Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

Being threatened with being sectioned.

Hello. I am an A Level student who is currently being threatened with being sectioned under the mental health act for not obeying orders to not play video games when I am relaxing and not studying, volunteering, going out with fellow students, and do not want to watch repeats of television shows I have been seeing year on year since I was a toddler.

The reasoning my father gives is that in years past, on my first attempt at A levels in sciences and also my ultimately failed attempt at a degree in Business Studies, I spent an inordinate amount of money and time on binge eating and on games, approaching most of my student loan (which ended up being around £12,000, all the games of which I have been ordered to destroy and uninstall, and the websites blocked on the firewall) and most of the money I had from prior employment.
Although I do agree with that statement, I feel that I have learnt from my mistake, and have decided to balance things better. This time, I have started a new system for keeping my notes in order and am reading around the subjects properly to learn.
Today will be the second actual day of this new term.

So, last night I was being threatened, upon the regular inspections of the laptop computer that was given to me as a gift a few years ago when prior laptop of mine failed (after one attempt to purchase my own laptop which was of similar quality, which I was told to send back because they had not purchased it and I shouldn't waste my own money, even though I needed it for my studies at that time as there was a strong amount of online content in the degree.), and it was revealed that I had folders installed from the past couple of days during the induction event for the college I now go to from various games, all free ones, most of them except one actually being from Wikipedia's open source and free game list, like Lincity, Vega Strike, and so on, as I have learnt not to buy things if there is a free alternative, since purchasing things, even small amounts, can build up.
Then, the requisite "based on your prior history, you know there's a temptation to start making them take over your life" talk, which I denied, stating that I have learnt from prior experience and I have started to balance things properly, and it is verging on midnight and I have early lessons tomorrow.
Then, I was told that they were going to keep on telling me to stop until I stopped. They were not going to take any other point of view.
I persisted for two hours. I was not doing anything that would harm anyone. I am the one being rational here. They will not affect my studies, as my studies are the priority, the gaming is to relax when I am on my own with no other duties.
Then they told me that they felt 'intimidated' by me, and said that if I do not agree, they will have me sectioned under a mental health order, something that I honestly had to look up. As near as I can tell, it seems to mean I would either be locked up somewhere, or kept in a hospital until I can be declared healthy and fine, which, as it is suspected I'm slightly autistic (my sister is a non-verbal autistic, and it is believed that since she is one of the few people my own age I interact with on a regular basis, I have picked up traits of her behaviour over the years, which might very well be true.).

My parents regularly read my mail, check my computer (I screen my history regularly for things that could be problematic to explain), continually expect me to explain my actions from when I was not in their supervision.
Although I have had freedom to do as I wish over the years, I have never really made any friends, mainly out of fear that they are to be analysed and considered failing for me to associate with, and also because of unrelated anxieties that they are going to spontaneously turn on me as did happen with various unrelated childhood friends.

I just want to get my studies sorted once and for all, do lots of extracurricular activity, play some single player games to relax in much the same vein as watching a movie on my own to relax, ultimately find myself in a long running career in which I can make the world better, faster, and stronger (in that order), have a house of my own in which I can slowly over time decorate as I see fit (out of fear that something might be considered inappropriate or too geeky, my bedroom is just painted white. No posters since I was 14.), and overload the world with as much win as it is possible to do, whilst minimising fail.

It seems viable. However, as a 21 year old, the only reign my parents should have over me is that I currently live rent-free (I did once via my student loan, 35 pound a week, but upon these A levels, I have been told not to, and I will be provided with an allowance, which I have decided to discretely put back in their wallets/handbags or somewhere less noticeable as I have enough money in my bank account right now for everything I need right now, and more will simply be temptation to overspend on things or go for premium options) in their house, right? They can't legally open my mail, constantly check my activity online and off, bully me into doing things I don't want to do constantly, and threaten to have me locked away without my consent, right?

I have no idea. So, I figured I'd post it up on here while I do day 2 of A levels today, as they're going to push me and eventually out of sheer attrition, I will agree to their crap and end up struggling to keep focused as I have no high level release of stress, only low level ones that are sporiadic and are not accessible on demand.

Reply 1

Natt39

Got halfway through the second sentence.

They can't have you sectioned for that. It simply doesn't work like that.

In short two doctors have to agree that you are at extreme risk of causing danger to yourself or others for that to happen.

I hate it when people start throwing the mental health act around. Tell your parents to learn how the damn law works and then move out.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 2

Anonymous #1

Natt39 is right. My girlfriend was only sectioned after 7+ attempts to kill herself. There is no way any mental health professional will section you for playing video games.

Reply 3

Marlene Dietrich

Natt39 pretty much sums that all up pet - your dad's chatting bull. It's very difficult to have someone sectioned - you have to prove there's a genuine risk of death or injury.

Read this:

http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mentalhealthinfo/problems/beingsectionedengland.aspx

And you'll see how much of an idiot your dad is being casually throwing stuff like that around.

To be honest, reading through what you wrote - you would probably benefit a lot from a visit to your doctor to discuss stress levels and perhaps even getting assessed for Aspergers. But no, you won't be able to be sectioned for any of the things that you listed.

Reply 4

lNurl

I guess your parents want to help you. They don't feel perfect ass well. But u had your chances, u failed them, now, to gain back trust, just stop playing these games for a year, achieve high AS grades then demand "freedom".

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my GT-S5360

Reply 5

MancStudent098

If teenagers got sectioned for playing video games and not doing their homework pretty much every male born after 1980 would be in a mental institute.

Reply 6

Creat0r

At 21 you should have a lot more independence than they allow you. If you are to grow into an adult (you already are an adult) then controlling your life completely like this won't help you develop into maturity.

Checking your emails is ridiculous, playing games instead of watching crap TV is fine but I can see why they are worried. If I was you, I would compromise, I would play games as little as possible for the first month back in college so you would prove to your parents you are capable, after that start playing them in your free time and they will probably not mind it. You've only just started back at college after messing up, they have every right to be upset, prove yourself first, also explain checking your emails etc is doing you no good and causing you stress and not having any positive impact at all!