A mum fears her daughter will take her own life if she doesn't get the help she needs

Alex Hannah, who is bipolar and has attention deficit disorder, has tried to kill herself several times.

The 22-year-old says her problems worsened when her psychiatrist at Crown House, which provides primary mental health services in Inverclyde, went on maternity leave, leading to changes in her care.

Her mum Lorraine, 42, said: "She was taken off the medication that makes her stable.

"They took all her support away, her corporate appointee-ship - which made sure her bills were paid - was taken away and now she is in a pile of debt.

"They told her to get a job and she did but she couldn't cope and is now ten times worse than she was before.

"She doesn't know how to control money or pay bills or look after herself.

"When she is stable her flat is spotless but now everything is up in he air."

Alex's mum says her daughter needs a compulsory treatment order to get back on track.

But she needs an appointment with a psychiatrist for this to happen and the family claim that this is being blocked.

Lorraine said: "She is being told that she may or may not get an appointment with her psychiatrist when she returns in May.

"She needs to get stable.

"She needs help."

Alex has battled with mental health issues since she was six years old, when she was diagnosed with attention deficit.

She was referred to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and diagnosed with bipolar at the age of 16.

Lorraine said: "She has been in the system a long time but her community psychiatric nurse at CAMHS was fearful when she transferred to the adult service because her support needs are so complex.

"She is suicidal and keeps harming herself and is turning to drink."

Lorraine says her daughter, who also has learning difficulties, becomes frustrated and angry if she can't explain how she feels.

She told the Tele: "Before she was taken off her medication she was at college and had qualifications in beauty therapy and as a nail technician but she couldn't complete the course she was doing because she became too ill.

"I can't do anymore and I have my own health problems.

"My fear is she will commit suicide."

Alex says the way she is being treated makes her feel like 'an emotional hypochondriac'.

She said: "I want to feel better and get on with my life."

The health and social care partnership says it cannot discuss details about an individual’s care plan.

A spokesman said that care plans 'can and do change over time and any interventions or support provided is evidence-based to ensure that it fully meets the particular needs of the individual'.