Mental Health Emergency Response Lines Experiences

blue239

Hi I was wondering in the case of needing MHERL or emergency services for a family member going through bipolar disorder and psychosis, how do they respond? If I contact them via phone will they send a mental help team all together or connect me to emergency services (which is not desirable as treatment in public hospitals is not preferred). I don't really understand these things too well as I am young and am also not authority in my household, so it would be best if I only do these things with precaution and with a full understanding. I know this person needs significant help and others treatment within the household of this person is making their situation worse, leading to the need of external help. My family is not willing to get proper help and are impossible to convince, so now we are in a sticky situation. Please any tips, advice or experiences with getting help from MHERL will help me better understand what to do. Anything is greatly appreciated, cheers

Sophie_M

Hi there,

It sounds like you’re trying to do the right thing for someone you care about, and it’s completely understandable to want to know how these services actually work before reaching out.

When you contact a Mental Health Emergency Response Line (MHERL), they’ll usually start by talking things through with you first. They’ll ask about what’s happening, how the person is presenting, and how urgent things seem. From there, they decide on the most appropriate response.

Depending on the situation, that might include:

offering advice and guidance on what to do next
linking you with local mental health services
arranging a community mental health team to assess the person (where available)
or, if there’s an immediate safety risk, involving emergency services

It’s not automatically a case of police or hospital response, they generally try to match the response to the level of need and keep things as least restrictive as possible. If you’re unsure, you can absolutely call just to ask questions and understand your options before taking any action. You don’t have to commit to anything by reaching out. You can also contact the Beyond Blue Support Service on 1300 22 4636, they can help you think through your options and what might be appropriate in your situation.

You are doing a really thoughtful thing by trying to understand this properly. If you want, you can also share a bit more about the situation and we can help you think through what might be the best next step. Kind regards,
Sophie M

blue239

Thanks so much for your response, it has given me some clarity so thankyou. Like I said its a sticky situation, it is my older sister who is 20 years old who has been going through mental health issues for the past 5 years at least. She was first diagnosed with autism at 15 and was involved with NDIS funding, although my father is in control of all of these things. She has been medicated since and has irregularly been kept in contact with multiple psychiatrists. The more difficult thing is that my father is a doctor (NOT a psychiatrist), and is able to prescribe medications, and he has been abruptly changing her medications/doses over the years and more so recently without advice of psychiatrists or by not following their advice because he thinks that they are 'better suited' for her. I believe this has definitely lead to instability and has worsened and distorted her mental health condition as whenever she seems to have issues (general emotional responses) his first instinct it to medicate (without consulting psychiatrists!!!). The psychiatrists have no clue that this is going on behind the scenes as they are convinced by my father that the plan they have is being followed. And as of recently we have been cut off from psychiatrists as he thinks 'it is not necessary as they give the same advice regardless', also its impossible to make him change his mind or convince him as it can potentially be dangerous for all of us. It is also difficult as we are financially dependent on him entirely and my mother does not speak work nor can communicate in english (she is an immigrant). I am 18 but I don't have an authority in this household but I still want to make sure my sister receives the help she needs and recovers. It is hard to get help or find a way without triggering more issues within the household, feeling very stuck.

indigo22

Hello blue239,

Welcome to the forums, I am so glad you found your way here.

You are carrying a lot on behalf of your sister and it is admirable how much concern you have for her welfare. You are taking on the role of her advocate which many with mental health issues don't have. Your support for your sister is an important part of her life, so thank you for being there for her.

I understand that there is little you can do personally to intervene with what is happening, but I would suggest reaching out for your own sake. You may not realise it now, but your own mental health can suffer without having your own support.

You will always be welcome to return to this post at any time to talk things through, but I would also like to suggest that you reach out to the helpline below to make sure you are also getting some professional support for yourself. Your sister can also reach out to this helpline when needed. There can sometimes be a wait to speak to someone but please don't let that put you off.

Kids Helpline – available 24/7 – up to 25 years of age – 1800 55 1800

Please keep reaching out, you need support right now too. I am happy to continue this conversation if you wish.

In the meantime take care of yourself while you are advocating for your sister.

Thinking of you,

indigo 💜