When someone is stuck in a repetitive loop of behaviour resulting in hospital admissions (possible triggering content)

[SleepyLions]

A friend is seemingly in a never ending loop of depression/anxiety/intrusive thoughts/attempts to take her own life/hospital admission (sometimes sectioned)/discharge home...and repeat...

Hospital admissions vary from a couple of days to a couple of months, sometimes involve being sectioned but don't seem to involve any programme of treatment to tackle the cause. There doesn't seem to be any "plan".

This can't keep happening surely?

Has anyone here got any experience of situations like this?

Yes I have.

Who's taking responsibility for her on discharge?

This partly the problem, she doesn't have an adult with her at home so is discharged with daily visits from the MH team which is not enough

It may help to remind the MH team that as she's been discharged into their care if she has a successful attempt on her life the blame will lie with them.

Care in the community doesn't work, it took the young person I care for to 'die' before she was put into long term hospital care. I refused to take responsibility and kept putting it back on them.

Unfortunately if they know people are looking out for her they won't help. She needs to be put into a secure hospital for a number of years (we're coming up to 3) with intense therapy after they get them out of the hospital loop. Some people never get out.

if they know people are looking out for her they won't help - this is another part of the problem as friends are there for her (because she doesn't have family) so they are the ones supporting her which probably means MH take a step back.

I just don't know what it will take for there to be break in this loop - a suicide attempt that is very nearly successful? an attempt that affects others?

It's so frustrating

(BTW thank you for your replies gamerchick, it sounds like you've had a tough time)

Yes, it put me on pills.

What I and everyone did was pull up the drawbridge. Left her totally on her own. It's a risky risky thing but it was the only thing that worked to get her the help she needs.

Nerves of steel needed and a fucking disgrace that it can even come to that

That means no hospital visits to take in a bag or whatever. Telling the hospital staff when they ring that you can't help sorry. Not around on discharge, not supporting her in meetings... Nothing. Put the onus completely on them.

Are you sure your friend is not declining any offers of treatment though, OP? It has been known to happen!

ChicCroissant - oh I think there has been an element of that but at the lesser end of the scale (so maybe declining some home visits, but not declining any formal treatment). There have certainly been some times when she's been economical with the truth!

gamerchick - Interesting point.... because things have been going on so long this has started to happen to a certain extent. Friends have either become tired/frustrated/exhausted. There are only so many things you can do to help and support and when this happens time and time again you start to question "why you bother" (we bother because she's a friend but you know what I mean).
We're no longer jumping in to help immediately and are suggesting other routes ("you need to phone the ward/home treatment" "you'll have to ask MH team to arrange that" and so on)