|
Is this legal?
I'm seventeen and live in Kentucky. So, I'm supposed to be taking several psychiatric medications, and I've been diagnosed with bipolar, anxiety, ADHD, and potentially OCD. I got in trouble recently and now my parents refuse to take me to the psychiatrist or pay for the medication. They also won't allow me to have a job anymore so I can't pay for it myself. Just so you know, it's not like I'm just trying to get pills or anything. I've actually struggled quite a bit with the idea of having to take medication, but I've kind of accepted that it does help a lot and I can't handle this on my own. I've attempted suicide before and I become very depressed and very manic without this medication. I don't like being dependent on drugs for any reason, but I'm just worried about what I might do without it. So I guess my question is, is what my parents doing legal?
[ ]
Want to answer more questions in the Health & Fitness category?
Maybe give some free advice about: Mental health?
What your parents are doing is legal because they are your legal guardians and they have control of what the doctors give you. I'm sorry that this is happening to you and I used to experience the same things but I never took any anti-psychotics for it. If you need to talk about anything then you can always write me and I will try my best to reply as fast as I can. Thank you for your time!
]
Short answer is NO ITS NOT LEGAL until your 18 your parents are responsible for your health and welfare. Your parents may be confusing the age of majority and when you are deemed an adult under the law. One has nothing to do with the other.
You mention you got in trouble recently; are your parents punishing you by not paying for your medications or taking you to the doctor. If so they age guilty of neglect and child abuse. If they think that by law they are no longer responsible for you as you are past the age of majority in Kentucky they are confusing the age of consent with the age of legal adult and are still guilty of neglect and child abuse.
What are your rights? Since you have written "but I'm just worried about what I might do," and you have tried suicide before. That you are diagnosed with among others bipolar disorder you cannot be unmediated.
PICK UP A PHONE AND CALL 911. YES THIS IS AN EMERGENCY SITUATION FOR YOU. Tell the call take what you have written to us. Both the fire department and police department will be dispatched to where ever you are. The police are there to see to your safety and to make sure your parents allow the fire department paramedic have the chance to evaluate you and take you to the hospital where you will receive the proper treatment.
]
No--It's negligent. If something happened to you they would be in a lot of hot water with authorities. They cannot do this. What you need to do is call your psychiatrist who takes care of your ADHD, OCD, Bipolar and tell him/her in confidence that they are refusing to pay for your treatment any further or the psychiatric medications you need to survive because of X,Y, Z reason. He/she will take them to task and make sure that you get your rightful treatment. They cannot deprive you of it being responsible for you until age 18. This is being someone with bipolar (and even without) fucking disgusting actions from a loving parent supposedly.
You can tell your psychiatrist, teacher and any adult really exactly what you said here and they would be appalled and know the correct action to take. You can also have any person and even do it yourself call the Children's Aid Society and tip them off to your situation and be anonymous,
Nothing you tell your shrink can ever be shared with your parents unless someone is harming you or you are in crisis or of harm to yourself and cannot make decisions for self. Even then it's limited what they can tell.
I would tell the psychiatrist, teacher, trusted adult or anyone else you can think of about this and them threatening to end treatment. What the hell have you done anyways? Regardless they have no power to keep you from what a doctor has mandated as right. Talk to your psychiatrist in the morning with concerns. This is a BIG thing and what they are here for. They are your advocate and can end this nonsense fast.
]
Hiya! Dr.D here!
Soooo... it really depends. See, if you over the age of 18 then you have all rights to take your medication that you think you need. But if your doctor prescribes you something, its only recommended, so your parents may call the shots, and if they say they dont think you need it, then they are allowed to. Doctors are not allowed to force patience to take medicine. Not unless the patient is however not allowed to make decisions of his or her own, and has a history of crime and other bad acts, therapists, and the police can force you to take medicine, if they believe that the person is a danger to people around them, or to his or herself.
But hey, if you want. I can help you :-)
I know a lot about dealing with these kind of things. I know how to handle situations and help you compress urges, and release all that bad mobo jumbo you got. Just message me privately, and I will gladly help you. I am here to help :-)
Good luck, and have a nice night :D
-Dr.D
]
More Questions: |