Mother with Mental Issues Filed Restraining Order Against Father

[norah]

My question involves restraining orders in the State of: NJ

My mother has not previously been diagnosed with a mental disorder. She is not suicidal or posing physical threat to others. However, a 'difficult' personality has taken a severe turn. The past week 2 weeks my mother's behavior was extreme, agitated, unstable. Parents were supposed to travel together. She was having major mood swings & outbursts, father decided not to go. She went to my out of state siblings house for the Easter holiday, left her destination, isolated herself by hotel hopping for 8 days, not answering calls, leaving hateful vm message/texts to multiple family members, abandoning siblings car. She came home with no contact to any family members and filed restraining order against my father and he is out of the house. Parents are both 61. Relationship has a history of being rocky, but father is not a threat. He wants to get her help. Are there options for forcible commitment by adult children. (she's only speaking to 1 of 3 of us) Should he file some counter action or wait for court date? . Thank you.

[Dogmatique]

....and is there a possibility that she's simply fed up with your father and wants a divorce? It happens.

[norah]

Not a helpful reply.

[free9man]

Dogmatiques's point was that while mental disturbance is a possibility, it is also a possibility that something happened in their relationship that made her feel leaving was necessary. No one knows that but her and your father. Unless she is an imminent threat to herself or others, involuntary commitment is going to be near impossible. There is no law against walking away from your life for an adult. Your father is free to request a protective order of his own if he believes it is needed. What has mom said to the child she is speaking to about the events?