Amanda Bynes and Schizophrenia: Should Her Parents Get Conservatorship?

It should be difficult to get control of an adult's life. I am a bp patient, not a parent. But, the idea of giving up control to make my own medical choices is something so radical, I can't imagine doing it. If the "patient" doesn't fit the legal requirement for a 72 hour hold, then I'm not sure what the answer is.
Again, I am not a parent, so I do not know this particular pain or feeling of responsibility.

Dean, first I'm going to guess you are not type 2 with schizoid delusional outbresks. second Ii must note that you do not have anosognosia...you are aware you are b.p. and since you have admited so, i further see you are not in denial. hence you are not a good target for recievership or involuntary commitment.
lucky you. not all are so lucky and to compound the bad luck, the system, frankly, does not seem to give a hoot and it's hard to get them off the street till someone is dead or in the process of becoming dead. unlucky them. unlucky friends and family of them and other victims of the "patients rights" excesses we have today. it should be difficult, but less so than at present.

The reason that it is so difficult to get conservatorship is b/c we live in a country where we are lucky to have many types of freedom that do not exist in most other countries in the world. Once someone is 18 they are considered, legally, an adult and are therefore able to make their own decisions regardless of whether others think these decisions are right/wrong or good/bad, and, whether these decisions cause negative consequences. Historically, those suffering from some form of different or aberrant behavior have had zero rights. Although I can certainly understand parents' heartache and sense of powerlessness when their children behave erratically and make poor decisions, I believe that those of us with mental illness should not be easily 'controlled' just b/c people are concerned about our behavior and/or well-being. There are many others in our society that cause suffering and death to others through criminal activity but I don't see anyone clamoring for 'conservatorship' for these individuals. Why should those of us with a mental illness be singled out?
Not only have I suffered, severely, with a mental illness for over 40 years but I have also been a licensed psychotherapist for 20 years; therefore, I have seen both sides of this issue first hand. I believe that those of us with mental/emotional illnesses and disorders are treated as second class citizens in many spheres of our society, especially by the medical profession, pharmaceutical companies and many parts of the media. Instead of telling those of us with mental illness (and do people know what a wide swath of illnesses and disorders there are in the term 'mental illness'?) what to do, people need to start asking us what it is that WE NEED to feel better and to feel like valued members of society. Until we know what the questions are, the answers will always be driven by money and outsiders, and, oftentimes these answers are predicated on misinformation or theories that are just that, theories.

I have a sister who was diagnosed a few years ago with schizo-affective disorder. She is in her early 30's, hears voices all day long and is convinced it is her neighbors (She's even called the cops on the voices before), is starting to online shop out of control & hoard the boxes, does not clean her apartment, will not leave her run down apartment for sometimes two weeks, has never learned how to drive... and has a 2 year old son in all of this. She is on SSI and public medical insurance, but the docs are so overbooked that they just throw her on high doses of Lithium and send her home for 2 months. Our family is ready to help in anyway possible, but we are not professionals, we don't know what to do or where to send her for help. I think she needs a few weeks/months if intense therapy & supervision to get her meds straight and to talk it all out - she actually WANTS help and is AWARE of her illness. But we can;t find any available resources in California. What can we do?? The "voices" are constantly telling her that she is a bad parent, a bad person. We are afraid for our nephew, and for their safety and health. Please help?

I recently got LPS conservatorship just last month for my son, what made it easier was I did attain Mr Terry Wasserman in Manhattan Beach, who specializes in Mental Court. Anyone in LA County that needs such guidance should give him a call. You won't have any regrets.

Anyone interested in SZ and what it can do to a family should read, January First by Michael Schofield. And that deals with a daughter who was just a six or 7 year old child.
God knows what it must be like to have a grown child with SZ.

Im a grandparent who is support for my daughter who has to children with mental illness. One is Bi-Polar,
ADHD, High function Autisum, speech defects and a IQ of 73, The other is a 15 year old girl who has cutting issues and now has 2 suicide attempts and hospitalizations to her mental health treatment.
The Boy is 22 years and mom is trying to get housing his mental health is managed by seeing doctors and Therapy once a month. Medicine has been changed Removed from Abilify and put on a Med that seems to be helping his mood swings. Can get hyper but seems to be managing well. with new meds. My concern is for the 15 year old girl who is now in a treatment center for 10 days because of her second suicide attempt. She has issues of involving herself with the same people with issues similar to hers in school. At home she has developed a relationship with a girl younger that her which has convinced our girl she is gay ? She has also been on the computer or phone with boys who have claimed to love her and want to be with her. Then she finds out the boys are playing a game with all the girls they hang around with. This devastated my grand. The only Person she has told about here last visit to a treatment center is a 16 year boy who is among the group that have been texting these girls. She was very upset for about two weeks. Then attempted suicide again stating she felt she was no good and the boy who knew he attempted suicide the first time was involved this time also . Then she turns around and texted him all that night to get help

Any suggestions I asked her mom to remove her phone, computer and any contact with her friends. (Her therapist said no she needs the socialization). I say Remove her from the school and place her in another learning situation. My daughter is following the therapists suggestion. Im only a grand but i feel the wrong decision is being made. Keep her in this situation and I am afraid she will follow through with her threats ---Mind My own business I think I am, Maybe not you tell me of your opinion

please help