Long term implications of being 'Sectioned'

Corelli

Hello,

my son (14) is in great need of help with his mental health and is refusing to attend the day unit attached to our local adolescent mental health centre. The psychiatrist in charge of his case at CAMHS phoned me last night to say he will be starting the procedure to take him in as an acute patient.

I agree totally with this but have concerns about his adult life with this in his background. I suspect it will go against him for emloyment, visa applications and maybe more. As the psychiatrist said, and his father and I agree, he isn't going to be doing any of those things as an adult anyway without intervention now.

However a little bit of me is hanging onto the hope that he might go in voluntarily if he understood what this might mean for him as an adult and I do not have all the facts to show him.

Having said that, I and others have made it explicit that he has to have this help and that he can avoid being an inpatient by going to the day care unit. He has not responded by going to the day unit so I doubt that anything I can say will persuade him to go in voluntarily.

mummyofboys

Hi

I had alot of similar issues when I was a child around14/16 years I was also under a psychiatrist. I am now a student nurse, on every medical ( to get into uni, the hospital trust for employment, college) the doctors have declared my past however I was given an opportunity to meet with someone from each organisation and explain the reasons and how I have overcome my past.

I have been successful in every interview and it hasn't held me back, I have been really upfront and honest about everything

Hope this helps

Molly41

Yes I agree with Mummyof boys - that sort of experience can give insight into a role and actually help with applications. My advice is not to look too far forward but just concentrate on the here and now x

zzzLazyDaisy

As a parent of an emotionally and mentally troubled son, I would also advise you to live in the here and now. The future will take care of itself - if he is so disturbed that a section is being considered, logic and reason will not reach his consciousness. He can't cope today, right now - what may or may not happen at some unknown date in the future will almost certainly have no impact on him whatsoever today.

You have my sympathy, but you need to be guided by his doctor and let go.

Good luck

Dx

Peccary

I agree with the other posters, just think about now. My sister was sectioned at 16 (paranoid schizophrenic) My parents had no choice as she was so ill. She is now 30 and her condition is controlled by medication, she is on a benefit (can't remember which) and has a part time job in a shop, friends, a fairly "normal" life. Her manager knows of her medical history. She also got a lot of help from a charity which helps young people with mental health issues live independently.

If he gets this help now it could help him live with his condition and understand it, my sister knows when she is slipping and will take herself to her psychiatrist.

John1678w

Hiya,

I was sectioned around eight years ago now. At the time it was very difficult to imagine any kind of future, so I'm afraid talking to your son about the future impact of his actions may well be futile.

However, it isn't all bad. I was in hospital for a long time, and off work for years. I was terrified that no-one would employ me. I also had a custody battle with my son to worry about. But things have turned out okay. Times are changing is what i guess I'm saying.

For work it has had little impact so far. I have worked in a home for disabled children, being sectioned isn't a criminal offence so doesn't appear on an Enhanced CRB check. I have always disclosed fully my medical history, and the period when I was on section is another period when I was in hospital. Having said that, I've always discussed things with my Drs first. I've always had their support and have talked things through with them.

It's harder for other things - my son is disabled and now lives with me. My mental health history kept appearing on his reports - shared with school/Dr/social workers everyone. I complained and it has now been removed. Yes the stigma will always be there, but there are relatively few positions where being sectioned is not allowed (can't remember off the top of my head, I think the police might be one of them).

I send you my best wishes - what a horrible decision to have to make for your son, especially when he is so young. I just wanted you to know that it doesn't mean he's stigmatised for life - hopefully it means he will get the help and support he needs and it will assist you all as a family. Lots of luck x

Corelli

Thanks everyone,

I am not concerned about him going in as such, I was worried particularly about him going to America which is his dream. After googling I've not found anything that particularly states a person with mental health issues in their past will not get a visa. So all that is left is a sadness that it has come to this again.

He had ten months as an inpatient last year and although he protested about it, everyone including himself could see that he benefited from it.

So yes, I can see reasoning with him about this will not work. Next week we have the assessments from the independant people, probably Tuesday if they are available so it won't be long now. Unless my boy can somehow manage to go to the day centre.

Its not easy getting to be inside a mental health unit. I hear of people ending up there by terrible errors on the part of professionals but our own experience is anything but.

I saw another boy, totally losing it, really manic and suicidal and we called an ambulance for him, expecting the paramedics would take him to a place where he would be safe and looked after but when he refused to go they had no power to make him go with them. The paramedics were brilliant, talking to him for ages and one afterwards said she had similar experiences with her own family.

Then another experience of someone I know very well, he was very depressed, drinking a lot and on the edge of killing himself. He managed to get himself to A&E where they refused to take him in. They said that if he had the sense to get to A&E he was not really a danger to himself. After that he did get regular counselling and daily visits from community psychiactric nurses daily

Corelli

A brief update: my son went in last Thursday. It was not an easy day, he ended up travelling in a Police car, his parents and the relevant specialist Social Worker going in ours. However he already seems to be benefitting from being there.

Thank you every one for your posts.

zzzLazyDaisy

(((((Hugs)))))

Thanks for coming back and updating us.

I have twice had the experience of following a police car with my son curled up in the back of it, and feeling totally powerless. It is a horrible feeling and you have my deepest sympathy. But he needs help, and YOU need support in all this.

My advice to you is that while he is in hospital, make sure you get proper aftercare for him. Make it clear that you cannot cope and that he needs on-going specialist support when he comes home. Funds are short and families who don't speak up are often left to cope until the next crisis (if this does not apply to your area, that's great, but I am just saying, just in case).

If there is a carer's group, join it, attend it, make use of it.

You are in this for the long haul, problems like this don't just go away, but with support, they can be managed, and your son can have as good a life as anyone else.

Good luck

Dx

Corelli

Thanks LazyDazy,

you are SO very right. I feel for you being through the following the police car stint twice. How is your boy and your family now? I didn't exactly feel powerless as I was thinking he was headed for the right place but so sad to see my boy so desperate that he had been doing what he had been doing to resist going away, and then seeing him so defeated and rejected and helpless.

After my boy's last stint of 10 months (voluntary patient that time) we felt so totally usupported in the community. Once a month at CAHMS was not enough. This time the CAHMS people are talking about different specialist schools, but worrying about getting the funding. I will have to do the legwork in looking for places. Still, at least the Head of Family Therapy is 'on our side' in looking for something other than the mainstream school he has been registered with. A good school but not it seems what he needs. Our borough is integrated which means we have no specialist provision within the borough. From what I have heard as well, local buroughs have specialist provision for more severe autism, LDs etc but nothing suitable for inteligent high functioning autism - that's if/when he gets over his other difficulties.

And again I say, in case any home edders are reading this, home ed is not an option, for many reasons. I wish it was.

zzzLazyDaisy

Corelli, do you feel able to say whereabouts in the country you are, and your son's age? I ask because I have some contacts and can ask around for schools (although obviously I can't promise anything).

Also, I am presuming you know of the Autism Society, but just in case

http://www.autism.org.uk/