Hi my brother is 34, he was diagnosed this past friday night with Pneumonia via CT scan showing a mass in his lungs. His delusions tell him he was electro shocked and that he doesn’t have pneumonia. He has an answer for everything so I cant logically get him to accept the Pneumonia, he said he took the first dose of antibiotics but he hasnt improved much and hes suppose to take a second dose but refuses.
I am his only sibling and I signed up for Family to Family course at NAMI, I just dont know how to overcome his delusions now that they are stronger. Hes high functioning, and was never admitted to a hospital and isnt violent. I cant get him into treatment at all. Im so stuck and now I have to worry about his lungs collapsing.
Take him back to the hospital, tell him you’re going elsewhere and drive him there. Explain his health at the emergency check-in and have them bring him in. If he doesn’t want to go to the place you supposedly said you were driving him to, like a restaurant for example or the movies, just call 911 and explain the situation to them to have him committed for treatement, mental and physiological.
I called the police to his home and intercepted them. They would not even read the AB1424 document, or the text message he sent me. They said they can only hospitalize him if hes a danger tohimself others or gravely disabled. They didn’t do anything.
I can try to take him to the emergency room, but my problem is that when the cops or doctors talk to him he lies and says hes fine and taking medications and they take his word for it and always release him back home. I cant get anyone to take his delusions/paranioa seriously.
He is gravely disabled and cannot take care of himself, they can hospitalize him, they’re just being lazy. If he lies, just record him and insist that he’s not okay. It’s ridiculous that they won’t believe you if they know that if someone has schizophrenia they will lie.
I’ve had trouble getting myself admitted to the hospital for the same reasons.
Try his outpatient pdoc. Explain to him that he should visit his pdoc immediately, his illness is back and he’s not making sense. Call the pdoc, explain what’s going on. He is a danger to himself with pneumonia and no antibiotics.
I have a good relationship with my pdoc, her nurse, and the outpatient care team. They’ll listen to you, but he’ll need to sign a release for them to talk to you.
Find local crisis team social workers and ask them what to do. Also, call the ER and ask to speak with their social worker. Find out what steps to take.
If he has pneumonia and his delusions prevent him from taking life-saving medication, he is gravely disabled. He could die of pneumonia.
You are going through something very difficult. Someone at NAMI might be able to guide you. Also, there should be a way to file a legal petition to force your brother to be evaluated for mental illness. Write that he is gravely disabled (at risk of death because he is not caring for himself) because he refuses treatment for pneumonia and does not believe he has it. With the petition, they are legally obligated to evaluate.
I’ve heard that for other things, people often get good results if they start bugging the crap out of their local or state representative - someone who gets voted into office.
That it can sometimes open roadblocks that other government bodies put into place if those roadblocks are laziness, incompetence, and bad interpretation of the law.
It’s not something I’ve tried yet, but I hold onto it in my mental toolbox of stuff to try at some point.
Yeah I found a number to a local crisis team. they took down all the info but I am not sure what they will decide to do. Its been so difficult getting him help. He is high functioning and tells the doctors or anyone i can get infront of him that hes fine, hes taking his meds, etc and acts the part. Its hard to get them to see my paperwork and take my word. Ill update with what happens.
There’s a line between clinical and sub clinical psychosis. At the hospital one time I provided my name, today’s date and city I was located in and they released me from the ER. The next week I really hit the wall and took myself to a different hospital and was admitted.
With psychosis, it can get worse without meds. My pdoc believes people can walk around partially psychotic all the time and never come completely out of it he psychosis, that’s the best they can do.
Family members on this forum don’t tend to understand there is a line to cross with psychosis before hospital admissions can occur.