Bipolar: Warning About the Police
Published: Sun, 10/28/12
Hi ,
How's it going today?
Are you having a good day?
I read the news a lot, and so I've read about
people with mental illness, not just bipolar
disorder, getting killed by the police because
the police misunderstand the situation, or they
just don't know that the person has bipolar disorder
(or some other mental illness).
I read the headlines. I read a lot of headlines from
all across the globe. I stay informed.
I also post them on my website, so that you can
stay informed, too.
This is really important to me, because when I
started bipolarcentral.com, one of the most important
things to me (and it still is) was to educate people
about bipolar disorder.
So I put up the Bipolar News on the website as one
of the ways to do that.
Anyway, sometimes I'm accused of posting only bad
news, and some people really, really don't like that,
and they tell me so.
But I tell them that even if you were to read just your
own paper, or turn on the news on your local TV
station, you would see all this bad news, too. It's just
all around us, unfortunately.
I just pick out the stories that apply to bipolar disorder,
because those are the ones that you are interested in
reading about.
In my defense against those people who accuse me of
only printing bad news, well, I don't. I print all the news
I can find that has to do with bipolar disorder.
My intent, just like it always was, is just to inform.
Unfortunately, I guess these people are kind of right.
I wish there were more positive news about bipolar
disorder.
That's what one of the things is about my mission is.
I want people to learn more about bipolar disorder so
that they will become more educated and not be so afraid
of people who have the disorder.
If people are more educated, they won't be so afraid.
Then, maybe, we won't see so many tragic headlines.
Speaking of sad stories, at one time there was a headline
found in New Jersey that hit home for me. Yea, it was
really sad.
But it has a bipolar lesson to it, so I have to share it with
you.
Michele who works for me, her cousin's 23-year-old son
was shot and killed by the police.
He had a knife, and was surrounded by a squad of police,
and they just shot first.
Unfortunately, what the headlines didn't say was that
Jake had bipolar disorder and was in a manic episode at
the time, because he hadn't been taking his medication.
Now, you're familiar with bipolar disorder.
You do understand that, in a manic episode, your loved
one is not in their right mind. They aren't thinking
rationally.
Who knows if Jake even understood what was happening
to him?
The point was, here was this young man, surrounded
by all these police, all these guns pointed at him, and
he probably didn't even know what was happening.
And there was no one there to intervene on his behalf.
In my courses/systems, I talk about what to do if your
loved one does become violent during a bipolar episode:
SUPPORTING AN ADULT WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http://www.bipolarsupporter.com/report11
SUPPORTING A CHILD/TEEN WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http://www.bipolarparenting.com
HAVE BIPOLAR DISORDER?
Visit:
http://www.survivebipolar.net
In some types of bipolar disorder, the person can
become violent during an episode.
They may have hallucinations or delusions during
an episode and not know what they're doing, and
it may lead to some type of violence.
Even if they don't have this type of bipolar disorder,
their disorder may change somewhere down the line,
and they may become violent.
So whether your loved one has ever been violent
before or not, you need to be aware of what to do
if they ever do become that way.
Even if they don't become actually violent, there
may come a time when they are so out of control
and you are so afraid that you have to involve the
police.
Or maybe you're not even so afraid for yourself,
but for your loved one.
Sometimes, in an episode, a person with bipolar
disorder will threaten suicide.
And you may not be able to handle it by yourself.
So, in any of the cases, like I've mentioned, the police
may need to be involved.
This is the bipolar lesson I talked about earlier. There
are some things you should know before you involve
the police.
Especially for your loved one's sake.
Because there still hasn't been enough education in the
community and in police departments to necessarily
keep them from killing a person in a bipolar episode rather
than just subduing them first and getting them the help
they need.
Probably the most important thing you need to know is
this:
Should you have to call the police on your loved one,
STAY (if at all possible) until the police arrive, so that
you can explain to them that your loved one has bipolar
disorder.
In many states, it will make the difference between your
loved one going to the hospital or going to jail.
If there is some reason you cannot stay, then make sure
when you do call the police, that you tell them that they
will be dealing with someone who has bipolar disorder.
Again, it may mean the difference between your loved
one going to the hospital or going to jail.
As a supporter, I'm sure you would rather see your loved
one get the help they need rather than go to jail just for
being in a bipolar episode.
Many times, the police will bring with them a mental health
professional who will help them assess the situation and/or
your loved one's condition.
Unfortunately, Jake did not have this luxury.
Had there been a mental health professional on the site, he
may have stood a better chance of living.
What do you think?
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http://www.bipolarsupporter.com/bipolarsupporterblog/bipolar-warning-about-the-police/comment-page-1/#comment-46136
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Well, I have to go!
Your Friend,
Dave
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