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Vaniver comments on Open Thread, Feb 8 - Feb 15, 2016 - Less Wrong
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I think my girlfriend needs psychiatric help - she has visual hallucinations and other symptoms I've promised to keep confidential. She doesn't want to see a psychiatrist, as she and her family attribute her symptoms to supernatual causes; they believe that the "spirits" she sees actually exist. (Another family member - not a blood relative - also has psychiatric symptoms that are being treated and managed.) I really don't want to go into further details because one time I promised not to tell my psychiatrist about her issues and then told him anyway and she freaked out when I admitted to telling him. (I admitted it because I can't lie for shit and suck at keeping secrets, but that's beside the point.)
Any advice? ("Break up with your girlfriend" will be ignored, unless you can convince me that it would be better for her if I left her.)
Did you find any of the advice from last time productive or counterproductive? That'll help adjust advice you receive this time.
Since that time, I have become aware that her symptoms are worse than I had described. Again, I am not at liberty to discuss them.
Do you think hes symptoms worsened or do you think you have just become more aware of symptoms?
I have become aware of symptoms that she has had since before she met me but did not reveal because, well, she was afraid people would think she was crazy or lying if she told people about it.
Maybe you could bring to her attention laws about what clinicians have to do by law in certain circumstances. If she knows the boundaries of what it's safe to say without them being compelled to act on her 'craziness' or 'lying' that might give her confidence to talk to someone. That was a big thing for me. Also, she might seek help on her own or if there is an emergency be coerced into it anyway.
If she is distressed by the symptoms, you could encourage her to contact someone that can educate her about treatment options. There may be a mental health advice line in your area that can refer her or you to free or low cost resources.
That strategy has a good chance of discouraging her from getting treatment later. Getting her to call a mental health advice line that she doesn't trust likely won't be positive.
Why do you say that? Also, if she is distressed, then she may want treatment now.
Granted, but why won't she trust the mental health advice line? If she is distressed, she may be willing to consider help from new sources.
If she is not distressed, then CronoDAS can use the mental health advice line to get educated on the options in case she does become distressed.
Basically because there's a high likelihood that the operator on the other side doesn't believe that the spirits she sees exist and suggest she's wrong for believing they exist.
If that would be the case CronoDAS wouldn't have the problem he has.
Often helpline workers are people who formerly needed mental health advice themselves. At least, they'll have training on how to be helpful. I think it's very likely they'll be supportive, and unlikely that they'll be judgmental.
However, this is from a US perspective. Things may be different in other parts of the world.