My son has had the crisis center/ police out 2x lately. 1st time I called them to come out to talk to him. His behavior is escalating. His home couldn’t look worse. He has broken yet another window. His counter has a big hole in it. His water is continuous running, to the point it has overflowed. Does anyone else loved one run water all the time? MY son says he talks to God when water is running. Half the time he leaves it running, even when he leave. The team tried to talk him into going for tx… but no go.
The second time Crisis center and police came is when his neighbor called the police because my son threw a beer bottle at the UPS truck. He didn’t “hurt himself or others” so they couldn’t force him to go.
He really needs to be admitted, but unfortunately he will have to hurt himeslf or others for that to happen. The system really sucks.
In Florida, you can petition the court for involuntary admission through what is called an ex-parte action. In the write up for the judge, a caregiver or relative can outline the extent of lack of care the person with schizophrenia is showing. Everything you have described could go in the ex-parte petition, and it would probably get approved here in Florida, as obviously he isn’t caring well for himself. I don’t know where you live, but maybe something similar is in your location.
I do know how upsetting it is when the loved one won’t accept treatment or help. And how hard it is to navigate the system. I can see both sides, since I am a paralegal. I have seen people wrongly Baker Acted if their husband/wife was vindictive enough to lie or play up a situation to get their partner taken away for “hurting” them. I have also seen people who needed to be admitted involuntarily act “normal” when the police come, so they don’t get taken. Sigh.
All you can do is keep educating yourself and keep trying to get him help. Don’t give up. I was very close to giving up when the pieces of the puzzle came together for my daughter to get treatment involuntarily. But you have to be ready to act and seize the moments when they arise, or put the wheels in motion that help the moment come. I wish you the best in this hard time.
Delaware is not like that. you have to go through a lawyer, which we did. Since he has no DR to vouch for him ( hadn’t been in a while), he said it would be next to impossible. He said now courts look at it as if we want to take his money. Not the fact that he can’t control his money. He goes through $400 disability in 1 week. Especially if he fights us being gaurdian, which he would.
I know nothing about Delaware law. I’m sorry it is hard to navigate trying to help your son. There is never an easy way to win the war against this dread disease. I wish you the best trying to sort things out.
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new one here, i understand your flustration, my daughter is getting worse, she lives in a apt. and i had to call the police, because she said she didnt knows.us even now she calls and tells me im not her mother, she thinks the wiring, washer , and dryer are out to get her, no one wants to help … her, there is a privacy act, we cant get around she has to sign and she wont…
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we need to report this to somone in power. Mayor, police ? who
This has got to change !
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yes, my son beat his dryer to no return… Lately he has put another hole in a window. looks like he threw a board at it, you can see board in lower window.
The police are the ones who come… in Delaware the crisis center is always escorted by state troopers. I got in my sons face… hoping he would hit me. Yes, I will take a hit to get him help. All he kept saying to me is “you’re a serial killer”… with police and crisis team right there. But he’s smart enough to know if he does hit us, he will go to the mental hospital. I tell him he deserves a better life, plead with him to get help. All falls on a deaf ear.
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Im so sorry to hear you had to do that for the LOVE of your child.
Has he been on medication before?
Is he a drug user?
While he see a dr. ?
how old is he ?
Medication if he is compliant can change this for him and you. There is hope.