I have namechanged, I wouldn't normally do this but I don't want to be identified.
I have had a phone call a few minutes ago. My mum is being sectioned under the mental health act.
This has been an ongoing thing for a few years. She has had a history of mental illness, she was diagnosed with Manic Depression 23 years ago, (one of a few diagnosis I'm not sure what else she has).
She has been in Psyciactric hospitals in the past.
A few years ago she decided (again) to come off her medication, this was agreed as they call it 'free will' or something, needless to say she became ill again and christmas day about 4 years ago I get a phone call from my middle sister saying that I need to be at my mums, it's all kicked off, theres police there and everyhing. They gave her a choice, take the meds or go to hospital. She took the meds and never went for any more again.
She slowly became ill again and we've been trying to get intervention but because she 'isn't a danger to herself or others ' they can't do much except log everything (this is a mental health team my sister has been in constant contact with)
Like I said because i'm the eldest I get the phone call. Its a socila worker, hes' going to court this afternoon to get a warrant to enter the premises and assess her. They asked if I could be there. I said no I have to work.
Before I get flamed, he did say they are going to TRY to get the police there and himself there to assess her over the next couple of day. I can't ring up at short notice and tell them I can't be in as nothing is definate. I returned to work LAST WEEK after having 10 months off (maternity). I have no reason to give them at the moment as the social worker said that it's down to available police officers as to wether or not they can do it.
I won't go into too mjuch detail, but I have no realtionship with my mum and when she passes me in the street she ignores me. Ihad a good upbringing until her first episode, then it went downhill from there. She has seen my 9 month old daughter twice and it has been very strained when she is here. If she dosent get what she wants she wants nothig to do with us, often ringing my other sisters to tell them his. She has said before that she would have been better off if she didnt have children and she wants nothing more to do with us.
My sisters (there are 2 of them) have been going round there, more out of duty, more often than not having the door slammed in their faces.
I don't have to be there but I've asked the middle sister if she can (she has been the one that has sorted much of this out) I have said to her if she needs me there I will leave work no question (I am 5 minutes from her house), but I can't ring work and not give them a reason for going off. It might not even happen. He said he's been on the way to a house and gets a phone call and it's had to be abolished as the police have been called away.
I feel I should be there and i'm putting it all on her shoulders all the time.
Another reason I haven't had much to do with it as mentally i'm fragile. At the moment I am close to drink dependant and was on Anti Depressants for anxiety and stress. I beleive this was an accumulation of years of holding it all in til one day I had a breakdown. I've managed to pull myself together (sort of). I no longer take the AD's
I have 3 children and need to hold it together mentally for them. I need to concentrate on my family.
She has never acknowledged the fact she has a mental illness and believed she should vnever have gone into a psychiactric hospital in the first place, she dosent beleive theres anything wrong and as a result of her 'episodes' she has alienated all of her siblings.
I have said I will just leave work if it all kicks off or if my sister can't cope, but I can't just leave off work at this short notice when I don't even know when it's going to happen (I've been told it will be the next couple of days)
What shall I do.