thanks rainy and breadfish

rainy: there is no hearing set up. we are going to try to commit her tomorrow. where i live you have to go to a magistrate and convince them the person is either A. suicidal B. homicidal or C. unable to care for themselves. in the USA they make it really difficult to commit a person experiencing psychosis they do not meet criteria A and B. its a really huge grey area and mostly depends on what magistrate you encounter.

IF the magistrate agrees that my sister is unable to care for herself, the police are called to come get her. that means they will come to my mom's house and take my sister to an emergency room. THEN she will meet with a psychiatrist and the psychiatrist will determine if her state warrants a 72 hour hold.

if she is admitted to a psych unit, she can still refuse meds til shes blue in the face. we are not sure, but we think if 2 psych docs agree that medication is necessary, they can force meds. OR, you have to have a hearing and have a judge declare she is incompetent. my mom would then become the guardian and consent to forced medication.

OUR HUGE FEAR is that my sister will either A. NOT be admitted to the psych ward because she comes in and out of this state. she seems to realize when it's getting her in trouble, backpedals, puts on her normal face, and no one sees that anything is wrong. or B. she IS admitted to a psych unit, refuses meds, no docs or judge sees anything that warrants forced meds, and she is discharged after 3 days.

OUR FEAR is that if either of those scenarios happen that she will be come very aggressive and hostile, hate us, totally shut us out for who knows how long, maybe even leave my mom's house and become another psychotic homesless person.

i do not recognize this person as my sister anymore. she has endured a TOTAL personality change. i desperately want my sister back. another thing to consider, though, is that she might actually like the space she's in. which, in that case, there is nothing we can do.