Mental illness and difficult situations

Suicide threats or attempts

If someone's threatening suicide, take it seriously. Encourage them to talk about their feelings and, if they have to be left alone, ensure they have the phone number of the Samaritans, as well as details of how to contact their GP. If someone does attempt suicide, get medical attention as soon as possible, through their GP or by taking them to A&E.

Violence and mental illness

Most people who are mentally distressed are unlikely to be violent. But if you think it's a possibility, it makes sense to work out in advance what you'd do. Generally, it's best to remove yourself from a potentially violent situation.

It may become necessary to use the law to protect yourself. If you feel you are at immediate risk, leave the situation, or if this is not possible, call the police. The police will have several options from:

• Simply talking to the person
• Calling for medical assessment
• Compulsory admission to hospital

Another is to apply for an injunction to stop someone entering your home, or to keep a certain distance from your home. Your local Citizens Advice Bureau can suggest the best way to approach this.

If a person with mental health issues goes missing

If you know any of their relatives, close friends, or other known support networks such as their church, contact them to check the person hasn’t simply sought refuge with them. You should contact everyone who might be able to help but do inform the police, who will have the facilities to increase the search and are often the first to hear about someone in a distressed state.

Compulsory admission to hospital

This drastic action should only be used as a last resort, but sometimes it's necessary. Under the Mental Health Act 1983 someone can be compulsorily detained in hospital for their own safety or for the protection of others. The act applies to England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland are covered by the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984 and the Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986.

As a carer, you may also want to stop someone from being compulsorily detained. You can talk to your local community health council, Citizens Advice or Mind's legal unit. Another good area of support and advice is the Patient Advice and Liaison Service.

Your rights as a carer

Under the Work & Families Act, if you work and you're the carer for an adult, you have the right to request flexible working patterns. This applies if you're caring for an adult partner, spouse or civil partner, or near relative.

The definition for near relative includes:

• Parents
• Parents-in-law
• Adult children
• Adopted adult children
• Siblings
• Uncles
• Aunts
• Grandparents
• step-relatives

You also have the right to request flexible working if you have a disabled child aged under 18.

Directgov has advice about how to apply for flexible working, which can include flexi-time, compressed hours and working at home.

The Equality Act 2010 also provides rights for people not to be directly discriminated against or harassed because they have an association with a disabled person, which applies to a carer or parent of a mentally or physically disabled person.