Emergency Intervention

If a loved one knows for certain a person is starving themselves to the point of death, they can try to commit them to a mental hospital.  The process for doing this is called involuntary commitment.  If a loved one cannot restrain the sufferer enough to get them to the hospital themselves, they can call an ambulance or the cops who will take control of the situation and transport the person to the hospital on their own.  When the person reaches the mental hospital, if the personnel believes they are mentally ill, (which they most likely will since they rely heavily on the word of family members), the person will be admitted for up to 72 hours. 

In the mental hospital the person will be encouraged to eat the standard three meals a day and a snack, with the meals usually occurring in a meeting room.  If the person refuses to eat, they may be given nutrients intravenously.  Their weight, blood pressure and other indicators of health will be monitored everyday.  They will get at least one session with their designated psychiatrist everyday, along with several 'community' sessions, where they talk about their problems with counselors and other mental health patients. 

If an eating disorder sufferer gets rowdy at a mental hospital, they could be required to stay longer and/or be physically restrained.  One of the ways this is done is through what is known as four-point restraints.  The hands and feet are put in shackles until the patient calms down.  The other way which is perhaps more humane is isolating the person in a 'quiet' room.  Quiet rooms contain just a bed, so out-of-control patients aren't likely to find things that they can hurt themselves on.  They stay in these rooms until they regain control of their behavior.  If it takes several hours for them to get themselves together, they will be fed in the quiet room. 

As far as the stay itself, mental health institutions are not pleasant, but they are not as bad as what is stereotyped on television.  This is because accommodations are really no different than what is in an average hospital, just as long as the patient doesn't pose a threat to themselves or others.  The hardest thing one will have to deal with when staying at a mental hospital is the restriction of freedom. 

Patients are not allowed off of the mental health ward unless they have prior permission.  And even then they cannot leave the hospital grounds, though occasionally they might be allowed outside.  Entertainment-wise, patients watch television in the meeting room.  There might also be other activities such as board games that they can do with other patients. 

When the stay is over, a psychiatrist would have to provide legal proof that the patient needs to continue their involuntary stay.  Usually, this will not happen since a person must show that they are a danger to themselves or others.  This can be somewhat difficult to prove in court, even for the eating disorder sufferer, who technically is a danger to themselves. 

Why is this so?  It's usually because judges are looking for more physical manifestations of violence.  They may also think that continued treatment for an eating disorder can be addressed through an eating disorder clinic or normal counseling.  Additionally, the eating disorder sufferer may eat normally at least temporarily with hopes of getting out the mental hospital.

So, if an eating disorder sufferer is not likely to stay a long time at a mental hospital why make them go?  Well, for many, particularly those who are advanced in their disorder, an involuntary stay at a mental hospital may be the only way their lives can be saved.  Another reason why it should be considered is because the stay itself may get a person to think about their condition. 

Although no one wants to be committed to a mental hospital, at least when it happens they are getting professional help.  Perhaps in the process of talking to their psychiatrist and/or discussing their issues in group therapy, the eating disorder sufferer can realize that they have a disease that needs to be addressed.  If this more positive scenario happens, the sufferer may want to continue their stay voluntarily, go to an eating disorder clinic or get private counseling in hopes of getting rid of the disorder. 

Of course, there is the possibility committing a loved one involuntarily to a mental hospital could make them more resentful.  They may feel that everyone, even their family, are against them, which may cause them to want to turn more towards their eating disorder.  However, this is a consequence that loved ones must risk, because if they don't they may have to deal with something much worse… having to bury the eating disorder sufferer.  Indeed, it is definitely better to have the victim 'hate' them for a little while than risk having them die. 

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