By Invitation

When a mentally ill loved one refuses help

The Ulysses contract – an advance directive – may be one way of helping individuals who need treatment but believe they don’t

It happens just about every time. After I give a public talk on some mental health topic, one or two people from the audience hang back and approach me.

They seek advice on how to deal with someone close to them - a child, a sibling, an erstwhile friend - who is often sequestered at home and obviously unwell mentally, but refuses to either seek help or resume treatment.

Already a subscriber? 

Read the full story and more at $9.90/month

Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month

Unlock these benefits

  • All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com

  • Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device

  • E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.