shonk52

Hi! I'm new, so bear with me. I would appreciate any help on how succesful involuntary commitment is. My 33 yr old son is a juvenile diabetic (for 23 yrs). For the last 15 years, I don't see him often unless he's in a crisis situation, and needs money. I always thought his problems were due to insulin reactions, but have found out he's run the gambit of alcohol, marijuana, crack, cocaine, meth, and assorted prescription drugs. I've noticed a huge change in him when I've seen him lately. This last week he'd come over at 2 a.m., or call, and was convinced people were in his house, the swat team was surrounding his home etc. I talked to one of his friends today, and he said none of them are hanging with him anymore, as he is bizarre and downright scary. He's been in treatment, court ordered outpatient, many times over the past 15 yrs, but think's it's a joke. To my knowlege, in addition to being a severe diabetic, he is currently a severe alcoholic, shooting up meth, taking Xanax, Lexapro, and Seroquel, and smoking marijuana. I tried to talk to him last Saturday, and begged him to go with me to a local treatment. He told me "f" me, he didn't need treatment, etc. I told him if he didn't go with me that day, he could no longer call or come over. He said that was fine. He's lost so much weight, doesn't eat, looks like death. His friends say he gets violent, breaks out peoples windows with bats (good friends of his), was going to shoot a good friend (they sent him to detox, and that's all), and is so bizarre the last few months, he's scaring everyone. What can I do? What if he harms someone, or overdoses, or goes into a coma from his diabetes? What would you do? Shonk52

Midas

Welcome aboard, shonk52. It sounds like you might need a professional "intervention" before he seriously hurts himself or someone else. You might want to check out the friends and family forum here.

GlassPrisoner

The only way I know of to get a 5150 (72 hour Psych evaluation) is if he is a threat to himself or someone else.

CarolD

It all depends on the laws of your state.
I suggest you see a lawyer for what is possible.

Check out this forum and share there too

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...tance-abusers/

I am sorry you and your son are going thru this.
Prayers

parentrecovers

welcome, shonk. sorry to hear about your situation. i'd call a lawyer, if you can. blessings, k

shonk52

Thanks to the people who replied. I will check out the family and friends section. His Dad was a severe diabetic and an alcoholic, and a neighbor found him in a coma on 11/10/07, and he passed that day. I do believe my son is a threat to himself for sure just from the combination of diabetes and all the drugs/alcohol, and he gets so hostile/paranoid/scary, that his friends are beginning to be afraid of him. I don't know that I have the luxury of time to do an intervention. Can't a person just do a "medical arrest", and have them put into a psychiatric institution for evaluation. I checked with one here (we live in South Dakota), and they said they'd be happy to do an assessment if I bring him in. That would be fine, but he won't go willingly?

Anna

Check with your family dr or a dr who knows your son and hopefully they will have some advice. I've never heard of a 'medical arrest' though.

Midas

A medically supervised intervention is basically "medical arrest". Check with your local law enforcement agency. You can request an officer to be present to assist you, due to the propensity (likelihood) of a serious threat. You could also consider placing him under citizen's arrest, whereupon the officer can escort your son to be evaluated. For his OWN safety.

Option #2. Get an injunction (restraining order) against him. If he violates the restriction, he can and will be arrested. Once he is in custody, medical and/or psychiatric treatment can be considered and administered as needed.

frstnm

i had been wondering what a 5150 is....
where does that come from ?

Midas

It's mostly from California Penal / Welfare & Institutions Code;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5150_(I...chiatric_hold))

shonk52

This is for Midas. You're right about the medical arrest being essentially an intervention with the police present, but in the City where we live, my son has been in jail so many times, and they have done such stupid things when he was there, even though I had pretty much drawn them a picture of his medical issues. This summer he was there in jail once for DWI and possession of paraphanalia, which was fine that he was in jail, but I had told them that when his blood sugars get low, he gets really hostile. But every time he'd have an insulin reaction, they'd throw him in solitary confinement, thinking he was being incorrigible, or whatever. The next time, he had broken his wrist the day before he was arrested, and they'd cut the cast off during the search looking for drugs in the cast, and 3 days later they still hadn't had it recasted. I finally went to the Mayor's office and refused to leave until they took him to a doctor to have it recasted. After 15 yrs. of incidents like this with law enforcement, I hate to call the police, because he needs to be in treatment, not incarcerated. If they went over there with me, wouldn't they search for drugs and arrest him rather than help me get him to treatment? Please don't think I'm defending him---I'm not. If they would make sure to give him his insulin, food, etc when he needs it, not by the jail's schedule, I would almost be relieved to have him in jail, where he didn't at least have access to the drugs/alcohol. Does that make any sense? I get a little long-winded, I know. I realize if his friends are even becoming fearful of him because of his erratic behavior, I may have to say some prayers and get the police involved, and hope that if the drugs don't kill him, they won't.

Midas

I understand your position. It's a difficult call. I don't have much experience in this area, so I'm rather limited on suggestions. Sorry. Do you know if you have an ombudsman in your area? They are a wealth of information. I'll see if I can locate some resources for you.

shonk52

Got your PM, Midas, but what's an ombudsman? I'm checking out the site you suggested right this minute! Thanks again.