Hospitalization may be needed to allow for a period during which the individual can be closely monitored to provide accurate diagnosis, to help adjust or stabilize medications, or during an acute episode where a person’s mental illness temporarily worsens.
There are times when a person becomes so ill that they are at risk of hurting themselves or others and hospitalization becomes necessary even though the individual does not wish to enter a hospital. While seeking help voluntarily is always preferable, if that is at all possible, the decision to hospitalize involuntarily can be more caring than it seems if that is the only way your family member or friend can get the care they need, especially if there is a risk of suicide or harm to others.
