I had to commit my wife to the hospital for phsychiatric evaluation - Chapter 3 - AMA
 

As you may remember, a few weeks ago someone broke into my house. They didn't take much, but the personal violation was much greater that I had realized. Since that day, my wife has been extremely manic - getting 1-2 hours of sleep a night (if any at all) and obsessively writing everything down she could. Making lists, organizing her thoughts, planning things. Every conversation became a regimented discussion - one person talked, the other listened then presented their retort. Nothing could get done without a written plan. Suddenly she became very afraid of the dark, and strange noises scared her to death. and she was terrified of strangers. More recently she began to have more grandiose plans - that involved the war in Iraq, the President and his cabinet, and involving the world media. She believed she was being called by a higher power to accomplish her missions. All through this awful process, I would try to tell my wife that I was concerned for her, concerned for her actions, her change in personality, and her erratic and unpredictable behavior.

So yesterday my mom came up and we told my wife that we were afraid that something may have happened to her, like a mini-stroke that affected her personality, and we should go the the hospital to check it out. My wife agreed to go, under the condition that we call the press to document her journey and the hospital would release a statement every hour about her condition.

After a long long stay in the ER, we saw a psychiatrist who talked to my wife for about 45 minutes and then suggested that she get in-patient care. My wife said no, but my mother and I objected. My wife then agreed to stay, and after another long wait we were taken up to the psychiatric ward.

My wife refused to sign any papers or take any medications and told them she was going to leave, so I had to step in one final time and say that she would not be allowed back in our house or allowed to see me or my daughter until she got evaluated, diagnosed, and treated. At that point she basically gave up, signed her papers and rolled over to sleep.



Now I know I probably made the right decision - I cannot imagine putting myself or mu daughter through another day of what we had been going through, especially how bad things were yesterday. I hope that at the end of this ordeal my wife will be back, because the person I've been living with for 2 weeks wasn't my wife. It may have been the right decision, but the taxi I took home from the hospital last night to come home and sleep in my own bed was the longed most agonizing ride I've ever taken. I was able to kiss my daughter and put her to sleep knowing that she was safe, and that helped.

Please keep my family in your thoughts and prayers. I don't know how this is going to turn out. I don't know when my wife will come home, what condition she'll be in, how she will feel about me, how she'll act. I've got to trust that things will work out, but it's too far away from me now to feel it.

Wow, I'm very sorry to hear you're going through such a terrible thing - I can't even begin to imagine how hard this is on you. Thoughts and prayers to you and your family.

Holy cow, that's awful - and so completely unexpected. And during the holidays, too. That must have made it that much worse. I'll be thinking of you and your family.

Without divulging too much - if you feel you can say much else - what appears to be the issue? Is it really a reaction to the break-in? I have to admit, I'm curious to know how something like this happens, since I've fortunately never had to deal with it.

So sorry to hear about your situation. I hope your wife gets better soon and that your family life can get back to something approaching normalcy as quick as possible. Hang in there. It sounds like you did the right thing, as difficult as it must have been to do.

Sorry to hear that. I hope things get better ASAP for you and your family.

I'll say a prayer for you. My wife went through a breakdown after 9/11 when she believed that she had done something that led to the attack. It took several days before I could convince her to see someone. The good news is that she got the right medication and it quite literally changed her life. I hope you and your wife can be as lucky as we were.

That is just terrible. I can't even think what to say.... You did the right thing.

Good luck to you both... you have done the best you can so far. I hope everything improves for you.

Thoughts and prayers.

You did the right thing.

I hadn't seen the story about your break-in sicne I wasn't around for the holidays so this is a double suprise.

I will keep you and you family in my thoughts. I hope that when your wife recovers she will easily be able to see that you did everything you did out of love for her and your daughter.

Good luck man. Keep us posted.

Your family will be in our prayers. I am sure that when she gets the right treatment she will thank you for what you did.

Sorry. Thoughts and prayers for you.

Good luck and I hope things turn out alright.

good luck, that's just horrible news. Hope the stay works out for everyone.

holy cow, im so sorry....

Has there ever been behaviors similar in the past? Its so shocking to come out of the blue....wow, I hope it all gets better for her. and you.

I can't imagine what you must be going through right now. Be at peace with your decision - you trusted your instincts and did the right thing. It sounds like you are pretty confident that you did the right thing. Good. If you start to doubt it, remind yourself that you did what is best for her and your daughter.

From everything you have said, you did the right thing. Just make sure that you remember that.

So sorry for you and your family. You'll be in my thoughts.

Wow... I'm sorry. Though you did everything correctly, just remember that (even if it doesn't feel like it at some points).

Oh my goodness, that sounds like a horrible situation. You definitely did the right thing and it sounds like you are handling it extremely well. I hope everything works out.

That truly saddens me. I will pray for peace, strength and healing for her and your family.

Sorry to hear this. Good luck to you and your family and I hope the docs can help your wife out and get things right with her again.

My thoughts with you and yours, man.. Hopefully everyone comes out of this no worse for the wear and you all can resume a normal life.

What you did was very brave. You and your family are in our prayers.

My prayers are with you and your family. I hope all goes well.

Yes. I didn't mention that it my post, but it was a very brave thing to do. That's the right word for it.

I'm sorry, this must be a tough situation. :( Best of luck.

Good luck to you and your family. I don't know what I would have done if I were in your situation...

Todd, you're one of my favorite people here at the board. I'll pray for you and your family as you go through this difficult situation.

Good luck. Sounds like you have kept a level course through this and have a good head on your shoulders. Will be thinking of you.

Ditto. I should have said something like, "I don't know if I would be brave/strong enough to do the same thing - the RIGHT thing".

My prayers are with you and your family, and I admire your courage and strength.

Not much to add other than that it sounds like you did the right thing, and I expect a full recovery. Keep your chin up.

My thoughts are with you and your family. You for sure did the right thing and my prayers are there for your wife to be healed and to come home soon. Stay strong my man...

Wow man, I am terriblly sorry to hear this. You have my thoughts and prayers. Just a question, was there any sign of this before the break-in? Maybe this is some type of PTSD caused by the break in?

Hope everything turns out okay, Toddzilla. :(

Stay strong. I can somewhat relate as years ago my wife had some issues that led eventually to a suicide attempt. We sought out help immediately and it was life changing.

Good luck.

I can't even imagine how difficult that was to make that choice, but as an outsider looking in, it appears to have been the best choice since you have done it for the safety of everyone. I wish for a healthy recovery for your wife and I hope that you have a guilt-free conscience.

That sounds truly terrible. I do hope it all works out asap. I can't imagine that kind of frustration and feeling of helplessness. I mean, I understand physical ailments, be it high cholesterol, knee surgery, even cancer or something horrible, these are things that have a definitive plan of action for treatment, and a resulting recovery can be foreseen because the ailment is easily identifiable, but when it comes to mental and pyschiatric issues like this, I know I for one just don't get it, it's just hard to relate when the brains are on different wavelengths, which, for me, would be that much more heartbreaking. In any event, you sound like you are on top of things and definitely did the right thing, so best of luck.

I can't imagine how tough this is for you and your family. You'll be in my prayers.

Wow Todd, I'm so sorry to hear that :(

You all will be in my thoughts.

Todd,

You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers as well. I hope that everything turns out okay.

That's horrible. Sorry to hear it.

I don’t know what to say. It’s sad but you absolutely did the right thing. Hope things turn out alright for you and your family.

A hard one. You and your family are in my thoughts.

Your description makes it sound like a classical manic episode which can be triggered by extreme emotional stress among other things. Mania can potentially be very dangerous. You certainly did the correct thing and from dealing with many families in my work, I know it was probably extremely hard to do. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

I can't imagine what you have had to deal with and also how hard making the other decisions have been. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

One of things that has me puzzled, and other non-doctors who have experiences with people in manic phases, is that on two occasions my wife actually got a long nights sleep. Once on New Years Day, and once last night (aided by some anti-anxiety medication). In both cases, she's woken up super-energized and has picked right back up with more mania than ever. She was running through the house yelling at the top of her lungs for 30 minutes 2 days ago. She still feels she's got super powers.

Right now - almost noon in the EST - she has not seen a doctor or a psychiatrist. She was visited by a nurse once and has not been offered any kind of medication. My fear now is that she is going to get lost in the system - that the glacial pace at which things move coupled with being surrounded by some very sick patients that can only feed into her delusions - and she is only going to get worse in this environment and not better. When I talked to her nurse this morning to get an update, the first thing she told me was "I don't even know why your wife is here." That IMO does not inspire any confidence in me that my wife will get the care she needs to get better and come home.

Oh man, oh man. Thanks for sharing this, TZ. You and yours are in my prayers.

I hope everything works out. I wish you and your family all the best

Can't add much, except you and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers Todd. :(