Involuntary commitment and forced treatment: what are my rights?

A schizophrenia diagnosis isn't something you just toss around lightly. Honestly, I have no clue how he managed to get slapped with that after just one single visit to a psychiatrist.

From what I know, you can't just force someone into a hospital if they aren't a danger to themselves or anyone else around them. You might want to reach out to the APA or something similar—maybe ask them for advice on how to handle the next steps. A psychiatrist needs to be involved, sure, but forced treatment is a whole different beast.🤷

My apologies, I misspoke in my rush earlier—there isn’t an official diagnosis yet, just a strong suspicion based on the symptoms we've been seeing...

LOM? What on earth is that?

It’s so difficult to get him to see a psychiatrist when he’s completely resistant. Honestly, what are we supposed to wait for? Are we meant to sit on our hands until he becomes a genuine danger to society before we can finally step in and help? We’re waiting for now, but I am at a total loss. I don't even know how to phrase it or approach him. How do you even begin to convince someone to seek help without making them feel cornered? Has anyone here actually managed to pull this off without resorting to force?

LOM = primary care physician

GP Doctor

It’s just moving along at its own pace, I guess. Look, I get it—waiting around for someone to actually snap or hurt themselves (or someone else) isn't exactly a winning strategy. But honestly, imagine if we could just hospitalize anyone just because someone else called it in? We'd have half the country sitting in psych wards for no reason at all. 🤷

If you check out the Psychology sub, they'll probably give you a better lead. Maybe ask them about how to nudge someone toward voluntary treatment instead.

nimblesailor85 said:It’s a nightmare trying to deal with a psychiatrist when they refuse to go—do we really have to wait until they become a danger to society before anyone steps in to help? We're just sitting here waiting, but I'm at a loss for words. I don't even know how to approach this or what kind of language to use to convince them to seek help with me... has anyone actually managed to pull this off without resorting to force???

Your best bet might be finding a psychiatrist willing to do home visits. I know of one specific instance where a doctor managed to talk a paranoid schizophrenic into checking into a psychiatric ward after three or four house calls—I can send the details via DM if you need them.

It's impossible to predict an outcome—it all depends on the doctor, the patient, the severity of the illness, and so on. And honestly, I assume the family needs to be fully on board too.

That is brilliant, Apple... I hadn't even considered that approach... truly a fantastic idea... thank you so much for pointing that out.🙂 🙂 🙂

In situations like this, one can't help but feel a bit helpless; you genuinely want to step up and help, yet you're left wondering how to actually make an impact. These kinds of insights are exactly what I need right now... truly, my sincere thanks.