I think social services at hospitals etc

[boston bean]

should put a bit more weight into family members concerns when it comes to their loved ones mental health.

To me, it seems like their hands are tied. Both family and social services. The law and lack of beds for mentally ill.

I don't want to see people locked up forever in mental institutions, and can see the concern for abuse there. I know there isn't enough money to be able to tackle this issue. But something needs to be done. I wish that care was easier to get for people who are having real issues.

The way the laws are now are not working. And the funding is inadequate.

If someone is diagnosed with a mental illness, like schizophrenia etc, does that prevent them from buying guns?

[get the red out]

1. It's hard to even get someone diagnosed

I recently experienced seeing a family make every attempt to have an obviously delusional loved one properly diagnosed, the person even got arrested, and still the local mental health system would do nothing. The person was telling everyone, including people at the jail, that they had been sent by God to deliver the message, and that they could do an even better job of it if they were to kill themselves. Still he wasn't given admission to the only mental hospital that takes the uninsured. I would say the system were seriously screwed up, if we even had a mental health system.

[boston bean]

2. If they aren't a danger to themselves or others, they are not admitted.

That is my understanding.

So, if a family member has grave concerns and is turned down over and over again in getting help for their loved one, we end up with situations that escalate out of control and innocent people are harmed. And the person who committed it was extremely ill.

This is a really tough issue and subject.

[laundry_queen]

4. It IS a really tough issue

I spend some of my time online in a forum for people who have been emotionally abused by their family. There are perfectly sane people in that group who have family members who have pulled out all the stops to try to get them commited as an act of revenge for 'outing' the family abuse or other reasons, and it was only the strict laws that kept their family from having them put in a mental ward.

OTOH, I have several friends and aquaintances who have sons who have been diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenic and they tried like hell to get them commited and it was near impossible until they stabbed themselves (2 of them) or had an armed standoff with the police (my best friend's brother). In those cases, those sons could very well have killed people, their delusions were so strong, and society was 'lucky' that they only harmed themselves before they were diagnosed. How many DO harm people before they get commited? I'm guessing the number is not insignificant. If I know 3 in my small social circle, it means thousands and thousands all across North America walking around every day, undiagnosed, untreated, unmedicated.

How do you decide which family is truly concerned that their loved one has a severe mental illness and which one is trying to 'solve' their family problems by getting 'rid' of the offending family member?

[get the red out]

6. I should probably look for that forum

I would qualify, and my mother always wanted to deflect any thoughts of who might be mentally ill off on her children, so I do understand those tough questions since I was told how mentally ill I was by her for as long as I can remember.

I think an ideal situation would be to have good, qualified psychiatric professionals to make more accurate calls on who is in need of help, and who is not. And to also have good outpatient help available. Without insurance you can even want, as well as need, help and still be turned down. At that point it becomes a potential problem for more than just that person and their family.

The person that is worrying many folks in my life right now was talking about suicide when he was turned down. Fortunately we received word yesterday that he was finally admitted. It was another situation where both the police and an ambulance were called. I am glad he has no guns because when off his meds he does often get into altercations and also threaten suicide.

It's an awful situation any way you look at it right now. We need to have some serious discussions on mental health care in this country, right now problems are being swept under the rug except for when the NRA needs to pull out the crazy card to defend people's right to own assult rifles.

[get the red out]

5. This person talked about suicide

And was still not admitted. It boggles the mind.

[HockeyMom]

3. I think it depends on the particular state

and whether the person was adjudicated (involuntarily committed), or committed themselves voluntary. In some states, if the person committs themselves, they are not prevented from owning a gun. Loophole.