[Whoaminoone]

I don't know if anyone can answer this... I've been thinking about admitting myself (or somehow getting myself admitted) into an inpatient facility in the hopes of it leading to more consistent care of my mental health issues, but I'm terrified that if I go inpatient "they" (whoever "they" are...) will take away the only thing I have in this life-- my children. I fear if I am 100% open and honest about my thoughts and feelings that "they" will decide I am too unstable and view me as a danger to my children (I'm not a danger to them).
I guess my question is: Can my children be taken away if I seek help more aggressively for my mental health?

I know mental health issues are so misunderstood and feared that people that don't suffer from any seem to have this fear of those who do suffer, or a mistaken belief that any/all mental illness= serial killer :/

[ThisWayOut]

I have seen people seek intensive treatment and still keep their kids. You say you are not a danger to them, so there should be no reason for them to take them away. Do you have anyone to watch them while you are inpatient, and during the times you will be in outpatient treatment? The only worry I could see is if you have no one to watch the kids while you are inpatient, then they will enter the system at least while they have no one to care for them. But seeking help for yourself is often seen as a strength, not a "weakness" in parenting (you can't take care fo them appropriately if you yourself are falling apart)... I don;t know the specifics for where you live, but you could always anonymously call either a local hotline, or your local child welfare agency and see how they view that. You don't have to give your real name, just ask in hypotheticals. ask as if you were asking for a friend or family member...

[regretful]

Whew...I think you're right in that nobody can answer that. The laws about child custody vary from state to state. Why do you think you have to be admitted to a hospital to get more consistent care? Is there some level of outpatient care that will suffice? I was hospitalized in late Dec/early Jan of this year and it did not lead to any more care for myself. Oh, and the caveat for me to be admitted was that 2 MD's had to decide I was a danger to myself (in retrospect, I wasn't)...If I had the chance to do it over again, I would have sought outpatient care first...but that's me.

[Clara22]

Hi
Family law people could answer your call. I know at least two women whose children were taken away because of mental health background including time in mental health facilities. Both cases, ex - husbands played a big role in the processes and negative outcomes. In one of the cases, also a bad school psychologist made a negative intervention. There is a lot of stigma around mental health, particularly against women with psychiatric needs. Having said that, I met people with mental health issues that could keep their children, as well. I am not sure where you are, maybe you can get in touch with Mindfreedom org or any other advocacy or self help group. For the last 10 years I worked on disability and development and had the opportunity to meet and work with organizations and groups of users of psychiatry, although I am not an expert and currently I am not even a user of psychiatry. I am a disabled person, though, and I know a bit of stigma and how it works. I do not want to discourage you, but peers with experience and advocates on behalf of patients within the legal framework may give you the best data for you to make an informed decision on this matter and be covered for any eventuality. I wish you the best

[Whoaminoone]

After doing more research, including a few anonymous calls with *hypotheticals*, I have found being admitted would be a very BAD thing and only create more stressors as opposed to opening doors to treatment.
Regretful, in answer to your question of inpatient vs outpatient treatment, in a word " insurance". I can't afford the co-pay per session for outpatient services. I have gone intermittently over the years at times I was able to afford it. My thought was if I was treated inpatient my insurance company would view outpatient services more seriously and allow more consistent treatment.
As for my children, I found out through a series of calls that if I were admitted they would be placed in state funded foster care and statistically the chances of them ever returning to my care would be less than 10%. Essentially, I would be punished for seeking help.

I guess I'm just back to square one. More than ever, I now feel like I need to *hide* any sort of mental illness for fear of my earlier anonymous calls being traced back and my kids being taken! Grr....I think I just made my whole situation worse rather than better!