Daily overdoses - personality disorder

[whatohwhattodo]

After some advice as just don't know where to turn. My mid thirties nephew has ongoing multiple mental heath issues most likely diagnosis personality disorder.

He frequently self harms burning, cutting etc but also paracetamol. For various reasons his body does not absorb paracetamol and so he can take multiple packets a day with no real effect.

The problem is this has escalated and he is doing this daily and then ringing ambulances and getting taken to a and e. Once they it's treated like a bit of a joke happy smily chatting to staff etc.

This is obviously a stupendous waste of nhs resources. After the most recent escalation he has been sectioned but now I have heard he is being released back home.

The problem is there has been no treatment so despite telling the doctors what they want to hear the suspicion is they will
Immediately be back in the same cycle.

Although as far as family believe he does not intend to kill him self it is very likely that one day the tablets will have an effect and death will be the outcome.

Has anyone had any experience of anything like this and what can be done?

Hi OP. I have a personality disorder (BPD) and I have also engaged in that sort of behaviour before. Does your nephew have a support worker? Or a MH nurse? They’re usually good people to talk to in situations like this. Does sound like he needs help.

He's not on certain anti depressants like seroxat is he? They can trigger this behaviour.

What kind of treatment has he had in hospital? How long has he been sectioned for?

I have experienced similar with a friend with very frequent serious self harm (think needing surgery) and suicidal behaviour once needing to be resuscitated.

Unfortunately there is not much you can do except listen when you can, keep telling the person you believe in them and they can get well and keep yourself emotionally safe.

Luckily friend is currently doing well after two long hospitalisations last year, a combo of mood stabilisers, anti psychotics and anti depressants has got her on an even enough keel to go back to work recently after 18 months off sick.

The worry is still real that she will one day snap and end her life.

Yes. I've seen that many different ways to get taken to hospital I'm grateful it's 'just' another overdose l.

Unfortunately the only treatment for the daily hospital turn around is to not allow them to discharge them into families care. You have to pull up the draw bridge, refuse to take responsibility (they are very careful to ask if you can take them back) and then hope they don't actually die while the whole who will blink first thing goes on.

Long term inpatient treatment is needed to break the cycle.

Thank you for replies.

They do have a support worker. They drove the section this time round as they felt they could no longer be responsible for their safety. They have to come round twice a day to give them their tablets as they do not take them.

Unfortunately they support worker also sees his parents as the answer go and live there. They did before for a year and things went ok. They also stay regularly when they mood becomes too down however it's not a solution just a sticking plaster. Also after the last stay when they were he used them as a way to get out of hospital they are not quite so keen.

They went in early part of this year for some intensive therapy -really hard to get accepted for but they were discharged as basically didn't engage with it and they could do nothing. It was voluntary so they were going out to buy tablets when they were there.

They have been discharged form this section back home alone which is the most stupid thing ever. They had no treatment in hosp as again they refuse to engage. They told the doctors what they wanted to hear but it's all bollocks. They are very manipulative if it means they get their own way.

What is needed is an intensive 6 month stint admitted to really address the issues.

I believe there is an underlying issue (obviously I'm not a medical person) but he cannot face up to it. It seems like if anyone tries to address it he turns non cooperative and ups the self harm levels to deal with the stress it causes

Not sure which anti d he is on I would have to ask. He must rattle the amount of things he takes.

What I find hard to take is the happy cheery isn't life wonderful exterior he puts on and you just want to shake him and say what the fuck are you doing. It is really upsetting for his parents.

I live nearby where his parents don't - I found him when he overdosed a few years ago and I thought he was dead. They are very conscious it would probably be me that found him again should it happen again and he doesn't call an ambulance like he usually does. Or if something happens whilst asleep.