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Guardianship over ADULT child

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LdiJ

Senior Member
If you are funding her, with draw all financial support except for mental health care.
That is horrible advice. Medical insurance AND mental health care might be acceptable advice, but not just mental health care. And, as the OP stated in the first post, she has not been diagnosed with a mental illness and is no longer suicidal.
 


stealth2

Under the Radar Member
I'll add that OP & spouse won't be able to watch her constantly, either. Maybe for a few days, but not long-term...
 

t74

Member
I'll add that OP & spouse won't be able to watch her constantly, either. Maybe for a few days, but not long-term...
That is why she should be STRONGLY encouraged to participate in an on campus educational program and get a job outside the house where she can be observed for problems arriving from depression and her apparent health issues (from the insulin references). Often talking will not work; other means - including withdrawing financial support - may be necessary. OP needs to try all means necessary to get the child into an appropriate environment - not necessarily living at home.

The stigma of mental illness is such that the individual, family and friends want to deny it exists. It frequently appears in the late teens and 20s. A person who has made one suicide attempt has a serious problem and to be dismissed as not being mentally ill becaust they failed is foolish. Why risk other attempts when the chance of success increases with each try. There is much online from reputable sources regarding severe mental illness among young people.

Unfortunately, someone cannot be institutionalized for what they might do. In patient care is short term. The best that can be hoped for is to have ongoing care - even when the person seems to be doing fine - and encourage them to be in a supportive environment. It takes a different type of "tough love" to deal with someone who has made an attempt at suicide.

As the parent of a mentally ill adult child who has dealt with issues of suicide prevention, hospitalizations, medication, appropriate psychiatric and psychological care, ... for over 20 years, I am qualified to speak to anothe parent just beginning the journey. OP's child's life depends on the entire family being honest, informed, supportive and proactive.
 

LdiJ

Senior Member
Except that the OP's child was NOT diagnosed with a mental illness. Not everyone who attempts suicide is mentally ill. It is unfair to the OP to assume that your journey with your child will be the same as her child.
 

t74

Member
Some/many mentally ill - especially young people - are not properly diagnosed. In my child's case, it too 12 years and another 5 to identify an effective drug therapy. Just when you think things are going well, something happens to turn their life - and yours -into a pending disaster.

OP is right to be concerned. Everone needs to be concerned about family at all times (have we learned nothing from the mass shootings this past week) , and if a member has previously attempted suicide, be especially observant. It is better to be watchful than to be planning a funeral.
 

t74

Member
Except that the OP's child was NOT diagnosed with a mental illness. Not everyone who attempts suicide is mentally ill. It is unfair to the OP to assume that your journey with your child will be the same as her child.
A person does not attempt suicide for no reason.

Do the research on mental illness. Do not stick yoiur head in the sand!
 

cbg

I'm a Northern Girl
When the tool in your hand is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. Some forms of depression are medically based and not considered a mental illness. And I know that from my OWN family situation. Even a psychiatrist could not make a formal diagnosis of mental illness based on the scant information we have here.

The LEGAL question asked of this OP has been answered.
 

davidoyama

New member
I think 22 age enough to mature a girl. I agree with blue take away her education/future. That will give her the will to live. Hope she will be fine.
 

commentator

Senior Member
If the intention of the parents is to get the girl back home where they can supervise her and break off the relationship with the fiancé, the last thing in the world they need to do is try to break them up or move her back home by trying to get legal guardianship of her. If they can't get the agreement and buy-in of their 22 year old daughter that she needs to live at home and/or needs to break up with this fiancé, they're going to shove her into possibly a bad marriage, possibly a whole lot of bad choices that she might not have made had they been more accepting. I spent a whole life with a mother who was always threatening to "have me committed!" and so my hammer and nail is don't try to force her into anything.
 
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