Rapids

Bipolar daughter - how do I get her help when she refuses to go - she's been diagnosed as depressed before.?

she goes from extreme depression to raging and/or pacing, rapid loud speech sometimes within an hour. She's 43 & can't keep a job due to absenteeism

Public Comments

1. she first has to want to get help herself unless she is under
2. If you really want to help her, be there for her, convince her things will be easier if she gets help, but don't push her to do things that she doesn't want to so.
3. Hi Southern Resident. I had this situation in my own family and it was made worse because few other family members were able to help me and because my mentally ill family member did not have any insight into his illness. It was very, very difficult. My experience is that you really must lay down the laws for someone living in your house: 1) Anyone living in my house must get psychiatric counseling and therapy as prescribed. 2) Anyone living in my house must take their medications as prescribed. 3) Anyone living in my house must sign papers that allow me to speak openly with their health care providers about symptoms, treatments and observations. Because your daughter is not working, you have the ultimate power in this case. If she does not comply, then she can go live elsewhere. Like my brother, your daughter may claim you are disrespecting her or treating her like a child. In fact, that is not true. You are treating her like someone who has been diagnosed with a problem requiring treatment. Try not to get drawn into emotional responses to these rules! Just post them in writing and live by them. Although it took some months, my brother did do as I required and I am happy to say he is taking his medications and has now held a job for over a year. He is 50. (PS: He never believed he was sick and never will believe it. Belief in one's illness is irrelevant to following the house rules!) If you are in the US, I would strongly suggest contacting your local NAMI chapter (National Alliance on Mental Illness). They are a support group for family members like you and me. Good luck!
4. put her in a home or sell her on craigslist.com