How To Have Someone's Mental Health Evaluated?

ChipZilla

A friend of my brother's was attacked at the weekend at a party by a guy with a knife. Long story short - the guy with the knife had been heard last week complaining that the friend "always gets the girls" at parties, nightclubs, etc. Then on Saturday night the friend was alone in a room at a party with a girl, when the other guy kicked the door in, waving a carving knife and again shouting about him always getting the girls and went for him. Somebody passing by grabbed him in a sleeper hold and the guy was disarmed. The cops turned up and carted him off, but the problem is this is not the first time the guy's done this. The situation was diffused last time and wasn't reported. Now I've had doubts about the guy's mental health in the past, just going by conversations I've had with him - and I'm not a experienced in this area.

At the very least the guy is going to need a restraining order, but who would arrange to have the guy's mental health evaluated? Is it up to the gardai? or does the guy who was attacked have to request it? Nobody seems to know when they guy will be up in court for this, and my friend is worried in case he gets let out before the case to get up to more mischief.

Thanks for any thoughts or advice...

billy the squid

A Harrassment order is needed here. Your your friend needs to make an appointment with the district court clerk to apply for the harassment order. Tell the clerk that a report has been made to the gardai. Your friend needs to tell the clerk that he is in fear of his safety. A harassment order should be dealt with fairly quickly and will be in effect until the actual assault case comes up.

The guards can then be called if the guy turns up at the same party as your friend he doesn't really have to do anything.

chewy

what the sotry with his family etc

ChipZilla

@billy the squid: Thanks for that info - I'll pass that on to him.

@chewy: I'm not 100% on his background. I think his dad walked out years ago. I've never heard him talk about family now that I think about it. :dunno: He's cut his wrists twice in the past, and now this is the second knife attack incident. So something is definitely not right.

logic1

They can only hold him for 12 hours. The assault case might appear in 6 to 8 months if you're lucky. As stated you need to get a harrasment order against him. His mental health will be an issue of contention between prosecution and defence each having their own professional witnesses. It won't stand in a case such as this.

.logic.

monkeyfudge

Definitely something should be done alright.

These things always escalate. I wasn't as lucky as your brothers friend and actually got stabbed by a person with mental health issues.

Although one thing to keep in mind is the fact that the state of Mental Health Care in this country is very poor, at least in my experience.

This Person who stabbed me had already been sectioned under the mental health act and shouldn't have been outside of a hospital. And they had also confided in two of thier doctors that they intended to kill someone, and still they let them go home. And quoted doctor/patient confidentiality after the fact.

So, my advice is to be extra carefull. This person also started out with cutting themselves.

ChipZilla

Originally posted by logic1
The assault case might appear in 6 to 8 months if you're lucky.

That was my own thinking on the matter alright. The harassment order is a must, I think. But would someone with issues like the guy in question take any heed of one anyway? :dunno:

Originally posted by monkeyfudge
Definitely something should be done alright.

These things always escalate. I wasn't as lucky as your brothers friend and actually got stabbed by a person with mental health issues.

Although one thing to keep in mind is the fact that the state of Mental Health Care in this country is very poor, at least in my experience.

Sorry to hear that. I hope you're ok. Do you mind me asking what happened in your case? What happened to the person who stabbed you in the end? I think you're right when you say mental health care is poor. Some might say it's a shambles...:(

Kell

I dont think you have any say, nor could you orchestrate his evaluation. Provided that you do press charges for attempted assault (if you can), the courts may recommend that he has a psychological evaluation.

Have a look here www.mhcirl.ie to see if there is any information or call them to see what the general practise is. These guys evaluate and monitor involuntary admission to mental institutions, and if they dont have the answers they may point you to someone who does.

K-

monkeyfudge

Oh.. I'm okay thanks... I was pretty lucky and my ribs took the brunt of the stab.

Eh, this person is currently in the Central Mental Hospital. And again I don't think it's very secure, sure it has VERY big walls, but they are allowed out to go to the cinema and shops sometimes under the supervision of a single nurse. And apparently they are making great progress... which I find worrying, as I really can't see how you can from psychotic and homicidal to being well in the space of 8 months.

ChipZilla

I agree with you Kell - I'm not the one pressing charges so I don't have any say in the matter. I figured after the earlier replies that it would be down to a court to recommend evaluation, but the problem now is that the person who was attacked is s**tting bricks (So would I in the same situation) and a court case is a long way off. As monkeyfudge said, an escalation could happen, and that could leave somebody in hospital or worse...

Looks like the best plan of action for him is to:
a) Get a harrassment order.
b) Keep a low profile/Look over shoulder a lot.

ChipZilla

Originally posted by monkeyfudge
And apparently they are making great progress... which I find worrying, as I really can't see how you can from psychotic and homicidal to being well in the space of 8 months.

I know, I'd be sceptical myself. I wouldn't be able to trust someone like that after 8 months of rehabilitation.

monkeyfudge

oh make sure he has a nice big pair of boots. I happened to be barefoot when I got stabbed. My hands were then tied up pinning my attacker against a wall.. I'd have been able end things alot quicker if I'd been able to give them a good kicking...

of course all the doctors and nurses in Beaumont hospital told me I should have used a headbutt... hmmm...

Actually the stabing itself doesn't hurt, your body goes into shock and doesn't let you feel it... But when the surgeons in the hospital get their hands on you... good lord it was agony... ha.. they have to get thier fingers inside the wound to check for internal damage... it's very unpleasent having someones finger inside your chest groping around under a rib...

Sleipnir

oooooouch that's gotta hurt!

Unfortunately in this country it would appear that someone must seriously injure or kill another person before anything actually happens.

That said, you only need a G.P. and one other person to declare someone insane in this country, which ain't right either. Although that may have changed in recent years.

ChipZilla

Originally posted by monkeyfudge
of course all the doctors and nurses in Beaumont hospital told me I should have used a headbutt... hmmm...

I can just picture A&E staff subduing violent patients by sticking the head in

Originally posted by monkeyfudge
Actually the stabing itself doesn't hurt, your body goes into shock and doesn't let you feel it... But when the surgeons in the hospital get their hands on you... good lord it was agony... ha.. they have to get thier fingers inside the wound to check for internal damage... it's very unpleasent having someones finger inside your chest groping around under a rib...

Owww! I'm seriously squeamish about stuff like that. I would just have passed out or started projectile puking.:eek:

AngelofFire

ive been attacked by a friend who i think has mental health issues.We were once in the middle of a friendly convo then all of a sudden he goes all quiet and starts shaking then he accuses me of pushing him into a locker in school,he then started yelling at me and punching then he runs off.The next day hes all happy and friendly again as if it never happened.These people are definatley ill in some form or another and need help before they develop full blown schizophrenia or somewhat.Are there any family members of his who you are talkative with?

Quatre Mains

I would generally concur with AngelofFire's idea of approaching the family if you know them at all. Families often don't notice a member's slide into poor mental health as the decline is often very slow, or sometimes dismissed as moody etc. Sometimes the person involved will do their best to hide the problem, out of shame or simply not wanting to upset the family. When I lived at home I had a few periods of pretty severe depression and my family never copped, as I was able to hide it from them pretty effectively most of the time with excuses of tiredness and the odd fake smile. My friend's brother, a sound guy, had undiagnosed schizophrenia for years and none of us ever suspected.
The harrassment order idea is not a bad one if your friend just wants away from the situation - after all it sounds like the perpetrator isn't a friend or accomplice of any kind. But if you know the family and they seem reasonable you might do them all a favour by going around there 1st

ChipZilla

Hi Angelofire and brocklanders. Talking to the family would be a good idea - if anybody knew who or where they were. It's hard to believe but nobody knows much about his family. His Dad left when he was a kid and I don't think he's close to his Ma - he's certainly never mentioned her when I've been in his company.

From what I hear the harassment order is going through, so everyone'll just have to sit it out I suppose.

Kêrmêttê

I had an ex boyf who developed mental problems during the time that I was with him. I spoke to his family about the worries I had and the scarey incidents that had occurred. They brushed it all aside saying that I was exaggerating and worrying for nothing. They said that he had always been a moody git and they just weren't interested.
After a few freaky incidents and scarey escapes I finally broke free, but it's always worried me that he's still walking around with all these problems that haven't been resolved.
I worry for the next girl he ends up with, but what can I do?
If I make contact with that family again I risk him invading my life and turning everything upside down again. I feel my own safety is more important seeing as he would never admit to me as having any problem.

Not only is the mental health system in this country screwed up, but, people's attitudes to mental health need to change.

monkeyfudge

yes... one of the psychiatrists who worked with the person who stabbed me was Dr. Michael Corry, who in his book GOING MAD: Understanding Mental Illness sugests that depression is linked to losing a child in a past life. And he goes on about inbalances in peoples chakras... and this guy is allowed to practice... now that's mad!