Assistance available to those with mental illness..

infected_shroom

A close family member of mine has some form of mental illness. She suffers from chronic paranoia and is breaking away from reality with some of the stories shes coming out with (the rest of the family believe shes hearing voices). This is a problem which has been getting progressively worse over a number of years - and shes in total denial of it.
Shes been out of work for some time - although she believes she will find work - this isnt going to happen as shes basically not in a position to hold down a job. As a result shes on employment assistance and is hardly getting by financially.

We cant really help her until she herself accepts that theres a problem. Its frustrating to watch someone in turmoil but the only thing we can do is to come to her assistance the minute she does decide to face up to her illness.

On that basis, I was wondering if anyone here has had similar experiences with a family member - and if so, what support (financial) is there for people in her situation in Ireland?

Basically, we believe that IF she ever accepts the problem and seeks some medical help, with the right medication she could have something that resembles a good life - as opposed to the hell she is living in right now.
Is there assistance with housing for someone like this who could well live independently but is not going to be capable of working and will probably need ongoing medication?

Esel

Your local Health Board should have good services in place for this. Ring them, or speak to your/her GP for advice.

It is a very distressing situation, and you may have to consider having your relative committed to hosptial - unless she agrees to this voluntarily.

Hope it all works out.

infected_shroom

esel wrote:

It is a very distressing situation, and you may have to consider having your relative committed to hosptial - unless she agrees to this voluntarily.

Yes, this was the way we were thinking a couple of years back - but its not a possibility. Unless she harms someone or harms herself (and i'm talking about blatant harm), its impossible to have her commited. Its understandable why its setup like this these days - but frustrating in this particular instance - as it would be for the best. She isnt - or wouldnt be that bad with a little treatment.

monkeyfudge

Well hearing voices is a bad one. That's how my sister started.. she then moved on to cuting herself and suicide attempts and then finally trying to murder me by sticking a knife in my chest.

We had her sectioned under the mental health act in the end. She had been treated under private medical insurance, but she only seems to have made any progress with the state services.

All I can suggest is that your family keeps her under as close observation as possible and watch out for any signs of escalation in her condition.

Esel

infected_shroom wrote:

Yes, this was the way we were thinking a couple of years back - but its not a possibility. Unless she harms someone or harms herself (and i'm talking about blatant harm), its impossible to have her commited. Its understandable why its setup like this these days - but frustrating in this particular instance - as it would be for the best. She isnt - or wouldnt be that bad with a little treatment.

I don't think you have to wait for actual harm to occur - I would have thought that a threat would be enough? Surely it is not necessary to wait until after something horrible occurs?

jrey1981

That is a scary post from monkeyfudge...

My sister has been having problems for the past 5 years too and my mother looked into the possibility of getting her committed at the end of last year.

We have had to endure many arguments, which have at time resulted in various things being broken and occasional reluctant physical violence. Even over Xmas a plate was smashed in the kitchen during a row.

From what our doctor said, the psychiatric facilities in Ireland are pretty much under pressure, and unless you can find some help through private healthcare, you may find a temporary solution.

Thankfully, my sister does not seem to be as bad - relatively speaking - as she has been in the past, but she is in denial about alot of things and basically living in a fantasy world, on the dole and probably not capable of holding down any kind of a job or living what you would call a normal life.

I am not sure if you mention the situation to the social welfare whether they can be of any more assistance in a financial capacity.

I agree that it is very difficult to move forward if your relative does not admit she has a problem, in which case maybe tell your family doctor about the situation and see if they have any suggestions.

Hope some of this helps and good luck. Friends I have spoken to who have relatives in similar situations suggest that mental health problems are becoming more common...

monkeyfudge

As I said be careful with private healthcare in this area as it isn't very good. They'll just keep on doping the patient and keep pushing for the use of ECT. There was little or no actual counciling taking place. I'm actually considering taking a certain private hospital to court as I hold one of their doctors largely responsible for what happened to me, and I certainly don't want his imcompetence to lead to problems for anyone else.

After the attack on me we got my sister into Dundrum, which seems to be an excellent facility.

Social welfare will help out too. My sister has recently been released and has been set up with a flat which the social welfare has also furnished.

You may have already read up on this but you can read information about admitting people into psychiatric hospitals here.

Lone Stone

I suffer from mentle illness aswell its not the same type tho,
at first i was on the dole as i didnt think i would be like i was for long i had a job prior to this but quit cause i couldnt handle the problems. then i had to go and claim the sick and then i was told i have to go for disabilty beifits.

And i find it very frustraiting because they recently told me after i applied for the disabilty benifit that i was denied it.so i had to go to the dole office and they said i cant get on the dole because of my condition i am unfit to work
see my problem ? very anoying.anyway i can still claim the disabilty benifits untill
when ever the call me in again for some kind of medical exam.

Anyway you shold probaly ring up on her behalf and exsplain the situation to who ever it is you shold probaly ring the health board.

But there dosey basterds at these kinds of places half the people you talk to have no clue what its like i have this problem for nearly 3 years a a mentle ilness when they sent me for an examination
they took my blood pressure asked me my name and age height weight and sent me home some bloody medical that was for a mentle illness bunch of idiots at those places .

meow

Unless she harms someone or harms herself (and i'm talking about blatant harm), its impossible to have her commited.

Whoever told you that doesn't know what they're doing.
I've personally been committed twice and I wasn't of any harm to anyone.
It would involve a family member and two drs signing a form, a section will not be done unless a family member agrees to sign.
I don't suffer though from what you've described of your relatives condition.

As for financial assistance, I'm on disabilility allowance.
I'm entitled to E170ish a week, I can work part time hours (its considered rehabilitative work) and earn up to E120 a week in this job with my disability allowance being affected. There other entitlments too for people living alone but I'm not sure what they are.

There are also some areas where sheltered housing is an option.
A community nurse calls on the person (I'm not sure how often) who lives with several other people with mental health problems.
I've personally never experienced this facility but I suppose its like most services, some good, some in desperate need of improvements.

If you have a mental health clinic it would be worth dropping in to have a word.

I think you need to get her GP on board too, maybe do a home visit if possible.

Good luck, coping with someone in denial is a tough situation.

BigArnie

Poor girl. I hope all goes okay for you.

FranknFurter

best of luck, its not easy finding help with mental illness in this country without contacts.

I would highly recommend visiting the "Citzens Information Center" In Clondalkin, as they have an actual Disability Access Worker, whos job it is to help source the facilities you need and explain your options.

Lone Stone: Do the same, I happen to know she has helped people with mental health problems get their disability allowance in the past. Believe it or not, it can be a common problem without having a diagnosis on paper.

Hope some of that helps in some way....

LegacyUser

to the original OP - have you considered a course of alternative medicine - rather than conventional drugs - i had an episode of mental illness when i was about 17/18 - suffereing from paranoia and hearing internal voices - then my mother brought me to a chinese medicine doctor - i was taken off the monthly injection which had me like a zombie - and from that day forward i never looked back - course life isnt perfect but ive never had a reoccurence of such illness - and do not have to take any medication - in other words - my mental health has returned to normallity - (dont know how you define normallity) - this worked for me - but it could be based on the individual - maybe this course of medicine suited me - there was no nasty side effects like the conventional medicine - mental illness is very very widespread nowadays - there are probably people you even speak to every day who you are not even aware have suffered something like this or have a relative who has suffered something like this - dont know if that helps

infected_shroom

Thanks everyone for your replies.

Whoever told you that doesn't know what they're doing.
I've personally been committed twice and I wasn't of any harm to anyone.
It would involve a family member and two drs signing a form, a section will not be done unless a family member agrees to sign.

I didnt realise this was the case. When we approached this option a couple of years ago, the GP implied that it was difficult without some clearcut behavioural incident. I suppose he didnt want to do it - and I cant blame him for that. Its a difficult thing to have to do.

. There other entitlments too for people living alone but I'm not sure what they are.

I will look into this. Hopefully, theres good help with this as it would be good to get her out of the dive of a bedsit shes in.