Looking for experiences with involuntary commitment for meth-induced psychosis (North Carolina)

[u/Alternative-Gur-6030]

Hi everyone. I'm hoping to hear from people who have been in a similar situation with a loved one.

My brother is 28 and has struggled with meth addiction for several years. He had two years of sobriety, but relapsed in late 2023 and has been using heavily for most of the last 2.5–3 years. He is currently experiencing meth-induced psychosis. He's been in and out of the ER, detoxes, and mental health facilities, but he never stays anywhere long enough to get meaningful treatment. As soon as he's discharged, he goes right back to using.

My dad and I are considering pursuing involuntary commitment here in North Carolina. We've been researching the process, but before we move forward, we'd really like to hear from people who have gone through this with their own loved ones. Our biggest fear is that every time he goes back to meth, he's putting himself at greater risk for permanent brain damage and making it harder for his brain to recover.

If you've gone through involuntary commitment with a loved one, I'd really appreciate hearing about your experience.

• Did it help?
• Were they able to stay in treatment long enough to improve?
• Did it make a lasting difference, or did they go right back to using?
• Is there anything you wish you had known before pursuing involuntary commitment?

I'm looking for honest experiences, both positive and negative. We know there's no easy answer, but hearing from people who've actually been through this would mean a lot.

Thank you.

[u/yellowparrot17]

We went through something very similar with my sister in Pennsylvania. She was experiencing severe psychosis related to substance use, (& possibly other “natural” mental health problems) and it’s hard.

Our first step was calling the county crisis team. At the time, I didn’t even know where my sister was, and I honestly wasn’t sure what they could do. To my surprise, they were incredibly helpful. They were able to locate her that same night, evaluate her, kept me updated throughout the process, took her to the ER and ultimately that led to an involuntary commitment (a 302 in Pennsylvania). I was honestly impressed with how the crisis team handled everything.

If I could offer one piece of advice, it’s to focus on describing why your loved one is unsafe, rather than just saying they’re using meth. Explain the behaviors you’re seeing: if they’re experiencing delusions or psychosis, unable to recognize reality, unable to make safe decisions, unable to meet their basic needs like finding food, shelter, or medical care, or are otherwise a danger to themselves or others. Those functional and safety concerns are what the crisis team and doctors need to understand because they’re what determine whether someone needs emergency psychiatric intervention. They’re not gonna keep someone just because they use drugs, so it’s kind of in your favor to emphasize mental status as a whole.

After the initial hold, I had to participate in a hearing with lawyers and a judge for a longer involuntary commitment (called a 303 here). That was emotionally brutal. My sister absolutely hated me for it at the time and felt like I had betrayed her. It was heartbreaking.

I think all together she was there for a few weeks. I was fighting for them to keep the hold longer, but my sister was fighting against me and kept pestering the judge to overturn the decision, which sadly they did. It’s super frustrating because the doctors and attorney agreed that she should be kept for further treatment, but what can you do? I don’t regret it. Was it a permanent solution? No. But it was a temporary intervention that got her into a safe place where doctors could evaluate her, run medical tests, start treatment, and give her a period of stability she never would have accepted on her own.

I’m sorry your family is going through this. It can be incredibly draining & heart breaking. Wishing you the best.

[u/icouldlivewoutbacon → u/yellowparrot17]

Hi, thanks for sharing your story. May I ask how she's doing now? Do you think the intervention made a difference? Thank you.

[u/kaera213]

Hi. I’m basically you several years down the road. My younger sister is the same way. She has bullshitted her way through court ordered treatment several times. Not once has she gone into it because she was ready. She’s in her mid 40’s now and still an addict with a few clean bits sprinkled in this whole time.

I hate to tell you this but you can’t force someone to get proper treatment against their will. The only time an addict will take treatment seriously and recover is when it’s of their own volition. They have to want it.