Does anybody experience mini episodes and how do you deal with it or help your loved one deal or get through the episodes? I usually have to sit in room with my son for a few hours while he is having these episodes and remind him everything is going to be ok and he is having a mini episode that is why he is not feeling well all of a sudden…Its like his brain shuts down all of sudden with extreme neg. voices / commands/ suicidal commands/ and extreme anxiety… I want to get my son to try to get through this on his own and any suggestions on how or what make you or your love one get through these episodes? Here’s a list of what helps my son to relax
Ambiance Mediation Music
Having my son massage his temples arms or legs
Reminding that hes in a mini episode and he will be fine in a bit
Telling him to give pos. to neg voices
Aspirin. Surprising but true. Anti-inflammatories have helped my son. And Paracetomol, which is apparently not an anti-inflammatory, but works like a mild mood stabilizer. I am not suggesting continuous use - I guess it would lead to painkiller addiction, but if his episodes are not frequent it would work. The incentive NOT to use painkillers between episodes is that they would lose their effect.
Thanks everyone for the feedback! I will try that Hatty Aspirin and Paracetomol… just wondering if you read about this somewhere or did a doctor recommended the aspirin an Paracetomol? Oh ok I usually guess the days my son is going to have episode and have him take vistrol to calm his nerves than if he has a worse episode he will usually take a Ativan.
everhopeful yes the doctor knows he gets these episodes and has gotten them on all medication that he has tried …I’m beginning to think this is just part of his illness where he feels ok then just doesn’t feel well for few hours a few day out of the week… He is schizoaffective not sure if this is the reason…I keep asking doctors if this is normal but never really get a answer …
Motrin brand (or generic) ibuprofin and Alleve brand (or generic) naproxen are known to help somewhat (often tho not always) when anxiety repeatedly jams up the autonomic nervous system’s sympathetic branch into “fight or flight” and then “freak & fry” because actual inflammation in the brain’s limbic system appears to be linked to these “attacks.” Neither ibuprofin nor naproxen are tolerance- or dependence-inducing in standard (200mg) dosage.
Minor, benzodiazepine-class tranquilizers like Ativan lorazepam, Xanax alprazolam, Valium diazepam and Klonopin clonazepam are also pretty effective most of the time, BUT… they do induce tolerance and dependence, and they are The Most Popular substances there are for suicide attempts. (The stash must be hidden, and no sz patient should have a large stash for PRN use in his or her own possession.)
(Likewise, make sure there is no acetominophen around. An acetominophen OD is exceedingly dangerous because it chews up the liver in a hurry, and causes wretched suffering in the dying process.)
Moving past meds, "soothing attunement is increasingly considered the best interpersonal strategy and is widely used by psych techs and psych nurses in in-patient residential settings. Daniel Stern and Alan Schore are the big names in this technique, having developed it from observing D. W. Winnicott’s and Margaret Mahler’s “good enough mothers” with their temporarily agitated and emotionally overwhelmed small children. It requires a knowing and delicate hand, but it works so well when the attuner has one.
Moreover, pts can be taught by example to use it on themselves. One can Google all sorts of good stuff on this technique.
Yes, I strongly agree with all that notmoses says. Excellent advice. And yes, I read research that said aspirin is effective in sz. The research about paracetamol (=acetominophen) is more recent and wasn’t about sz but mood disorders. I agree that it can be dangerous though.
