My daughter is psychotic and won’t go to the doctors I’m terrified

[Desperately_sad_Mum]

My daughter is having her 4th psychotic episode. This one has me dead centre as the enemy. Usually we have a good relationship but these episodes have slowly ruined our relationship. She’s angry and manic. She doesn’t think she is ill won’t go to the hospital, last ambulance visit ended with police, handcuffs, sedated, catheterised and detained...very traumatic, and I need to ring an ambulance again but I am so fearful because of the police being so violent. Why did this ya e to happen to her 😭😭

[Sophie_M]

Hi Desperately sad Mum, Welcome to our friendly online community. We are grateful that you have reached out here today as we know it can be tough to do this for the first time. We are so sorry to hear that you are in such a difficult situation. We can empathise with how fearful and concerned you are. Please know that you do not have to do this alone. We are getting in touch with you privately to offer some additional support. If there are members of our community that have had similar experiences, hopefully they will pop by and offer you some words of wisdom.

Firstly, please remember that if at any point you or your daughter are in immediate danger, this is an emergency and you should contact 000 (triple zero).

If you'd like some support and advice from a counsellor right now, we'd suggest getting in touch with our friends at Lifeline (13 11 14). In case your daughter is more willing to seek help over the phone or online, Kids Helpline are a confidential and anonymous, telephone and online counselling service specifically for young people aged 25 and under - https://kidshelpline.com.au/

You might also be interested in the following Beyond Blue online resources:

• "Talking to someone you are worried about" - https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/have-the-conversation/talking-to-someone-you-are-worried-a...t
• "Supporting someone" - https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/supporting-someone

  Please feel free to keep us updated on your journey here on your thread whenever you feel up to it.

[White_Rose]

Dear Desperately sad Mum

Hello and welcome to the forum. I am so pleased you found us. Hopefully we can offer you support and suggestions.

I can understand this is very troubling for you and makes you scared to call an ambulance in case the scenario plays out as it did last time. Paramedics are not trained to handle people who become violent for whatever reason. They do cope with many different events and can often defuse a situation. It really depends on the what's happening at the time. Not being there I cannot say if the police handled the situation with more force than necessary. It may well have been to stop your daughter harming herself as well as others. It all sounds very disturbing and I can see why you are reluctant to repeat it.

On the other hand your daughter does need help and I think you agree she needs to go to hospital. Did the paramedics call the police before they arrived or when they arrived and realised how difficult the situation was becoming. I ask because you may be able to help your daughter to be a little more calm and not need so much restraint. I also understand your daughter may be beyond reasonable at this stage and restraint is the only option.

I'm sorry I cannot offer much in the way of helpful suggestions as this is not something I am familiar with. My main concern is for you Sad Mum. I can hear how distressed you are at the possibility of the same scenario playing out again. I can understand if it was my daughter how desperately upset I would be and the thought of going through the process again is horrific. I am sure you know how much your daughter needs help. When you call the ambulance can you ask them not to call the police immediately? Can you go in the ambulance with her to the hospital? Would this help to calm her at least until the paramedics can give her some sedation.

I am sorry I cannot offer any other practical suggestions and I am worried about you and your daughter. The good relationship between you and your daughter is important to you which makes it even harder to be the cause, as she will see it, of putting her through this.

We are hear to listen to you and chat. I hope all goes well this time.

Mary