Mother Is Refusing Psychiatric Treatment Posted: 06-10-06 11:21am
my mother,above described, appears to have
the symptoms of a disease in the spectrum
of bipolar diseases. 6 months ago she had
a major mental breakdown/shut down after a
short period of erratic behaviour and
since then she has been extremely
difficult to deal with.
Since her very serious illness in 1990,
which was likely encephalitis, she has
gone through a 6 month period, every 2
years, in which her behaviour and actions
were very different, including overactive
mind, depression, mania(?), paranoia,
anger towards her husband and generally
was incapable of dealing with life during
these periods.
She never accepted any responsibility for
the problems this behavior caused at home
and refused ever to accept there was
anything wrong with her. She would pull
out of the phase afer 6 months and life
would continue as normal.
There hadnt been a phase of behaviour such
as this since 2002. Then, on holidays in
Florida over Christmas break she was
hospitalised due to the breakdown she
suffered. When we visited her the next
morning she was paranoid, fatalistic and
thought she was victim of her families
plot to force her into hospital and steal
all her money. She was on a regular ward
initially(her blood pressure following the
initial episode was extremely high). The
psychiatrist who saw her diagnosed her as
having bipolar disorder. We her family had
filled him in on her history. He admited
her to his ward and discharged her after
two days, in which time her had medicated
her. Her behavoiur had returned to normal
but she discontinued the medication as
soon as she was discharged.
Despite the diagnosis, when we returned to
Ireland she refused to accept there was
anything wrong with her. Her behaviour is
now similar to the phases that occure
through the 90's:depressed, angry,
neurotic, paranoid, frustrated and
occasionally very hyper and erratic. Her
'thinking isnt straight'. She is totally
opposed to psychiatric drugs, which she
had a bad experience with following her
illness in 1990, as she maintains they
will leave her in a 'zombie-like state'.
How can i possibly convince my mother that
she may have bipolarism?
How can i be sure this is what she has
since she refuses to see a psychiatrist?
What is the best way to convince her that
medication would improve her quality of
life and not leave her zombie-like?
Her behaviour is a big strain on our
family especially my father, towards whom
she directs much of her anger. I feel very
sorry for my mother but need to know how
best to deal with an ill person who
refuses to accept she is the ill one.
Bipolar disorder is a psychotic disorder
(psychosis). It is a severe psychiatric
disease. People with psychoses are not
aware of their mental condition. They live
in their own world of delusive ideas and
hallucinations in which they strongly
believe. They don’t consider themselves
as ill persons and that’s why they
don’t ask for medical help. Their closer
family members are those who are usually
alert to the condition first and bring
them to doctor. There is nothing you can
do but to bring her to a mental
institution where she will receive proper
medical treatment. It seems that is the
best decision at this time for both her
and the rest of the family.
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