Suicidal teen daughter now held under Section 2

[worried sick]

Hi, I'm desperately looking for advice and support. I'll try and keep to the main facts or I'll be here all night.

My daughter is now 18 and was admitted to hospital two weeks ago under the mental health act, Section 2. She has taken two overdoses in last two months, both times she's sought help and gone to hospital.

A bit of background... She has some ongoing medical conditions that require medication, without it she'll eventually die. She stopped taking it in October, one side effect is depression - she was already depressed! She is now also refusing food and is drinking very little too, I know they can force her to eat and take meds but haven't as yet. She won't open up and has texted saying if they let her home she will try again. She often refuses visitors but I've gone in anyway with excuses of picking up washing etc. She says she's fat and has always had problems with food, she is underweight. She's also struggled with bereavement but we don't know what's pushed her recently into this spin.

I'm completely lost... should I keep visiting? Give her space? How long will they leave her to deteriorate before they force meds?? I'm terrified they'll let her come home and she'll try again, as she's threatened.

Thanks for reading

[Arienette]

maybe some space until she's ready to talk. It might help but maybe texting her to let you know you are still there and available when she's ready.

they can't force feed or meds on section 2 - only on section 3. section 2 is assessment section.

[Pomegranate]

Actually they can force meds and treatment on a 2. https://www.rethink.org/living-with-...ctions-2-3-4-5

It’s hard to say why they aren’t forcing treatment yet. Maybe they are wanting to assess her mental health and symptoms before deciding on what treatment to give. They won’t force feed unless she was significantly at risk because of her weight or complications from it.

Re visiting, it’s difficult. I used to find it very overwhelming at times to have visitors. I found texts much easier to deal with and maybe visits infrequently like once a week? She clearly is asking for some space so maybe try and respect that for now but text her regularly so she knows you are still there and up for visiting whenever she’s ready?

[Auror.]

I wouldn't go anyways if she's refusing visitors. It's clear she's setting some boundaries (for whatever reason) that you are violating. I understand if she is still living at home that you may have some concerns, and if she has expressed that she might try to hurt herself when she comes home, about all you can do is share that with her treatment team, and share your concerns with your daughter. But I think you really need to respect her wishes and boundaries.

Chances are when they're ready to let her come home they'll do some talking to whomever she lives with to make sure they feel comfortable having her leave, and you can bring up concerns then also. But until then, give her space, and let them assess her and decide what needs forced. You're not a professional, whatever has been going on at home is obviously not working, and interfering by violating boundaries is not going to help anything.

[yoyogirl]

Hey
best thing to do is give the girl some space. :)I know it sounds hard as you are a mother but she's in the best possible care and they can force treatment as she's low and weight as she doesn't the capacity to make that decision for herself. That's why she's sectioned. So why not send a friendly text message, add some videos and nice positive things to remind her something from. Do you have cat or dog? perhaps ask the mhu if you can bring the dog in the grounds for ten minutes. I know that when I have been poorly myself, my dog always sensors and jumps on my bed. he brings me joy in my darkest moments.

why not create a box of positive things she loves and bring it in for her if she allows you. have the doctors said anything from the physical end about her condition in what they can do or perhaps gave her some positive hope. perhaps ask if you can meet with both physical team and mental health team together to discuss the plans moving forward.

Is there any way she could be communicating her deepest stuff online or in some sort of diary/blog journal, as her way of trying to process and cope.
because i speak more on here than i do in real life as my way of coping with how I am feeling, i suppress and keep it to online. it makes life harder for me as people just assume "oh she's depresed she hasn't got a job/friends" but it could be that she's writing how shs feeling but not expressing to anyone else who can help and she's stuck in the cycle and then is self-harming/neglecting her health as that's trying cry for help. perhaps speak to her mh team/psychology department if that is possibility.