Lie. I'm sorry, I don't think much of lying normally. BUT if you know he is headed for a major melt down, tell them he is threatening to harm himself.

I think that is a very bad idea for a number of reasons

1. if he finds out he will become even more paranoid if that is what is happening

2. if the hospital finds out I don't think that will be helpful for either of you

I still don't fully understand the nature of these hallucinations, could it not be he is simply making this up to get attention from you?

If so his attempt to manipulate you is then making you attempt to manipulate the mental health system which seems very unhealthy.

What advice does your doctor give?

I agree fish. in my experience once they find out I am bipolar as well, it's really hard to get them to listen anyway. so if I compound the problem by lying I wouldn't get anywhere, especially with my son whom I have taught to be as honest as possible. and to the second part no he is actually having them. now I remember always hearing voices as a child, and I never said anything, I assumed it was normal. as well as a lot of other things I thought was normal and found it wasn't. I will be taking him to the doc today. the last time he was seeing the "sneaky kids" we ended up hospitalizing him, and I know that sometimes its in a kids nature to lie, but I could see my son lying to stay out of the hospital, not to get put in.

My bf was assessed to be taken into hospital when his paranoia got so bad his doc thought he was potential danger to others, but they decided he was better off at home, but they did set up daily home visits from a crisis team. They don't always get it right, but hospital is seen as a 'last resort' & usually only for when an actual crisis is at its height, rather than early stages of a potential crisis, if you see what I mean! Is he medicated? If so should talk to docs about reviewing doses as sounds like they're not working as well as they should.

Ps by 'they don't always get it right' I mean a week or so after discharged from the crisis team & deemed to be coping he tried to kill himself.... You can't be a 24 hour watchdog so don't feel you should be - that is a rly bad way to think (I know!). Just try to be aware how he is feeling/acting & be supportive where appropriate & encourage him to be honest & open with his care workers is the best you can do....

I think there is significant difference in having a child with BP1 & having a child diagnosed as BP2 rapid cycling with psychotic features. In many states, at 13 or 14 years old a parent cannot have their child admitted on their say so.

When she is manic & hallucinating, she has attempted suicide, set the house on fire & committed felony assault.

When I see her starting to spiral, I make no apologies for doing whatever I have to to get her hospitalized & stabilized ASAP.

Don't Pdocs take emergency calls and visits? Mine always did.

mine doesn't take emergency calls. as for a crisis team I don't know, would have to look into that and I am sorry caitsmom but I feel it is more important to have my childs trust so that we can have an open line of communication as to how he feels rather than a mistrustful relationship where he would not tell me whats going on and more than possibly hurt himself or others. plus I have always tried to teach them that honesty is the best policy, so if I were to lie I would be being hypocritical. plus the fact that if I were to lie and get him admitted, they would not have the true picture and may take him off meds that were working but not as well, or could end up adding something that he doesn't need, they could end up doing something that could cause all of it to be worse. I am sorry for your situation though. did want to note that I got my son to the doc on Thursday and he is doing somewhat better today. my youngest has an appt. with the doc on Thursday for monthly med management, and I am glad because I learned this weekend that he has been seeing things and hearing things for as long as he could remember, and didn't want to tell anyone because he thought they would get mad at him. but we ended up having a really good weekend and I am hopeful that this week will be better for us. thanks for all the great suggestions

Research has linked gluten and hallucinations. Have u looked into his diet? If it is high in wheat or wheat biproducts, consider talking to your doc or nutritionist about this. Prob is, many dont recognize this as a problem. I talk to myself and get super spacey and detatched . I have been told I get an odd look when this happens (dead eyes). If gluten is a prob, his meds simply won't work. The gluten ocks absorption tobthe bloodstream. I say all of this bc u say meds arent working.

That is Blocks not ocks
(:

I have seen my daughter clanging, hallucinating & so far out there I was scared to death I would never get her back. She is just as scared for herself. She is fully medication compliant, has often hospitalized herself & trusts me when I tell her she needs to be hospitalized.

Thankfully, she is not delusional about the extent of her illness.