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best course of action?

almosthereCasual Contributor25 Jan 2024, 11:41 pm AEDT

best course of action?

Hi, a new acquaintance who is staying with us, arrived due to a major life crisis, over the last four days has not slept they are bipolar and I feel they are now experiencing mania/psychosis. definatley racing thoughts, talking non nonsensical and removing clothes and just walking off in to the dark. We manged to get him back and fed. He was asleep for 20 minutes woke up on the hunt for something, I manged to persuade him to go back to bed and placed a wet cloth on his head and body and maintained smooth contact to guide back to sleep. If this does not work how do we guide the conversation to get him to hospital so that he can sleep as if feel this is the main concern now?any thoughts

3 replies

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In response to: best course of action?

tymeModerator27 Jan 2024, 2:59 pm AEDT

Re: best course of action?

Hey @almosthere ,

Do you have your local area's mental health triage number? This would be the best start as it sounds like he's not very safe at the moment.

It sounds like he really needs support. The only other way is to call 000 so the police can take him to the hospital.

I see you posted 2 days ago. How has he been since?

In response to: Re: best course of action?

almosthereCasual Contributor02 Feb 2024, 3:02 pm AEDT

Re: best course of action?

Hi @tyme, It was quite a ride, I did eventually get him to sleep with a massage. he had about 40 mins woke up with enough head space to agree to go to hospital to get something to help him sleep. on the way to the hospital he talked himself into self admitting. by the time time we got to the hospital he was loosing his inhibitions again, so they admitted him under the act. But the big thing was he felt like he took control. so almost a week later he is again taking his meds, and just sounding amazing. I am still dazed and just totally depleted.

thank you for responding. As I found the decision difficult to make by myself but if I hadnt of made it at the time, he would have lost all control and rebelled against medication. The situation was made even more difficult because that was me two years ago without any support.

again thank you.

In response to: Re: best course of action?

tymeModerator02 Feb 2024, 7:23 pm AEDT

Re: best course of action?

Wow! What great news that is! I'm so glad to hear that they 'took control' @almosthere . Good on you for sticking by them! Fingers crossed they will continue to take their medication. Is there a community treatment order in place so that if they don't take their meds, then the MH team will step in?

Also, do you have the psychiatric triage number handy?

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