How to Commit a Bipolar Person to Get Help

Bipolar disorder is a brain disorder sometimes known as manic depression or manic-depressive illness. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, "Bipolar disorder often develops in a person's late teens or early adult years," and almost half of bipolar cases begin before the person is 25. It can be difficult to get a friend or loved one to understand that she needs to get help and see a professional, but you can point her in the right direction.

Instructions

• 1

  Understand the symptoms. Symptoms of bipolar disorder include severe mood swings. Your loved one may be spending large amounts of money one day, gambling or participating in addictive behaviors, but a few days later, she might be suicidal. These are known as manic and depressive episodes, and if a person alternates between them frequently, she might have bipolar disorder.

• 2

  Ask your friend to see a doctor. If she is capable of recognizing she has a problem, she should understand that the next step is to see a doctor. Offer to make an appointment for her and accompany her to the doctor's office.

• 3

  Determine if your friend is a danger to herself or others. If she is acting out violently toward others or herself or is talking about suicide, your friend may need to be institutionalized or in a doctor's care.

• 4

  Consult a doctor who makes house calls. If you can't get your friend to go to the doctor, bring the doctor to your friend. Your friend might be angry or hostile about this at first, but she might come around when she realizes you are trying to help.

• 5

  Call the police. If your friend is consistently a danger to herself or others, the police might need to be notified. They will decide whether or not your friend must be institutionalized. Some clinics will let patients sign themselves out, while others determine when the patient is released.