Hi missytrouble,
You have my sympathy as I have been sectioned under the mental health act. The police came here because of something I did/would have done when I fell into a dissociative state. They left when the situation was calmed but made sure an out of hours GP was called. They didn't stay and wait for the GP so my husband could have been in danger. As far as my experience tells me, though, the police only have power to do something if they cannot calm the situation or if they have seen someone attempt rather than threaten suicide. I had been self-harming a long time and had a knife to myself but the police restrained me and took the knife. Soon after the doctor came and tried to get me to voluntarily admit myself to the MH unit - could have been any one in the South West. I think it turned out I wouldn't and I ended up being sectioned.
I was initially assessed by her and don't really know what happened, but when I got to the unit, which was thankfully close to home (but they can put you in a normal hospital if no beds on MH units available) I was assessed again by a psychiatrist and given a room on the unit. You can wander freely on the unit and some patients are allowed out between certain hours of the day (if they are safe to be out alone or with another adult). They didn't sedate me or give me anything but my antidepressants, because I was calm and accepting of the situation. But I was there a week or so and throughout the week I had attempted to drag my DH back to my room from the communal area (after I had been stopped from having him in my room because I tried to stop him leaving the night before), I smuggled a BUTTER knife to my room to self-harm and was completely hysterical. So they drugged me to calm me down and make me sleep.
In the end, it was best they did that because my husband needed a break. I wanted him to be with me, to take me home, but I needed help, and the help wasn't coming fast enough until I went in there (I had already been referred to psychiatrist and had social worker and cpn, but it was on very low level, waiting for CAT therapy). I got to see the psychiatrist every other day and people from groups came in to see me - like art groups (I was a student and had given up work cause of illness). I was reassessed before I left and they called my stay a 'crisis break', which is why it was short. When I left I had the crisis team coming to see me every day for about 2 weeks, then every few days for a couple of weeks. When I took an overdose they got involved again (they like to prevent admissions where possible). When I took an OD I had to go to a&e and see psychiatrist I saw when on unit, but he let me go home and sent crisis team in daily. My social worker stepped up a gear and my CAT was brought forward. They got my meds right and worked faster.
But I was actually threatening to stab myself, and nearly did, which is why the police restrained me. Threatening suicide doesn't normally get you sectioned, I don't think. I think you can voluntarily admit yourself if you are not coping, but they will only section if you have shown danger to yourself and others.
He will be drugged if uncontrollable/dangerous/hyper, like I was a couple of times. They may also drug him if he is dillusional - as I was. He may not be allowed visitors on his first day as they like to properly assess, but he will be allowed visitors practically all day, for an hour or so at a time. My family, apart from DH, weren't really interested, though, so your DB is lucky to have you.
It is a hard time and an awful, awful place to be. I won't lie to you. I went back to my room after breakfast one day, to find one of the other patients in my bed (we mainly had our own rooms). There are some very very very ill people who are in these places a long time. People like me and your brother are usually sent there for short term intervention, while they sort something out on the outside.
He will be looked after and wrapped in cotton wool (most of my stuff was confiscated - hair grips, straighteners... anything I could harm myself with). When I got there, a female nurse went through my bag and took out all my paracetomol (I get headaches and it was my uni bag), she looked through all my clothes, including thoroughly looking under the crotch in my knickers. They asked me to change into a nightie and they checked pockets on my clothes. Was very childlike, but necessary.
I hope your brother will be ok and that I have given the facts. I stopped taking the tablets in May this year (15 months after being admitted and 3 years after diagnosed with MI), and I finished CAT therapy in March. I've had hypnotherapy and I have been discharged by the MHT, so I am well on road to recovery, although still left with physical reminder (weight gain). There is light at the end of the very long tunnel, depending on severity of your brother's illness - I was diagnosed with personality disorder as well as depression. But he will get there with some help.
Best wishes to you all. xxx