Being Sectioned for Anorexia?

[LetMeSlipAway]

I'm in a bit of a sticky situation and I don't know where to go or who to talk to about this. I'll try and keep this as short as possible.

Basically in N.Ireland we dont have any unit's for ED's but a few beds in each hospital for ED's.
I was sent there in April of this year but discharged myself shortly afterward's.

Since then I was doing really well, I spent the whole summer studying for exams I had missed, I started my driving lessons and got my theory test, got back into second year in uni and moved in with a few of friends. On the outside everything looked fine but I was restrictin badly and after seeing my theripist today she told me that if I continue to loose anymore weight I will have to be detained and put back in unlike the last time where I was voluntry.

As you can imagine after spending the whole summer focused on getting back to uni this is a huge problem yet I still can't bring myself to eat anything. I really dont want to have to be detained but its not enough to make me eat (if she's only saying it as a threat), I'm still trying but I know it wont be enough.

My question is what happens for being detained for an ED if worst came to worst? Ive been detained numberous times before but not for an ED.
Thanks. x

[Rhea-Billie-Tate]

A formal admission for an ED is very much the same as for any other mental health issue, the hospital would be able to hold you against your will and force necessary treatment if they felt that you were in danger and were non-compliant.
I can imagine how frightening this must be for you, and I've been in a similar situation where I knew that I would be sectioned if I couldn't turn things around myself and yet I still couldn't take responsibility or understand the seriousness of my situation. I think I told myself that they were just threatening me and that when it came down to it, they couldn't actually justify a section 3. But professionals don't say these things lightly, your therapist obviously believes your health and life are in significant and immediate threat, I know how hard it is but please try to take that on board. It is so much better to go into treatment willingly and voluntarily, being placed on a section doesn't make any of the process of recovery any easier and you lose the right to be in charge of your own treatment.
I understand that you've worked really hard to get back to uni and to get your life back on track in so many ways, but none of this will mean anything in the long term if your eating disorder makes it impossible to live the life you aspire to or even takes your life away. I know it may feel like giving in or failing but if you could take a step back now to focus on recovery then you'll be able to go back to the things you want to do stronger and more able to really live your life. You deserve more than trying to live with this.
If you honestly can't manage to increase your intake and stablise your health as an outpatient and your therapist is concerned enough to be talking about formal admissions, it really is time to really consider agreeing to go back to a more intensive environment so that you can get the support and treatment you need.

My inbox is always open if you want to talk,

Be kind to yourself,

[LetMeSlipAway]

I'm the exact same I just don't understand why they would do this... esecially now when I'm getting things on track. Apart from my eating everything else is fine, i think anyway in relation to health and things anyway so I think there may be a slight exageration to what she's saying.
Everytime Ive had to go in before is when I had no interest in things but this couldnt be at a worse time. I wish it was enough to motivate me I really really do.
I'm also convinced that sometimes they do have to use certain threats and maybe this is all just that but I'm still very worried due to the timeing.

I know sectioning is horrible but I'm sorta hoping they'll see I want to stay out and carry on at uni. I don't want to have to miss another year especially at the start with havin paid out so much money.

The worst of it is right now I feel I cant talk to anyone because I'm afraid they'll try and force feed me which makes me feel even more vulnerable.
I'm so confused.
Thank for your reply.

[raspberry_swirl]

I just stumbled on this thread after having been away from the internet for a while and thought I'd reply.

It sounds like you're in a situation that's scary and frightening and I understand how that is. It's horrible and I'm sorry you're going through this.

You need to ask yourself where you'll do the most well. There's no point in going away to uni if you'll continue to get ill there. However, if there's a genuine chance you'll get well at uni and things will change then that's different. Only you can know what the true situation with that is.

However, they probably aren't saying it as a threat. That would ruin any therapeutic relationship.

I was in a similar situation to yourself. I lost weight from January to August of this year and was threatened with hospital. I did not want to go. I thought they were empty threats until they turned up at my flat to do a mental health act assessment.

As RBT says, taking responsibility or understanding the seriousness of the situation is really difficult especially when you're totally undernourished.

Sometimes community/outpatient treatment just doesn't work, for whatever reason.

With what you say about not understanding why they'd do this, it most probably is because they're concerned for your health and like you said in the first post you're restricting and losing weight. It doesn't matter if 'everything else is fine' - I had normal blood tests and was physically stable etc when this situation arose.

It may not be as a threat but a method of forewarning you - I know with the eating disorder services I was seeing they started putting a referral in place for inpatient treatment for every patient who went below a certain bmi cut off. This was because it took a while to get the referral in place, and situations like these can change quite fast.

I'd look at any alternatives they may offer - they offered me the option of an ng tube at home but to be honest I didn't like that idea and I doubt many people do. I don't know the situation in Northern Ireland at all, just England, but is there the option of going as a day patient?

I understand the being scared of talking to anyone. That part absolutely sucks, especially feeling they'll use it as evidence against you. That was how I felt which prevented me from being honest with them. I don't have an answer to that, but good luck with everything and I hope it works out for you x

[LetMeSlipAway]

hey thank you for your reply.
I genuinly think that if I stay on at uni I will eventually get the motivation I need as my two friend's I live with are very helpful and non-judgemental! However in saying that I went into my first class today and nearly passed out unfortunalty causing a bit of a scene =/ I don't want to tell the professionals that but I'm afraid of the next time when I actually do end up in a heap on the floor.
I dont feel I'm getting the full benifits of being a student when I'm at uni anyway with having to be on medication and appointments and such but the thought of having to leave it all behind because I couldnt pick up my act kills me!

May I ask if you were admitted even with normal blood's and stuff?

I think I most afraid of having to go back into the ward in which I discharged myself... They had people with ED's in specialised bed's all day everyday, only getting up to get washed (which had a time limit), go for food and have a smoke every hour. They even had strict rules on how you could and couldnt lie in your bed. It was far stricter than anything I ever heard of and I honestly think that I wouldnt progress in this situation!
xo

[raspberry_swirl]

Hi, sorry! Please don't think I ignored your post. I was away for a while.

To answer your question, yeah, I was admitted with normal blood tests. At the mental health act assessment they agreed not to section me if I agreed to go voluntarily to A&E and then be transferred to the eating disorder unit the next day (depending on the results at A&E as to whether I needed to go onto a ward in that hospital first). My blood tests were normal - however my ECG had abnormalities.

If you almost passed out you should see your doctor. It's not worth playing around with your health. I see your last post was a few weeks ago so I hope the situation has improved... it sounds like you're really struggling and maybe going back into hospital is the best option for your long term health and future... good luck and let me know how things are going x