Traveling while crazy

[TexasBushwhacker]

Please forgive my use of "crazy', but I'm in a quandary.

Several weeks ago, I planned a weeklong vacation in California. Art exhibits, a great concert, staying by the beach. I was paying for my airfare, lodging and car rental, and I figured that for just the cost of her airfare, I could take my best friend along. Social Security is her only income and she was thrilled.

The thing is, she is very depressed. She lost her mother about a year ago after a long battle with dementia. She, along with her brother, were her mom's caregivers. It's been over a year now, and she's not getting better. She's actually getting worse. I have suggested she go into a hospital for a while, a place I've been to myself, but she refuses.

For a while, she has been hearing voices. She thinks people are living on her roof. I, gently, say "No, they aren't", but she is insistent. Her brother, who still lives with her, tends to get angry with her, so that's no help.

So we are supposed to leave for CA in 12 days. Normally I would just say that the trip will be good for her and lift her spirits, but these delusions are something I've never dealt with. Should I tell her she has to go in the hospital or I'm cancelling the trip? Should I just cancel no matter what? Or should I still take her and hope for the best? I struggle with depression too, and this stress is starting to affect me. To top it off, I start a new job on Monday.

Thanks!

[SarasotaDem]

1. Auditory hallucinations

can be as simple as a UTI
Get her checked

[MutantAndProud]

2. Adding that stress might just exacerbate it...

This is not a circumstance I’m willing to get into too deeply because of the number of factors involved, but coercive care can be damaging. I’m also not a qualified physician, which is who this needs to be left up to assuming she is not causing any damage to your property or self and she is managing. 12 days, including approximately 7 at your new job is time to let things unfold and possibly settle with both of you separated a bit more for a little while.

Edit: also concur with comment #1, auditory hallucinations have more sources than mental illness of a grade requiring hospitalization

Edit 2: urgent care centers and general practitioners are who you should see for checkups related to this and getting a diagnostic. Urgent care clinics are better for faster results if an appointment at a GP isn’t available for a while. I would pursue that before a hospital ER because those are for true active emergencies (active threats to cause harm, destructive or physically harmful behavior, inability to communicate/care for self to the extent possible with the disability)