Involuntary Hospitalization

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I have a relative who, while not yet diagnosed, displays symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia, severe depression, and possibly other psychiatric disorders. I live in the US (Pennsylvania specifically), and am investigating treatment options for this family member. Many times, I have approached the subject of therapy or medication, but my relative insists that pharmaceutical companies are out to poison her, and that all therapists have an ulterior motive. Her behavior has escalated to the level that I fear she may no longer be able to hold down a job, and I am deeply concerned for her wellbeing, and the overall stability of my family. I am at the point where I am ready to contact my county's mental health services for an involuntary hospitalization warrant, but before I go through that process, I want to find out a bit more about whether her symptoms would meet the criteria for involuntary hospitalization, i.e. the potential to harm herself/others, and the inability to care for herself. As someone who was taken to a psychiatric hospital quite recently for a mental health issue, I am sensitive that the overall experience can be quite traumatizing, so I do not want to subject her to needless time in the hospital. On the other hand, I really do feel as if her behavior is insustainable, and sooner rather than later, there could be severe consequences if she does not receive professioanl assistance. Here are some of my concerns regarding her mental status:

-when I tried to call a relative to explain her instability, she grabbed the phone out of my hand and pinned me to the ground. I was fortunately not hurt, but the experience rattled me. She later said, "stop asking me to get help, or you will make me do something that I don't want to do to you."

-my relative is preoccupied the possibility that her food is spoiled or poisoned. She has lost a significant amount of weight, and eats very scant meals (e.g. crackers for lunch, broth for dinner). I know that she is not getting the nutrition that she needs, and am concerned that she cannot fully care for herself.

-she believes that I am trying to kill her, and constantly accuses me of poisoning her, trying to cause cardiac damage, and going after her life insurance money. Sometimes, she wanders into my room in the middle of the night and incoherently starts asking if I am about to kill her.

-she called the police because she had "a feeling" there would be a security threat at a local event (connected to her job), and she had to take a leave of absence from her position because her employer found out about this incident. There was no evidence at any point that there was a legitimate security threat, and many people in influential positions were inconvenienced because they had to investigate this purported danger.

-she believes her coworkers can read her mind, and are also trying to kill her "because someone is paying them."


Do I have grounds for an involuntary hospitalization warrant? (particularly since she tried to hurt me?) Also, does anyone know if in the state of Pennsylvania a hospitalization would appear on background checks? My family member is a public school employee, and I would not want to jeopardize her future employment if an involuntary hospitalization is grounds for dismissal and/or could prevent her from obtaining a new position.

Hi there,
I can't give you the answer you need. I think this is not an 'ask the audience' question. It's a 'phone a friend' question, that friend being a qualified professional. Why not discuss your concerns with a psychiatrist?

All I can say is, that if your friend is mentally ill, she will be very frightened about now. It's a terror that you only see in some movies where the suspect is being held in a dark cell and routinely tortured. Most people will never experience this fear in their lifetime. It's caused by an overactive limbic system, the emotional centre of the brain.

I was traumatized when I was involuntary hospitalized, because the shock of being locked away was too bad. I still have anxiety issues because of that, three year later and for two years it was very severe.
If I could change just one thing in my life, I would change the involuntary hospitalization. Everything would be a better option than living with those anxiety issues for years afterwards and knowing you can't do anything about it, to be sure that it wouldn't happen again.

If you get her hospitalized it will massively effect her future life chances. I have had it done to me and it scarred me for years too. Background checks, the stigma attached - it will make a difference in a not good way.

I think it sounds like she is intolerant of some foods. That is why she is saying her food is being poisoned. She has irrational ideas but they are based, like all irrational ideas, on a truthful premise.

Try making her have a gluten free or a salicylate free diet. If you must, be very forceful. It's better than getting the hospital to be forceful as in the end you know her and with strangers they will not care as much.

Ditto the "phone a psychologist/psychiatrist" suggestion.

I don't think she's qualifies for an involuntary hold yet, but she's coming close. She's not completely incapable of taking care of herself, and she's not made a direct threat to harm anyone.

That said, if you live with this person, get a lock for your door.

I also think it would be good if you could speak to a professional about this. I'm not sure what qualifies as being a danger and what doesn't. It's too bad you can't get your relative to speak to someone herself or voluntarily go to the hospital.

When I was diagnosed with schizophrenia, I cried because I had all these dreams and aspirations, and the diagnosis put things in a new context that I found distressing and more accurate.

Let me start by saying that I'm probably not qualified to give information about legal or psychological matters & you should probably talk to a professinal about this.

Now that I've been very clear about that, I'd be worried that the involuntary hospitalization would reinforce these paranoid delusions. What I'd do is state that I'm not convinced that the threats she's worried about are real, but allow her to check her food for poison or do whatever she believes she has to in order to stay safe provided it doesn't hurt anyone. Help her search for hidden cameras & tracking devices or skip an event where she's worried something bad might happen if it'll help with her anxiety. There are a lot of things I don't know though, so don't take what I have to say too seriously.

I think the only person who could give you good advice is someone who has themselves experienced paranoid schizophrenia and gone through hospitalization themselves, voluntary or not.

Her life is falling apart but she doesn't appear to be a threat to herself or someone else because of her condition, so unfortunately involuntary hospitalization doesn't seem like the right thing to do. I haven't the faintest idea of how to convince someone who's paranoid that being put in any sort of mental institution will be good for them though.

Have you just tried bringing her to a regular physician? Sounds like she could benefit from meds.

Also a possibility that she has some food intolerance, (I've heard some schizophrenics swear that being gluten free has helped them immensely) not that you could help her with that at all since she thinks you're out to get her. That's the crazy thing right, that no matter what you do for her it could be construed as you trying to hurt her.

Is there ANYONE she trusts implicitly who could talk to her about seeking medical/professional help? Anyone at all who wouldn't be associated with you or her co-workers or anyone else she distrusts?

I can't help but read about people worried about being put into a hospital because it will ruin her career...if she's not eating and she thinks everyone out there is going to get her, she'll commit career suicide all by herself. A lost career isn't even on par with mental anguish. I'd take being homeless and happy and capable over working but insane any day.