Helping a Young Adult Who Refuses Treatment
A common problem for parents is helping a young adult who doesn't recognize that he or she needs treatment. Here are some approaches a family can take to get help:
Contact a local support group for families of people with mental illness to talk with others who have had similar experiences and hear their ideas.
Keep a detailed journal or diary of the person's strange behavior and thoughts. For more on keeping a journal, consult our Patient and Caregiver Tools section.
Find a good psychiatrist. You can do this by finding other families who have dealt with similar issues, such as those in your local support group. Contact the psychiatrist before she or he sees your family member. Provide the psychiatrist with information from the journal you've kept and ask about diagnosis, prognosis, treatment options and medications.
Contact appropriate officials if the person with mental illness has threatened to hurt others or himself/herself, or has a tendency toward violent behavior.
In the meantime, make your home as safe as possible. Remove any guns, large knives, ropes, drugs and poisonous materials that the young adult could use to harm himself/herself.
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