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Bipolar brother who refuses to be admitted to hospital while extremely manic.

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    Bipolar brother who refuses to be admitted to hospital while extremely manic.

    Hey everyone,

    I am new here and really hoping for some guidance with a situation that is currently unfolding with my brother who is very much manic at this moment. This is his 4th full blown manic episode and has come to hate the thought of being hospitalized and at this point its hard to call the police on him because he puts on his best behaviour in the presence of doctors and authorities.

    He currently spends every waking minute speaking to himself and believes he is a celebrity and going to save the world...the medication he only now started taking does not seem to be working for his psychosis and even with sleeping pills it only works like a few hours a night and then he is up again blasting music and talking and swearing to himself.

    my question is how do you convince the sick individual to agree to the hospitalization and what are best practices for post episode to create boundaries at home?!

    Is tough love something that is helpful for substance use and having the person follow certain rules to try and keep them well...or is it very much a let them live and learn so they accept and take responsibly for their life.

    We love and want to help my brother with all our beings but this is the 4th episode and its really impossible to manage him when he is manic..we found out hes been smoking weed and drinking heavily behind our backs and we just don't know how to help him and what to do next.

    Any information would be greatly appreciated.

    Kind regards,

    Alm88

    #2
    Hi Alm88 and welcome to the forums. If your brother is in a full blown manic episode he may not have a full grasp of that fact. Awareness is often lacking in mania. Family members sometimes need to start the process of getting him the help he needs.

    Is there a mobile crisis unit in your area? They are trained to deal with these kinds of situations.
    Does he have a doctor you can call on his behalf? (consent may not be the best approach in this situation). Does he have a social worker you can call? They can help get him the help he needs.

    Psychiatrists can evaluate your brother in the ER. They can certify your brother if warranted, and that does not require his consent.

    The alcohol and substance use really can't be addressed in any meaningful way until he is no longer manic. Your brother is lucky to have you in his corner. It is obvious that you care very much about his well being.
    AJ

    Humans punish themselves endlessly
    for not being what they believe they should be.
    -Don Miguel Ruiz-

    Comment


      #3
      Hey AJ thanks so much for the detailed response there were some great bits of information in there that will help me moving forward especially the mobile crisis unit idea!

      Tomorrow we will be heading to the hospital and trying to get him admittied with his consent or not becuase he very much needs the help that we just cant provide at home given his level of mania atm.

      LOTS to be discussed when he is in a more stable state and just need to get him there is priority number 1 !

      Thanks for the compliment i do love him very much and will fight in his corner forever I just hope hes ready to fight for himself equally.

      Aron

      Comment


        #4
        Hi ALM88. Keep me posted on how tomorrow goes.
        AJ

        Humans punish themselves endlessly
        for not being what they believe they should be.
        -Don Miguel Ruiz-

        Comment


          #5
          Hello and welcome to the forum ALM88. My heart goes out to you and your brother - I wish both of you the best.
          uni

          ~ it's always worth it ~

          Comment


            #6
            Hello ALM88. I have experience working with individuals who have manic episodes. I do a check in once a week to see how they are. If they are having a rough time and the medication they are currently taking is not working I advise them to contact their doctor immediately. The doctor may increase the dose or switch the patient to a new medication. Sometimes it takes a long time to find a medication that works well for someone. What works well for one individual may not work for another.

            Mocha231

            Comment


              #7
              ALM88 how are you doing?

              Did you manage to get your brother to the hospital or some other form of support for him?
              AJ

              Humans punish themselves endlessly
              for not being what they believe they should be.
              -Don Miguel Ruiz-

              Comment


                #8
                Hey everyone sorry for the late response I did not know I had received more replies which I am very grateful for !

                Mocha231 I Totally understand the trial an error period of finding the right medication I just hope after this latest episode he is ready to really commit to finding what works for him and not giving up. Self medication and I think denial has been a big problem so far.

                AJ Thanks for your concern and efforts to follow up with me in regards to my brother, it means alot! Yes I did manage to get him into the hospital after the doctors deemed he was a concern to himself and others if he didn't stay..this was an involuntary admission which is never fun but he took it as well as he could. He will be hopefully staying at-least 2 weeks until he is stable enough to come home and we can continue to manage his recovery.

                My hope is that if we are ever faced with the choice of going to the hospital in the future he doesn't fight it because with each episode the hospital becomes less and less a place he wants to go when he is unwell..but we really don't have a choice!

                I should be hearing back from the doctors within a day or two so will keep you posted.

                Thanks again for all the useful information and overall support during this challenging period.

                ALM88

                Comment


                  #9
                  Thanks for the update ALM88. I’m glad your brother is getting the help he needs. Being certified is a tough thing to handle, but sometimes unfortunately it can be necessary.

                  Hopefully his meds can get sorted out and the hospital will set him up with a discharge plan that involves regular follow up.

                  I’m glad the doctor is calling you tomorrow. Keep you pen and paper handy.
                  AJ

                  Humans punish themselves endlessly
                  for not being what they believe they should be.
                  -Don Miguel Ruiz-

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by ALM88 View Post
                    Hey everyone,

                    I am new here and really hoping for some guidance with a situation that is currently unfolding with my brother who is very much manic at this moment. This is his 4th full blown manic episode and has come to hate the thought of being hospitalized and at this point its hard to call the police on him because he puts on his best behaviour in the presence of doctors and authorities.

                    He currently spends every waking minute speaking to himself and believes he is a celebrity and going to save the world...the medication he only now started taking does not seem to be working for his psychosis and even with sleeping pills it only works like a few hours a night and then he is up again blasting music and talking and swearing to himself.

                    my question is how do you convince the sick individual to agree to the hospitalization and what are best practices for post episode to create boundaries at home?!

                    Is tough love something that is helpful for substance use and having the person follow certain rules to try and keep them well...or is it very much a let them live and learn so they accept and take responsibly for their life.

                    We love and want to help my brother with all our beings but this is the 4th episode and its really impossible to manage him when he is manic..we found out hes been smoking weed and drinking heavily behind our backs and we just don't know how to help him and what to do next.

                    Any information would be greatly appreciated.

                    Kind regards,

                    Alm88
                    Ask for the mental health crisis team whenever you call 911 or the police non-emergency number to get your brother to the hospital. Police in Canada have been known to shoot psychotic mentally ill people inside or outside their homes. In Calgary, Alberta, mentally ill people can call the Police and Crisis Team (PACT), for example, and these teams have different names depending on where you live in Canada or the United States. They consist of mental health medical experts and police with training in mental health matters.

                    Comment

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