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Original poster

Mental health and hospital admission

66 replies

nutcracker · 26/09/2006 13:26

If someone who is being treated for manic depression gets ill again, and i mean ill to the point of thinking she is someone else and being as high as a kite, what is likely to happen ??

A dcotor has been out to this person this morning and left after about 10 minutes. That can't be it surely.

OP posts:
Original poster
nutcracker · 26/09/2006 17:52

Just a quick update...just before I left for the school run, 2 people turned up with forms and went into the house. They were in there less than 5 minutes if that and got straight on the phone.

Don't think anything has happened since then, so still not sure if she is being admitted or not.

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Surfermum · 26/09/2006 18:02

Sounds like she might be sectioned then .

zippitippitoes · 26/09/2006 18:05

it's probably a good thing if she does get in to hospital though and the section may only be 72 hours for assessment...she could then stay in voluntary, she might be happier once she's in

foxinsocks · 26/09/2006 18:06

poor woman - also often these major highs are followed by terrible lows so maybe it's better that she's taken in. Her poor children.

Original poster
nutcracker · 26/09/2006 18:07

I think sectioning her is the best thing too, for her and her family.

Once the desicion is made to section though, how long is it before someone comes to take her, cos i am pretty certain she hasn't gone yet.

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charliecat · 26/09/2006 18:08

My brother is mentally ill and we have managed to get him sectioned once.
He has got himself in trouble and sectioned smashing shop windows/going beserk in the street quite a few times.
A couple of months ago he left my mum shouse sayign he was going to murder someone.
I rang the police and they rang me back 6 hours later to see what the problem was.
Thankfully he hadnt killed anyone. I notice Michael Stone also said something similar.
Care in the community my arse.
If she is sectioned she will be out sooner rather than later.

zippitippitoes · 26/09/2006 18:11

perhaps her dp will drive her in, section or not she will be locked on a ward for several days anyway while she is assessed

her children will be able to visit her so not so bad

Original poster
nutcracker · 26/09/2006 18:11

I feel so awful for her, the whole thing has been really upsetting. I had posted yesterday saying I was worried about her and then it all just seem to snowball.

Her youngest Dd is 8 and in the same class as my Dd1. Her elder dd's all live with their partners and the care of the younger one is being shared between them, the dad and us. We have made sure they know they can leave her with us at any time of day or night.

I feel for her elder dd's so much and my neighbours dp , they must all be so worried and worn out. I am knackered just thinking about it so god knows how they feel.

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zippitippitoes · 26/09/2006 18:14

it makes it easier to think about if you equate it to a pohysical chronic illness in an acute phase..she is going in for meds to be rebalanced in the same way as a diabetic might have insulin dose/brand changed when it goes out of synch

Original poster
nutcracker · 26/09/2006 18:14

I really can't see her dp being able to drive her there, not unless she was heavily sedated or something.

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cece · 26/09/2006 18:18

When they wanted to section fil they went away and came back with doc, social workers and various other people. He then agreed to beingtreated voluntarily!

Original poster
nutcracker · 26/09/2006 18:19

Yeah i think it's just been such a shock because we never knew she had ever suffered from any type of depression at all. Her sister suffers from manic depression and I have had lots of conversations with her about her sister and she's never given the slightest indication that she too had the condition, I just hadn't a clue.

She has been there for me and my family several times, had my kids for tea after school for days in a row when I had Ds, had the kids round hers when me and P split etc etc, just so sad.

I have had to speak to my dd1 about it as my neighbour had told her that it was her 8 yr old that was ill and to ask the school if they could all make a card. I have just told her that it's our neighbour that is poorly and not her dd but that it's nothing for her to worry about and that if anyone questions her over she can just says she doesn't know and thats fine.

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zippitippitoes · 26/09/2006 18:21

she was well controlled then previously so I expect she will soon be on the mend...though probably have a big downer

foxinsocks · 26/09/2006 18:42

oh dear - they may be able to slip her something to calm her down (to get her to the hosp) or perhaps they'll send her an ambulance. Problem with those manic highs is that when they are in them they feel invincible so I doubt she would take medication willingly unless she was starting to come down a bit.

If she does go into hosp and the 8 yr old has to visit, find out if there's anyone that she can talk to (don't know if there's a family liaison type person at the hosp) - I still remember how harrowing those visits were today. It may be that she talks to you as you are close but not family iyswim.

Mercy · 26/09/2006 18:50

Not necessarily your neighbour's problem but the second part of Stephen Fry's programme re bipolar disorder is on tonight. It might provide some insight.

btw, I mentioned earlier my friend's father who was sectioned several times. Once or twice that enforced stay at hospital would last about a week or less, other times it would be several weeks or even months at a time. He was schizophrenic.

edie123 · 26/09/2006 19:57

I am a mental health nurse. Yes police can be involved but only if somebody has to be forcibly taken to hospital. Also, a patient would certainly not be ''slipped something'' to be taken in!!!! If they are refusing admission, and deemed sectionable by assessing team, then police would assist and then medication may be used when in the hospital. Medication would be used forcibly if required but ALWAYS AS A LAST RESORT.

And yes her dp could drive her in-if that makes her calmer then great.

Good luck

foxinsocks · 26/09/2006 19:59

I've seen them 'slip' things into patients - it definitely happens!

edie123 · 26/09/2006 20:15

In somebody's home?! To get them into hospital?!

Original poster
nutcracker · 27/09/2006 09:59

Morning, thanks for all the posts, they have been very helpful.

Unfortunatly or fortunatly depending on who you are I suppose, my neighbour was sectioned at 1am this morning and I can al,most certainly say that she hadn't been given anything to calm her down.

Police were there as was an ambulance and several other cars. I didn't hear any of them arrive at all, it was my neighbours screaming from inside the house that woke me and that only got worse as they brought her out.

She shouted alot of things, things I know obviously she doesn't really mean, but they scared me to death even so and left me sobbing and shaking for the rest of the night.

As far as I know, non of her elder dd's were there at the time which i think was a blessing as what I heard will stay with me for a long time yet.

Her younger dd has gone back to school today and we have let her family know that we are avaiable to help in any way.

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foxinsocks · 27/09/2006 10:07

oh dear nuttie how awful - you poor thing. You must have had a terrible fright. I only hope they can help the poor woman in hospital. What a good friend and neighbour you are to her family.

(yes edie, I did see a doctor give a jab to someone in their home to calm them down before they were sectioned - but this may have been because children were present and they wanted to avoid a scene)

zippy539 · 27/09/2006 10:12

Nutcracker - that must have been very shocking. Is there any way you can get hold of a copy of the Stephen Fry programmes and give them a watch. They really opened my eyes about bipolar disorder - I think I've got the first one on tape somewhere, if I find it I could send you a copy.

sugarfree · 27/09/2006 10:13

Sorry I missed all this yesterday Nutcracker,I know you have done your very best,(and alot more than most people would have).
Hopefully now your neighbour and her family will get the help they need.

Original poster
nutcracker · 27/09/2006 10:15

TBH I was surprised they didn't give her something to calm her down. I mean it seems that they deliberatly waited until that time in the morning to cause less of a scene, but then the noise was enough to wake the whole street anyway.

I really hope they can help my neighbour, it makes me so sad to think of the times we walked all the kids to and from school having a laugh and a good chat. I am just really struggling to get into my head that any of this has happened today.

Feel quite a twit for being so scared tbh, couldn't even get up the go to the loo without having to ask P to put the light on and stand outside, but I was just so upset to hear her like that.

Hopefully i'll get chance to speak to one of her dd's soon and then i'll have a better idea of whats gonna happen now.

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Original poster
nutcracker · 27/09/2006 10:16

Thankyou Zippy, I do already have it on video, haven't gotten round to watching it yet. Not sure i could watch it yet tbh.

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monkeytrousers · 27/09/2006 10:17

It's very difficult to get someone sectioned/hospitalised these days. Sorry if someones already said that. Sadly, they have to be an acute danger to themselves or others.