How can you convince a person to go to the doctor?

[imbound]

My sister is Bipolar. There is no doubt in anyone's mind but hers. He father is bipolar and it's hereditary, but no one can convince her. It could even be more than just being bipolar. She's in her late 20s so it's harder because she sees herself as an adult. No one in my family noticed in the beginning because they say in most cases it doesn't show up until they are in their 20s and then she moved out the house so no one noticed until she moved back in. That's when we started realizing she needed serious help, but it wasn't that serious she just had her moods. Then it progressed into something much more dangerous. Where she started turning on us too, and that resulted in some fights and some scary experiences and some police officers that we would have much rather avoided. Now she's moved in with another family member in another state and causing havoc over there without telling us. My mom has gone to try to convince her she needs to come home and that she really needs help with her father, but it's not working. She has gotten involved with the wrong type of people and plans on doing the wrong thing for her profession. She doesn't believe girls can be bipolar but she wont look into it, and I really wish she would because it is really sad seeing her flush her life down the drain. She's become another person entirely. I know that if she continues doing what she's doing eventually she'll realize it and end up hating herself more than she does already and go into a huge depression and my family can't handle another death if she starts thinking stupid things. How can you convince someone like that to go get help? Especially when they think everything is a conspiracy and wont trust anyone. It's just hard. I hate seeing my mom be upset because I'm sure this hurts her the most and knowing there's nothing I can do. She just wont listen.

[taylalatbh.]

She's obviously in a very difficult situation and it's going to you hard for you and the family to try and make her see that. There's no way that you can physically force her to go and speak to someone about this (I don't think). But maybe you could speak to someone, and see if there is something they could advise you on, to help her? They would know a lot more about dealing with this, and what steps to take to help your sister. Speak to your doctor and tell them the situation. Let them know that you are entirely convinced that your sister has this condition, and that she has terrible mood swings and gets so bad that the police has to be called. Maybe then they can take further action into helping her.

Other than that, I'm not too sure on what can be done for her. I hope this helps, take care.

[OMFG!You'reActuallySmart!]

There is involuntary admission which can be done but since she is an adult (i.e. over 18), the only way for her to get treatment by this would be if she comes home and then gets admitted or the people she's living with admit her. When involuntary admitted, there is also involuntary treatment but I'm only familiar with how it works in Canada, as far as I know it is in the US and I think follows similar policies.

If she hasn't been diagnosed, she may not be bipolar because although her father has it, that only increases her chances but will not ever be a 100% definite she will get it. Even if her mother also had bipolar, would not be a 100% definite. So whatever her diagnosis is, it may not be bipolar or may be additional disorders.

In Canada, she can get to the hospital either by herself, by ambulance, by police, by family or by others, I'm sure it's the same for the US.

[Opal]

The short answer is you can't.

You can suggest it to her, write her letters, call her, visit her, but you can not make her do anything.

If you are really convinced that you want to do this, there are books on the science of persuasion that may help you. Search persuasion in your local library catalogue and see what comes up. You may be able to tempt her or point out the benefits, but she may not want to regardless of what you do.

Ultimately it's her life and she is responsible for it. She gets to make all of her choices and no one else can choose for her.

[Alexx]

I don't know if this will help you at all, but what convinced me to go to the doctor is when I realised I actually needed to. I hadn't really realised how different my life was to your average person's, until I'd become suicidal and wanted to die. And then it hit me that no, not everyone feels this way, clearly there is something wrong.

I don't think you can really convince your sister, but if you can help her see that she is suffering and that no-one deserves to suffer, she might start to see your way of thinking? If that makes any sense at all.