Sister wants out of hospital

What is the name of your state? Maine

My sister is a paranoid schizophrenic and was involentary commited last month. She does not think she is ill and doesn't understand why she is there. She's been taking medicine since she's been there, but it's not helping. Today she had a court date to review her case. They want to keep her for 4 months and put her on a new trial medications. She is totally against this and wants me to find a way to get her out of there. I want her to stay and try to get help, but because of her illness, i can't say that to her. It would get her too upset, it's a long story. So i guess my question is, if i had nothing to do with putting her there, is there anyway legally i could get her out(hopefully not). She worked in the courts for a few years and know about some laws. I don't want to just lie to her and say i can't help her get out. Thanks for your help.

[rmet4nzkx]

It is a difficult situation because you have to put yourself in the middle. Here is a link to the Maine site for NAMI they deal with advocacy for mental health issues and deal with such situations and will have support for you and your sister.

NAMI Maine [url]http://me.nami.org/[/url]

[stealth2]

There's always the "just say no" option.

[tigger22472]

I'm not sure I can give you the answer but I can say that if the doctors have gone as far as getting an injunction to keep her there then they believe it is serious. My MIL has this illness and there are times that we believe she needs to stay in the hospital but the doctors disagree. Of course my MIL has learned how to manipulate the doctors. She will tell them she's fine... etc... then come home and tell us that she lied cuz she didn't want to be there anymore.

I might try telling her that because you have no legal right over her (POA.. guardianship..etc) you can't do anything, she might buy it. Tell her if you've talked to the doctors about this.

I feel for you because until she realizes there's a problem you will have more trouble in the future when she's home in making sure she takes the medication needed.

[AHA]

I know from experience with my cousin, any kind of rehabilitation takes a long time so of course your sister isn't any where near that yet. If you really want to help her, DON'T get her out of the hospital!! She might hate you for it now, but will be forever grateful to you when she's better.

[ellencee]

I don't want to just lie to her and say i can't help her get out.

That's not a lie; it's the truth. You can't get her out. Tell her the truth and tell her you don't want her to place that burden on you; you just want to be able to visit (or talk with her) and be her sister.
EC

[Jenni_Pooh2]

This may not help, but have you tried checking out forums like DSBA or NAMI? They may be able to offer you some insight on how to deal with this.

Thank you all for your help. I just talked to my sister and she didn't mention anything about helping her get out. She asked me to send her some money so she can buy some things to make her stay more comfortable. I guess she realizes she's going to be there awhile.. Again thank you all.

[rmet4nzkx]

Originally Posted by cindyrella

Thank you all for your help. I just talked to my sister and she didn't mention anything about helping her get out. She asked me to send her some money so she can buy some things to make her stay more comfortable. I guess she realizes she's going to be there awhile.. Again thank you all.

Sounds like the medicaitons are starting to help.
Please contact NAMI Maine [url]http://me.nami.org/[/url]
they can be a great source of support for both of you during and after her discharge, you will need help in the future of one sort or another and this is a good place to start. Take Care

[ajfai]

I hope your sister gets the help she needs. Mental illness also runs in my family. My uncle was a PS. He did not get help until he was in his early 40s. It's sad but if the cases are not severe enough the system allows people like him to just walk the streets and nothing happens until something really bad happens and then they decide that maybe this person is not well enough to be in society so the system punishes them.

Please keep us posted as to what happens. There are so little avenues for people with mental illness.

[tigger22472]

Originally Posted by ajfai

I hope your sister gets the help she needs. Mental illness also runs in my family. My uncle was a PS. He did not get help until he was in his early 40s. It's sad but if the cases are not severe enough the system allows people like him to just walk the streets and nothing happens until something really bad happens and then they decide that maybe this person is not well enough to be in society so the system punishes them.

Please keep us posted as to what happens. There are so little avenues for people with mental illness.

I think the worse part about it is that most doctors my husband and I have dealt with because of his mother listen more to HER then to us as far as things. We had one doctor argue with us when DH called and told him his mom was ready to have a breakdown(there are tell tell signs). He told us he'd seen her the week before and she was fine. Within a week of that call we had her in the hospital. She returned home for 3 days and showed up at our house again ready for another. DH called the doctor again and he then says that he believed she wasn't taking her meds... Um.. HELLO!! Had you said this the first time instead of telling us we were stupid per se we could of taken control. The last time we had her in the hospital things were bad and we asked about her continuing to live alone. We've been told eventually she'll be institutionalized and because of the HIPPA laws and the way these doctors were they wouldn't allow us to speak to the doctor alone without her present. When we asked the question they then turned and ASKED HER if she thought she could live alone... Well, duh!! We tell them she's not fine... they say she is... she'll tell THEM she is... and they buy it.

We can't do anything because the doctor's buy everything she says (even though THEY have her on the meds for the PS) so we can't get a POA because we can't get MIL to understand it's not about taking over her life and contolling her and the doctors wouldn't bid her to be incompetent to make that decision.

This is why I feel the OP's sister must really need the help if the doctor has gone as far as the injuction.