Can my Psychiatrist do this?

Hi,

So apparently Ive been manic for the last few weeks so my doctor adjusted my meds and had mental health checking in on me.

However last week at my psych appointment he turned around and said I need to be in hospital, except nothing had changed from the following weeks.

He then said I had until 10.30am the next day to be admitted to the private hospital where he works which is voluntary admissions or else he will call police and have me scheduled.

I got admitted the next day and he said I will be able to gobhome in a few days but if I try and leave etc he will have me scheduled. I seen him a few days later altho I dont remember it because I was to groggy from all the meds they made me have the night before but basically I wasn't allowed to go home.

Its been a few days again and today he is saying still that I can not go home and if I want to leave so bad I can but he will call police. He also said he has already written up a schedule and it is in my file waiting to go. Today I also asked him if I can reduce some of the night meds because they are making me to groggy the next day but he refused.

He also said that at the rate I'm going I will be lucky to be out by christmas.

Can he keep me in here and threaten me with police and schedule? I honestly dont think my behavior has been inappropriate the last few weeks, yeh I'm manic but I haven't done anything really wrong so I dont understand why I'm being kept here or even put in hospital in the first place!

Any advice??? Thanks

Can he force you to stay? Probably but not for an infinite duration.

In the USA we have mental health advocates who can help with this type of thing. I am not familiar with Australia but I did find this link which may be helpful to you - Advocacy, complaints and appeals for people receiving mental health care or treatment :: SA Health

Unfortunately he's got the "expert" credential so... Yes, he can do all those things, but, that doesn't mean he is RIGHT in doing them.

I was taken by the police to IP because of a phone call from an out of state pdoc whom I had never met or talked to before , and was kept 7 days and only got out because a pdoc (not mine) signed the papers ... it was all "for my own good" , so at least here they can ...

Thanks for your reply. Where abouts are you from if you don't mind me asking?
Im being told very similar about it being my for my own good but I'm not doing anything wrong, thats the part I dont get!

I went to a intake center (willingly). Then the hospital of my choice was full. The only other hospital my insurance would cover was a state hospital. I tried to leave and the doc on call signed papers on me to be admitted. I then learn that because I tried to leave I was put on "Mental Health Probation". I was kept for two weeks in the hospital. When I discharged they had me go to mental health court. The terms of my release was to keep taking my meds, work with a case manager, therapist and doc. They gave me a copy of my papers and it had an appt listed with my doc. I had to go back to court three months later to show I complied. Then I was taken off probation. Yes a doc can have you admitted and keep you as long as they want. I was told if I didn't comply I would be admitted again. If the doc feels you still have symptoms they will keep you.

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I am wondering if you are groggy from meds, why you aren't coming down from mania? You said you were manic in your post from november.

You need to find out exactly what the laws in Australia allow, and what protections there are for you. (here, right now, you have to be considered dangerous to yourself or someone else to be involuntarily hospitalized, and even this is limited----and it is not easy to enter into a hospital voluntarily (lacking resources/beds/etc)---
You can access relevant laws, rules & regulations on line. If you need help navigating, go to a public library & talk to the reference librarian. (if one library isn't helpful, try another)

A lot depends on where you are. If you're in Canada, they have more power over their psych admits than they do in the States. However, if your doctor feels that you are a danger to yourself or others he can keep you in the hospital until he's got you medically balanced and past that point.

I've been brought in by the police a few times and stayed involuntarily in the hospital last Christmas and New Years. Have you asked your pdoc why he wanted you in the hospital suddenly? You can't be forced to take meds but they can keep you in the hospital if you're non-compliant. The best thing is probably to ride them out until you adjust and they don't make you as sleepy.

Unfortunately this has been threatened to me as well..A couple of times. As well as the refusal to change my meds whilst on hospital. I'm so sorry you're having to deal with this-maybe ask for a second opinion from a different doctor or nurse xx

I am in the mid-west of the usa, ... I had forgot, my wife and kids had to come to the hospital and sign a statement that they would keep me safe ... it was made very clear to me if they would not I would not be released even with the pdoc saying I could leave ... this is hospital policy ... liability I guess ... to this day I have no idea why I was taken IP ...