the record, she said) that if I were discharged, I should threaten to sleep on the streets.

I do not know what to make of that one at all. It is very very useful to have my advocate to talk to and I advise anyone in my position to have one. The advocate does not know what to make of that either.

OP posts:
Upwardandonward · 09/03/2012 20:05

Have you managed to discuss the meds? Hope you did.

Upwardandonward · 09/03/2012 21:03

I forgot to say I'm glad you have an advocate, hopefully should help :)

lazyhazydaisy · 10/03/2012 20:15

Oh, I just found out that my partner has been in constant contact with my GP since last August saying I suffer from insomnia and mood swings. He lied to me and told me he hadn't anything to do with it. My advocate got the records and its all there in black and white. I think that the thing that set off alarm bells was that he said that I couldn't remember my 'mood swings' afterwards, which is, simply untrue, but he has proven himself to be a liar by denying he had anything to do with it. He visited and asked if I wanted him to check the house was ok, but another friend had seen him unscrewing the wood the police put up so I knew he had already let himself into the house and helping himself to some of his things anyway.

Bad to worse, but at least some of the jigsaw is falling into place.

OP posts:
inhibernation · 11/03/2012 11:15

That was very deceitful of your partner. Even if he had your best interests as heart, he should have been upfront with you and mentioned that he was going to speak to the GP because of his concerns.

lazyhazydaisy · 11/03/2012 15:56

That was why I spent the first month in a state of a shock, constantly asking the staff why I was there. He denied it until I showed him it in black and white.

OP posts:
springydaffs · 11/03/2012 16:12

sorry to hear this daisy. What did he say?

At least now the jigsaw is beginning to fit together - just having the truth/facts makes it all much more manageable I imagine. I always say there's a peace to the truth, even if it's not what you want to hear.

madmouse · 11/03/2012 16:36

Maybe he ran out of other options as you were not accepting that you were unwell.

lazyhazydaisy · 11/03/2012 18:09

I think he is unwell. And delusional. And a proven liar.
I feel as thought I am doing a giant jigsaw but at last I have found the four corners and now I can work on the sides, whereas before I just had a jumble of middle bits of sky. Does that make sense?

OP posts:
madmouse · 11/03/2012 18:39

You do realise it is very typical of lack of insight to think everyone else is ill and delusional?

springydaffs · 12/03/2012 00:10

ah yes, I have this exact-same scenario going on in my family, MH dx flying left and right: I think they're mad (not that I've said it), they think I'm mad (they're not holding back..). I think time tells tbh - though you have to wait a bit. The truth comes out in the end.

glad you've got the four corners daisy Smile

inhibernation · 13/03/2012 00:13

I just don't understand how lying to someone who is psychotic (or rather, who you believe to be psychotic) is ever going to be a helpful thing.

WithanAnotE · 13/03/2012 21:32

Daisy you did say earlier ( 26-Jan-12) that your partner had contacted your GP about your 'mood swings', so am unsure why this is a surprise now. I wish you well, but think your incredulity as to how, rightly or wrongly, you ended up sectioned is using up your effort. As others have said, I think you should focus your efforts on getting well, and deal with all else later.