Getting his agreement
Question
I think my friend appears to have psychosis. He's totally lost touch with reality and thinks there's a conspiracy against him. He's been living in a spiralling state of terror and I can't shake the feeling that he might harm himself. He's so desperate right now; he could do anything.
I think he needs some sort of professional help, but he's explicitly told me of his fears about being locked up or being sectioned. What would happen to him if he agreed to treatment? I know I'll have to explain it to him, but unless I do it just right he'll never agree to it, and I have no idea how these things work.
Answer
You seem very concerned about your friend's wellbeing. It sounds like he is very distressed at the moment and it's understandable you're worried he might do something harmful as a means of escaping his turmoil. The whole experience must be very frightening for both of you.
Symptoms of psychosis do include loss of touch with reality and delusions, like the conspiracy thoughts you describe and it is important your friend seeks professional help. But there is still a lot of stigma attached to mental health and the treatment available so many people feel just as frightened by the thought of approaching the mental health system as they do by their mental ill health. It is understandable your friend is fearful of being sectioned, but this is not necessarily going to be the outcome. And, it's worth remembering that even though the thought of being sectioned can be daunting, it is done in the best interests of the person's health, when it is felt they are unable to make their own decisions.
But sectioning someone is often a last resort; people are encouraged to get treatment voluntarily first. The first step to receiving treatment, for any mental health issue, is to approach a local doctor (GP). Perhaps you could consider talking to your friend about doing this. Maybe if you, or a family member, offered to accompany him to the GP for extra support, he may feel more comfortable about going. The GP's job is to assess and help the person in need to explore the options available to them in regards to support and treatment. They can also arrange any necessary referrals onto appropriate services.
This can be a very frightening prospect for anyone, but especially for someone like your friend who is experiencing such strong feelings. So it might be helpful to let him know that people are only generally sectioned if they are presenting a danger to themselves or others, or are in need of immediate, intensive treatment. It is possible to be referred for hospital treatment, but enter as an 'informal' patient on a voluntary basis, which means he would not be subject to detention and therefore would not be prevented from leaving when he wished. In addition, his consent would have to be obtained before any treatment is given.
If you, or your friend, would like to speak to someone in confidence about his current situation, then you might like to consider calling SANELINE on 0845 767 8000.
Question answered by SANE
