Son heading for another section - devastated

[JimmyGrimble]

My son was sectioned at Christmas 2020 due to extreme psychosis which ended with him punching his dad and us phoning the police. He was away for three months, heavily medicated against his will and is now very anti meds. His MH has been deteriorating to the point where a second section is imminent. He will not comply with home treatment and is becoming more and more violent (not towards people), smashing things up, putting holes in the walls, shouting obscenities at himself, screaming at us. He’s become nocturnal so he’s ranging around our home at night, taking food and leaving it out, breaking glasses and crockery. A couple of times our dogs have alerted us to him standing in our bedroom doorway staring. I know he will hate us for agreeing to a section and I feel so sad for him but we can’t live like this can we? Home treatment team and his MH worker have both told us to ring the police but I’m loath to put him through that again. On the other hand he is unlikely to go compliantly to hospital. It’s so difficult. Anyone with experience of this? What would you do?

If he had a broken leg or sepsis what would you do? He’s having a mental health crisis, one which needs urgent medical treatment. Part of his animosity against meds is due to his illness - he isn’t able to make rational decisions which are in his best interest.
You need to phone the police.💜

What he's going through is only one part of who he is. He sounds like he needs help and you need respite. If sectioning helps why would you not want it just in the basis he doesn't want it. Of course he's going to fight he will remember his last time but that doesn't mean it'll be the same. Meds can knock them out but they also offer time to process issues without the 27 other things whizzing in the mind.

He needs your help and without specific treatment what will he become, what life will he have.

Quite agree with this. You need to view it just in the same way you would if he had a physical illness and treat it accordingly. He is not well and needs help, plus he isn’t able to make the decision for himself so you need to make it for him.
He is unlikely to get better without help so you are doing the best thing for him at this time.

In my experience home treatment teams are weak. Mental health issues are so complicated but a good ward can help in the short term. So much depends on the management of the ward. The police really can't help even though they are often called upon but they just don't have the knowledge/experience to deal with this. Hard to say, but so much is dependent on what is available to you? I would insist on local mental health support, keep a critical eye and push on well being to step up to their promises. Good luck. All sympathy.

Is he under ongoing psychiatric care?

ie who you can contact to maybe adjust medication etc?

If he's anti help (anti meds and HTT) then a section is the only possible intervention unfortunately.
Police only in an emergency situation - it's distressing for all but an eventuality possibly if he's under section but won't voluntarily go.
Does he have insight?
Does he know he's unwell?

I hope you find what's right x

Thanks for all your replies.
He currently has his own named MH nurse and he had two assessments last week. Due to his antipathy to treatment they gave him one final chance to stay out of hospital by referring to Home Treatment Team. He refused to take the meds with them and they discharged him on Christmas Day. Section will be next as they have actively been looking for a bed in anticipation of him refusing to co operate. I know he’ll be very angry and upset with us and he really has no handle or insight into his illness.

Oh I’m so sorry that’s very very difficult

I’m sorry, but he needs to be sectioned. It’s what he needs and will save his life.

Are you scared of him?

Sometimes we are. He can be very intimidating and aggressive.
He’s quite delusional at the moment and thinks he’s about to record an album. He gets agitated about meds because he says he needs to be clear for all the press and telly he’ll need to do.

So sorry that you and your ds are going through this op? How old is he? Is he; nder young people's or adult services? I don't't have any experience but I was wondering whether you have to be part of the decision making process, apart from calling the police if you are in danger. Would his anger be less of he didn't perceive you as part of the decision making process? Sorry if this is a stupid question.

I'm so sorry you're facing this.

I had a friend, a very smart, kind woman and a doctor, whose son developed a raging psychosis in his late teens. She ended up calling the police to have him sectioned much against his will.

I think she never quite lost the feeling of having betrayed him by doing so. It was very hard. But she did not doubt that the section was what he needed. If anything she wished she had done it earlier.

I hope you find help for him.

Oh he’s clearly having a significant episode. Does he have a diagnosis?

for both his and your safety a section does sound necrssary

then longer term hopefully effective support

my experience has been that unfortunately it’s often necessary to go private to get effective psychiatric support - although this is not always the case.

very distressing for all of you

it is distressing also if the police are the point of contact for that as it doesn’t feel right does it when it’s an illness

i do wish you all the best. You have to do what’s needed.

Thanks everyone.
He’s 25. This has been going on since his second year at uni when he was 21.
There is drug taking (cannabis mainly and ketamine) as a complicating factor.
The doctor has been quite cagey about diagnosis, saying that it is the psychosis that is the immediate problem and the diagnosis matters less. I suspect schizophrenia but they have also mentioned bi polar although I have some experience with bi polar and it doesn’t seem like it to me. He can literally be giggling one second and growling the next. I suspect we’ll get a police visit anyway as he’ll refuse to go.

Yes the depot medication had a terrible effect on him last time. I feel sick at the idea of him being so heavily medicated against his will again. He has no idea how ill he is and the effect it’s having on us.

Hi OP, I don’t have much advice but I want to give you a handhold and say you are not alone. My half sister has schizophrenia and bipolar and has been in and out of hospital my whole life she is now in a residential home and doing well. Heartbreakingly my 21 year old nephew (her son) is currently in hospital under section 6 this is the 3rd time since he turned 18 he’s been sectioned. I understand how scary it can be living in the house with what is going on, (I’ve been through so similar) it’s a hard thing to do to your child but he needs help, he needs to be taking his medication xx

I am no fan of psychiatric hospitals or the sectioning process (it’s brutal) but it sounds as if he needs to be sectioned for his & your safety. He’s clearly delusional with no insight and anxious/angry. Hospital will be the safest place for him at the moment. I hope he can get the help he needs OP.

Section 3*

If he’s been under section 3 make sure he’s getting section 117 aftercare @BoandNu

He needs to stop smoking weed amd doing ketamine. This has to be a priority. The hospital need to know about these two drugs.

You need to press the psychiatrist for a diagnosis or find another who won't be so cagey.

I've literally come downstairs after dealing with an older teen with autism/ every mental health problem going. They've been on anti psychotic drugs since age 9. I have nothing useful to add OP. Just know someone else is walking this path with you and holding your hand, it's so incredibly difficult but I really do get it

As PPs have said, if he was physically ill you would not hesitate to organise treatment. This is an illness and he needs treatment. At least the services are engaged with the situation. You need to think in terms of what actions are in his best interests at this time, before the situation deteriorates any further, and as others have said, the hospital needs to know about the drug use. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and insist on clear explanations, and actions.

@Tr1skel1on hand hold for you too, sounds so tough ❤️

OP hand hold too, very difficult position. MH services are so Broken especially for this presentation. Young males struggling with MH are often just medicated if they will engage with services then there’s sometimes more to be done but MH experience is they just refuse contact with the teams after a while.

you have a right to live your life without fear everyday 🫂

I really feel for you. I was my brother’s carer all my younger life. He has schizophrenia and has been sectioned three times. Every time I felt terrible guilt that I couldn’t help him. When I was 18 and he was 21, he barricaded us into my bedroom begging me not to let the paramedics in. I can still remember how sick I felt watching him be taken away. After many, many years of psychiatric units and terrible incidents, he is now the best uncle to my children and his schizophrenia completely controlled by Chlozaril. He works in a charity shop, paints and now supports others with the illness.
You can only stand back and support him; being sectioned may be what he needs. My brother took years to sort out his meds, he was always coming off them because he felt better. I felt utterly alone and I understand how you must be feeling. I hope that he gets the help he needs and that you also get some support. It’s so hard bless you.