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Bi polar 1 son refuses treatment
Mental Health | Last Active: Jan 16, 2023 | Replies (29)Comment receiving replies
Thank you for your reply. I will review the information you gave me. It is truly appreciated. Regarding medication - both times he left the hospital promising to take medications he quit in less than a week and refused them as well as counseling ( with ample reasons why for both) . I attempted to contact NAMI when he was first released and was desperate for the support - they had “ an opening” the following month in zoom … and they only met twice a month for a total of like 3 hours. I can’t remember the specifics - other than it really wasn’t a resource. And I am active in personal counseling to help me cope. Although it helps me deal with it all - it’s not strong for solutions. There just seems to be no answer. It feels I am to a point where if I tell him he has to move out if he refuses medication and counseling, which will realign me with my other four children … it would simply send him fleeing again ( last time I had to pick him under a bridge 3 states away). I want to see him thrive, not become a homeless victim to this disorder. It if he stays he will continue to get and quit jobs and not really have “ reality” of life’s choices AND it will not set himself up for independence- something he deserves ( I won’t be around forever either). Without a spouse or parents to be by my side - it just feels nearly impossible to know the right thing to do. Don’t get me wrong - he’s lovely company ( although I do watch the ups and downs and it can be hard - and sometimes I have to be careful with my words) - it just feels that this is my new life. Worrying. About him. About the resentment this all has created in my other kids. About how this will be my future - don’t get me wrong. I am blessed. But there is always a low level anxiety this whole situation causes, I’m always on guard and I feel like I shouldn’t leave the house for extended periods of time ( in the past I would come home to find him severely depressed when I did ). I wish Mayo offered a mental health counselor specific to help guide a parent through these types of issues. I had all the resources when he was at Genrose. But when he checked out and refused to do any of the follow up … I am left with an adult that deserves so much more (& I deserve less stress too). Thanks again.
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I can understand when you say it is difficult to find solutions. This is not an easy place to be. Unfortunately, it is common for people with bipolar disorder to believe that they do not need medication and therapy. There is an explanation for this and it is more complex than just denial. On NAMI's website, they give the following description of this phenomenon:
"When someone rejects a diagnosis of mental illness, it’s tempting to say that he's “in denial.” But someone with acute mental illness may not be thinking clearly enough to consciously choose denial. They may instead be experiencing “lack of insight” or “lack of awareness.” The formal medical term for this medical condition is anosognosia, from the Greek meaning “to not know a disease.” You can read the rest of this article here, https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Common-with-Mental-Illness/Anosognosia.
I'm wondering if your son reads. If so, they are many books written by people with bipolar disorder. In these books, the person talks about their life before medication and therapy. If you could read one or two of these books and then share the insights with your son, or better yet, if he could read them, it might help him to recognize his problem and deal with it in a more productive way. NAMI or your personal counselor might be able to give you some titles of books that you could read and then share the stories with your son.
Is that an option?