Teenage boy in mental hospital?

Question

I recently found this resource, (Yahoo answers) while checking my sons Computer history. I found a lot of web research on bi polar disorder, depression, and smoking cessation.

My son is bi-polar according to the information I gave a psychiatrist. Why he could not go himself? He refuses to.

He is a 15 year old, and I break my back for him. He is in an amazing school (private, of which I pay the tuition,) and wants to become a veterinarian.

But I fear he may, at some point, attempt suicide or homocide. He has severe anger problems, and hits his brother for the littlest thing. The doctor said it wasn't just teenage hormones and to hospitalize him in a mental institution. I would put him in ER but I do not know if he is in *immediate* suicide danger.

He says, on a moral, not defensive standpoint, that interfering with a planned suicide is wrong, and that it is one persons choice, and forcing someone to live miserably or force them medication is immoral.

Opinions? Suggestions please

Answer 1

Okay, I don't really see how much the mental hospital is going to help him.

I've been there twice, but I was ready to see a change after refusing medication for 10 years.

If you refuse medication, then you refuse medication.

And unless the medication is in the form of shots-- he can just spit the medication out.

BUT-- what to do?

He has a severe anger problem. He is probably bi-polar.

He himself has been researching bi-polar. That's a great first step.

I would get him a bi-polar mentor from nami. And when it comes to medication........... you can try it and then go off of it if you don't like the results.

Medication is not something that is this BE ALL OR END ALL thing. Also sometimes it takes a good while (years) to get the medication right.

I'm diagnosed as bi-polar with psychotic features and I take geodon 40 mg (control mania), abilify 10 mg (control depression) and lamictal 200 mg (mood stabilizer).

He should talk with people........ My IQ is 155, I went to M.I.T. which is a good school for three years, but then I flipped out and refused medication. I'm 35 now and I'm STILL an undergraduate at a state school. So refusing medication can definitely mess up your life even if you get into the dream school.

But I think it has to come from him. Does he want to be successful?

Can meds cure a broken dream? No, but you can change the dream-- not necessarily the values behind the dream-- but you can change the dream enough to where it is satisfying. A tangential dream.

Answer 2

As a parent of a minor child, it is your obligation to "interfere" with anything he is doing to himself or anyone else that is harmful. If you take him to the ER, they will do a professional assessment of his risk of self harm so you do not have to worry. They can then get him the help he seems to need. Don't be afraid of getting help for him, even if he doesn't want it. It is my opinion that it is unethical to allow a person who is not thinking rationally to make such serious decisions for himself. If he has mentioned suicide in any context, this is a sign that he needs professional help. Don't wait for anything serious to occur before intervening. By the way, if he is Bipolar, which cannot be known for sure until he is seen by a psychiatrist, this is a difficult disease for the affected individual to acknowledge because when he is feeling good, he won't really identify with the depressed side to his personality... It can take a long time for him to come to terms with it on his own. Good luck to you!

Answer 3

Bipolar disease is treatable but it takes a long time for the medications to work since the correct dosage must be found,a mental hospital may be a solution, they can keep him safe and teach him to manage his illness,as a parent you are going to do whatever you have to to get him the help he needs,putting your son in a mental hospital may be the hardest thing for you to do but in the long term it will be the best for your son and for your family.

Answer 4

Try being a friend instead of a mom, a kid needs that in his life- especially if hes "living miserably".

Find out whats bothering him and try to find him some positive outlooks he can on life. Try solving why his life is so bad, maybe its school pressure- "best schools" can have too much pressure and kids theyre may be a problem also.

Show him how much you care about him, and how he doesnt need to end his life to make things better and maybe that'll change his mind.

i hope this helps :)

Answer 5

When my son was 8, I hospitalized him. He's never forgiven me, but it was the thing to do and no doubt saved our family.

This child needs to be hospitalized immediately. Do your homework and find a mental facility for teens. This may help: www.nami.org. They can refer you to a dr. or a facility, and give you all the info you can swallow.

This is an emergency. Get this done pronto and help your son find himself before he kills himself.

TX Mom
Debbie
e-mail if you need to

Answer 6

Yes, have him committed to a mental hospital for immediate treatment. If he is not immediately suicidal, he may be soon, and you won't know for sure if he is until he tries it.

Answer 7

It called "It's kind of a funny story" staring Emma Roberts

Answer 8

as a disturbed child, i wish i had the resources of your son. if i had been treated i wouldn't have done the appaling things i did. i live with there echos every day and now that i'm "sane" the guilt is almost unbearable at times. KEEP HIM IN THERAPY AND CONFINED IF HE IS EXHIBITING VIOLENCE. you will be sparing him years of adult grief, regret, guilt, and torment. i wish you and him the best.

Answer 9

get help immediately. i refused to see the signs and now my daughter is in a group home because she decided suicide was a better solution, i almost lost her.