Reply #146: My mom has been severely mentally ill for 31 years. After she

[kestrel91316]

developed serious complications from untreated high blood pressure, we were FINALLY able to get a psych evaluation and have her declared incompetent to make her own medical decisions (medical power of attorney given to my sister) so once she was safe in assisted-living, she could be put on antipsychotic meds.

She has responded fairly well to them, but unfortunately she now has stroke-related dementia and is losing her sight. Her quality of life is better than it was for years, and she is much SAFER. But it's sad. A life completely wasted because the mental health care and legal systems have no way to PREVENT this. They just deal with the aftermath of not treating the psychotic.