Need some advice please!

[amyethest]

Hi,
I have just joined the site as things are getting out of control and I just dont know what to do.
I am the youngest of 4 children although we are all in our 30s now, we are all still close and see each other everyday.
my 2nd eldest brother is in what I see as a crisis situation but i dont know how we can help him.
I'm not sure if its and alcohol problem, a drug problem,a mental health problem or all 3!
he is clearly depressed and is drinking to compensate for this, he smokes a lot of cannnabis and when he was younger he was very heavily into the rave scene so lord knows what other drugs he has been into, i know he went through a phase of taking cocaine.
he has basically given up his highly successful business, he hasnt washed or changed his clothes for several months.
last night he was very drunk and was making death threats to the rest of us, he is often verbally agressive and has assaulted my mum (who is 64) in the past, he steals from us. last night he was in such a state i was scared for my safety and couldn't sleep. He is currently living with my Mum and she is scared to ask him to leave as she believes that he would set fire to the house as he appears so unstable.
where can I go to get him some help? as a family member is there anything I can do, I cant see that he would willingly come along to an appointment with me.
Please offer me some advice as I dont know what else to do
Thank you

 

[Apotheosis]

Hello, & Welcome to the site.

I have a similar background - a lot of drink/drugs/mental illness. I was very much into the rave scene many moons ago. My family dealt with things by ringing the police & having me sectioned. Not an ideal situation; but what else do you do?

I live independently now, & am getting my life back together, & no longer take drink/drugs. But someone has to want to accept responsibility & seek help. don't think that there is any human way to stop someone drinking/taking drugs that is intent on doing so. I think that the important thing is to make sure that you, your mum, & other family members are safe. Let your Bro know that you are there for them, & that you love them. But it's a matter of choice whether to alert services to his condition.

NA has helped me, but they can do nothing unless someone wants help.

 

[Lion Heart]

i agree with what apotheosis has just said,not much else you can do

 

[amyethest]

Thanks for your replies.
is it possible to have someone sectioned (and how do you do this)or can it only happen at the time of an incident if the police have been called. if i were to want to alert the services to his condition how would I go about doing this? do I speak to our family GP or go directly to a MH service in the area?
I know that my brother is depresed, his ex has stopped him from seeing his little boy which is quite understandable seeing as he is totally unfit to look after a child at the moment, he says he doesnt care but this has obviously been the catalyst for the current situation.
Thankyou for any suggestions

 

[Apotheosis]

There does appear to be far greater reluctance to section people these days. & where drugs are involved there is even less impetus for people to do anything. There has been anther shift as well to treat people even more within the community.

When I have been sectioned; it was because the police were called, sometimes multiple times, & after arrests & being placed on a police section - I was sent for a months section/observation in a hospital; one time that turned into a few months extension. Sometimes a stay can be short; or people can end up there years. In some cases people never get out from the system.

I don't know exact procedure, & a lot will depend on area & individual circumstances. A prerequisite to section is 'a danger to themselves or others' It would be wise to ring the LMHT & chat with someone about your concerns, & the GP. It is possible that other help could be put in place; & hospital avoided?

The problem is that the MH services will likely not do very much to address any of the social, addiction, or underlying issues - apart from prescribe meds; they won't do much else. & although some are helped by such interventions; others are not, & a revolving door scenario can result. I landing into that pattern. It can be very frustrating for everyone involved.

Rights of the nearest relative

If you are the nearest relative of someone affected by a mental disorder you have certain rights:

* The right to ask an Approved Social Worker to assess your relative for compulsory admission to psychiatric hospital.
* The right to apply for your relative to be admitted compulsorily to psychiatric hospital. This application must be accompanied by two medical recommendations, one at least from a doctor approved under Section 12 (2).
* The right to object to formal admission to hospital under Section 3 (though this right can be removed by the courts).
* The right to request the discharge of your relative if they are compulsorily detained in psychiatric hospital.
* The nearest relative can formally transfer his functions to another person, usually in writing, who can then act as nearest relative.

Source; http://www.heron.nhs.uk/specialist_directory/mhd/mental_health_act.htm

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1579356/QandA-Mental-heath-sectioning.html

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/RightsAndObligations/Police/DG_4018603

Google - Section Under the Mental Health Act

 

[amyethest]

Thank you again for a swift reply, I think that I mayin the first instance go to our family GP who has known us all for years and see if he can offer any other advice, I'm sure he will say that I need my brother to go to see him himself but at least I will have 'flagged up' the issue
Thanks again, it has made me feel a bit less lost having someone to explain things to!

 

[Apotheosis]

Thanks, no worries. I hope that things work out. Please let us know how things go.