How to have someone certified.

[SoulTax]

My great-grandmother was reportedly a little insane from menopause. May sound strange, but menopause can cause mood swings and from what I understand with her, she had times when she completely flipped, tried attacking my great grandfather with a carving knife because he ate out a bowl with his fingers or something. Her's were less frequent but just as sever from what I understand, so it is not much of a stretch to imagine that your friends mom is menopausal and the chemical changes, combined with a certain pre-existing mental issue are causing her to go over the edge.

If she is around that age, then I would suggest exploring that as a cause as well. If it is the cause, the good news is that she will get over it and turn back into a sweetheart (If she was one to start with ) once the body has gone through its changes. The problem is that she could hurt herself or someone else before then. The more info you can give to a psych, the easier it can be for them to help. There may be some drugs that help counter the effects of menopause on the brain specifically. As opposed to simple anti-depressants.

 

[wrathex]

Sources for you to read:

The Mental Health Act:
http://safmh.org.za/Images/MENTAL HEALTH CARE ACT.pdf

and

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_6869/is_1_98/ai_n28533910/

Excerpt from above source:

Involuntary Treatment:

Regulation No. 27117 of 2004 governs MCHA 2002.[xiv] This Regulation and § 33 of the Act, states that in order to commence a proceeding to have someone involuntarily committed, “an application must be made to the Head of a Health Establishment (HHE) by a spouse, next of kin, partner, associate, parent or guardian”, who must have seen the person within the past seven days.[xv]

Once the application is received, the HHE must have the person examined by two mental health care practitioners who perform independent assessments of the patient, and must report their findings and recommendations.

[xvi] If the assessments of the two practitioners are different, then the HHE must have the patient assessed by another practitioner.[xvii]

The HHE can approve an application only if the two mental health care practitioners agree together that involuntary care is needed.[xviii]

MHCA 2002 is clear that only individuals suffering from mental illness are eligible for involuntary care.[xix]

According to the Act, an involuntary mental health user “must be provided with care, treatment and rehabilitation at a health establishment if at the time of application, there is a reasonable belief that the mental health care user has a mental illness,” and is likely to cause serious harm to their person or others.[xx]

If the HHE recommends involuntary care, treatment and rehabilitation, the patient must be admitted to a health establishment within 48 hours.[xxi] The HHE must then arrange for the assessment of the patient’s physical and mental health status for 72 hours.[xxii] After the 72-hour assessment, based on the medical health care practitioner’s reports, the HHE must decide if the patient requires further involuntary care, treatment and rehabilitation services as an inpatient.

If the HHE determines that the patient does not require further treatment, care or rehabilitation, the patient must be discharged immediately, unless the patient gives consent to further care. Invariably, depending upon the HHE’s determination, the patient can be discharged or have their status changed to a voluntary inpatient or outpatient. [xxiii]