Freezing in Portland, Oregon. She sat on a bench for 14 hours yesterday in the freezing cold. No one could talk her into a warming shelter, not even the police who recognised her from several years of seeing her on the streets of the city. A doorway on 6th and Couch Street her most recent home, having been kicked out of other places friendly to the homeless including The Salvation Army Shelter for her erratic angry behaviour, She is my beautiful, smart daughter refusing all help and facing a bitter winter alone.
(((((((((((( hugs ))))))))))))
That is so sad. I hope she gets better.
why can’t they make her go to hospital with her mental state she is not making good decisions…
Because it’s her choice.
That is how free will works.
Delusional isn’t it?
Try and get your hands on some samples and give them to her.
Maybe she will then be able to check herself in to get treatment?
Could work?
Lezlie, I am very sorry to hear that your daughter refuses to get shelter or help. She might be very delusional without proper medication. I remember once when I came off meds, I got a relapse and was very delusional. The voices told me my home would be the battle field between Japanese army and Australian army. Those enemies had set lot of bombs right under my bed and those bombs would explode that night. So I chose to wander around my house and refused to come back home. Fortunately my husband forced me to go home otherwise he said he would call the police. I went home in the end and nothing happened that night. The following day I was sent to a hospital by my husband. After being put on medication again, all the delusion were gone and I became sober and happy. I am grateful to my husband for he made the right decision for me.
I hope my experience is helpful to you.
Do they have a crisis team in Portland Oregon? If they do they will go out to her and evaluate her .Prayers out to you and your daughter…
Welcome to the forum @Lezlie. I’m sorry that your daughter is refusing help and during the current weather conditions. Perhaps this link could help you to get her into the hospital for treatment.
Thank you for your responses. She has been hospitalised three or four times in the past six years since her disease was discovered, unmasked by her last baby and post partem depression that followed. In the beginning she had insurance… She had meds But she complained about how they made her feel and stopped taking them as soon as . Several incidents followed requiring police intervention, each time we hoped for temporary psychiatric holds, once for two weeks and we were hopeful she would, once medicated come back to us but as soon as she is released she stops taking her medication.
Unless she is a danger to herself or someone else there is no way to do it, she is an educated woman and sounds reasonable enough to be free… Like thousands if other victims of this cruel disease left on. We have tried many times to bring her in, paid for hotels and housing, but without meds she doesn’t last long any place … … My husband and I are afraid if her without her meds, but she is still our little girl …lz
I’m sorry to hear of your daughter’s situation. All I can really say is to hold on to hope. Things can get better.
If she is not being a danger to herself or others can you let her stay with you? Or does she not want to? Certain issues can be dealt with at home as long as she’s not being destructive or violent…
It’s no time of year to be outside, especially if someone doesn’t know how to survive outside.
Shelters are not the best places either due to some of the people in them. Such an environment could trigger things in someone who already has these issues as you said she has had the past few years.
Its not good.The painful situation.
Maybe you could buy her a sleeping bag and a warm coat. The best coats are those fiber fill or down fill coats because they’re light and they can fold up small and be put in a back pack. Coats that aren’t made like that are heavy and take up huge amounts of space in a back pack. Get a warm cap for her head and some warm gloves too.
When I was a young adult, I used to run away from home from time to time. My Mom would always affirm the kindness of strangers.
Some times out on the street people would be marvelously kind to me!
Jayster
I ran away from home from age 12 to adult. I was often homeless. I lived in non-stop self-hate, as if I was trapped in some kind of shock-state. Some strangers were nice but others… no not at all.
Today as an adult, if my close friends or loved ones were led off with something similar to my own shock-state, then I would notify as many friends as I could and ask them to huddle with my friend and I as we face the uncertainty of trauma, state-shock, etc., together— for a day, week or month.
I would also bring an extra pair of Columbia winter boots because they warm your feet perfectly.