[Bawb3]

Hi everyone.
I'll start with a brief background. My sister is 21 and has been diagnosed with a slew of disorders over the past few years. Primarily extreme depression and anxiety, PMDD, and OCD. She has fibromyalsia, and her hormone levels are completely out of whack. thyroid included.
She has been to countless doctors, given countless pills, and lately she has resorted to smoking weed all day everyday as well as taking klonopin.
She's been suffering from extreme fits of uncontrollable rage, and has tried to take her life a few times now.
This morning was the last straw when she tried to OD on klonopin. My mom took her to the ER and they put her on the 72 hour suicide watch.

Here's the big problem, the hospital has no beds in the psych ward, and they cannot find any institutions that will take her because she is being so angry and violent.

We do not know what to do or where to send her. We can't just bring her home after the 72 hours after the hospital because she'll just try to hurt herself again. She's already been sedated once and is still having fits of anger in the ER.

She is currently in hospital in Youngstown OH and we need help! We need to find somewhere that will take her in long term, watch over her, and help her heal without putting this kind of stress on my mother and our family. This is tearing us apart and we just don't know what to do. Please any advice is appreciated.

[optimize990h]

Hello, Bawb3.



I hope you find feedback here at PC forums. Here are some links that you might find helpful and a start to finding the answers to the situation you have described.

http://forums.psychcentral.com/depre...ort-group.html
Coping with Emotions - Forums at Psych Central
Caregivers Support - Forums at Psych Central

Note: This last link above relates to you and your family needing to have some respite for yourselves and appropriate self care as well.

I am hoping other PC members will help provide you with feedback that will help you and your family come up with an appropriate solution. Take care.

[Nammu]

I don't know what to say but if she is in danger of hurting herself she can not be released that is unethical they need to find a place for her, it is their job to protect her. I would suggest calling your states disability rights legal office they are there to protect the rights of everyone with disabilities, your sister needs treatment and they may be able to help, at least refer you to places that can help. Just look under www.disability rights(your state).org you can find the number to call.
Health care for the mentally ill is hard to find in USA, and if she is unwilling to be in treatment even harder. Best of luck. Please keep posting here. j

[gayleggg]

Sidestepper had some good suggestions. I don't have anything to add but just wanted to let you know how sorry I am that she is in such bad shape. Wishing you and your family can find the help you need.
Gayle

[Rohag]

Welcome, Bawb3. You might consider calling 211 - United Way/AIRS and describe your situation to them. NAMI Ohio (National Alliance on Mental Illness) might also be a resource.

[spondiferous]

It kind of blows my mind that, if they had no beds or whatever, they didn't have some information as to an alternative. I don't really know what to say except start a long-winded tirade against The System. But I've been doing it a lot lately and it won't help you.
I would find some kind of medical crisis line, suicide prevention line, whatever, and just start from there. Some of those people are trained to have information on resources and hopefully they would be able to help you out. I feel for you and I will be thinking of you and your sister.

[Grey Matter]

Beds or no beds, they should be offering her another bed on a different floor until a bed opens up. That is the typical protocol with over stressed psych wards. If the hospital releases her and knows she is a danger to herself; the hospital is responsible for anything that happens. So my advice would be NOT to have her, or anyone in your family, sign for her release. If she is under a suicide watch; she is under a temporary section. So her next of kin (your mom) would be the one to sign the papers. Refuse as much as possible.

This is something that has happened to me in the past. I was 17 and tried to take my life (granted I wasn't violent, I was very introverted and fell mute) and they wanted me out of the hospital ASAP which was horrid considering I just OD'd on purpose. It's ridiculous the ringers they make you go through to get the care you or another needs.

I agree with above; if all else fails, contact your states disability rights. Whether she is violent or not; there needs to be a hospital or care facility that will take her as most psychiatric care centers have multiple floors for patients who show different symptoms, including anger and high anxiety.

[Fuzzybear]

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