Calling the CAT team or ambulance to help a loved one - seems too terrifying to do

Hi friends,

I am wondering if anyone here has had to make the difficult decision to enforce medical help on a loved one, perhaps by involving a mental health team or calling an ambulance? Or anyone who has had this happen to them, been sectioned etc?

My husband has been in psychosis for two years now. It is most likely he has delusional disorder - he has paranoid delusions that he is being spied on and monitored wherever he goes, and he is constantly 'hearing' strangers say things in passing like 'you're being set-up' etc. For more context, he's otherwise stable in the sense that he can present normally in society, do his job well and function fairly normally, and isn't a risk to self or others. I'm the only person who knows what he is struggling with, and that he isn't experiencing reality in a normal way. He 100% believes his delusions to be true, and won't get medical help.

I love him but it's an exhausting roller-coaster ride having to listen to the delusions on a daily basis. For instance, yesterday he was too scared to connect to the internet at work because he believed his computer was being hacked and used for incriminating ppurposes.I managed to calm his fears, and he was 'brave' enough to use the internet. On a good day, he'll just mention the delusions in passing and i'll succeed in changing the topic. On a bad day, he might be carrying on in an agitated way to me for ages, even hours if it's a really bad day.

I've been considering leaving temporarily to snap him out of it, but I was advised by a forum of people who have had psychosis that this is unlikely to help, as he won't suddenly stop believing his delusions. Those guys advice was that forcing help ie via trying to get him sectioned, is the best and kindest option.

I am terrified to take this big step, as I have no way of knowing how it may play out. I called the mental health support line and they said basically my main option is to call an ambulance, but again they may do nothing if he masks, may only hold him for a few days, may hold him longer, who knows. It's scary as we really need him to remain in his job (which he loves and is very talented at) so we can pay the bills and feed the kids.

Does anyone know how calling the ambulance is likely to play out, in my situation? I'm in Sydney and it seems I can't speak directly to a CAT team, I'd just have to call an ambulance or police (really don't want to do the latter, feels way too much). I guess I've realised after two years of trying that he is not going to see a doctor or even speak to a counsellor (they are all 'in on it') but at the same time,the illness is not going to go away by itself.

Any guidance gratefully appreciated!!