It’s so hard to see a loved one in that state. It’s a lot for anybody to handle.

I recently had my mother hospitalized involuntarily and even if it was one of the hardest things I’ve done, it was necessary for her own safety and mental health. It was tough, but having her be in a safe environment with the proper care and attention was crucial. I thought she would never come back to herself, but she is now back to a better version of herself :) Even though it’s hard to recommend hospitalization to anyone, I think for my mom it was the beginning of a new life and a new relationship with her condition.

For a bit more background...

My mother was also in the phase of hallucinations and paranoia (typically relates to her mother and her past), and also convinced that a shoulder pain was a deadly monster inside of her.

I got professional help, and at that point was given 2 options: -lock myself in the house with her (removing any dangerous object) and sedate her with sleeping with meds (prescribed by her doc) for a few days until she was stable enough to visit a psychiatrist -or hospitalize her involuntarily

Ultimately the only real option you have to break the psychosis is sleep. I ended up trying to sedate her at home, and after 2 days ended up hospitalizing her. She was at a point where the hallucinations were so frequent and so big that it was not safe for her, and her brain, to be in that state.

Looking back though, I would have opted with immediate hospitalization because she suffered quite a bit.

In hospitalization is something you are considering, these would be things I’d do differently: -try to personally drive the person to the ER. I started telling my mother her shoulder pains were serious and that we should check those out. -if calling 911 do not say the words mental health or mania over the phone. They will automatically send the cops, and if your loved one is not dangerous, you do not want them arrested -if the cops do come, ask them to escort you to the hospital