My son left and I psychotic episode on September 21 and ended up in Denmark. He is been there for seven weeks now living in a homeless shelter’s but maintaining his health as far as appearance and survival. we have pleaded with him to come home and that we would pay his way home but he refuses until someone puts him in a sealed court room so he can testify to his conspiracy theories. We have gone to every possible means to try to get him the help he needs but because he’s not a threat hasn’t threatened anyone has not broken the law there’s nothing of course we can do. I’ve been doing a lot of research on other sites like beyond meds and it seems to show that there is the possibility of getting through this illness without medication has anyone ever researched this also? I want so bad to help my son but I have no other resources. Anyone’s opinion would be greatly appreciated thanks
How does he fund himself?
My doctor tells me that medication is required to fix the chemical imbalance causing the psychosis. Dopamine is primarily out of balance. Others have said that the longer the brain stays in a psychotic state, chemically imbalanced, the more damage is done and the more likely it is to become psychotic again.
It doesn’t cost anything to get online and print out blank court forms, be an attorney pro se, fill them out to his liking, and submit them or not to the court and to him. The federal court website has them in a menu called forms I believe, or the clerk can show you where the forms are available.
When he returns for his case, take him to his doctor, have him involuntarily hospitalized. Give the doctors these conspiracy theory court forms as proof of the illness.
Here’s the website
Thank you for this info.
He is volunteering at the Salvation Army where they serve 2 meals a day. He maxed out all his credit cards to get there. We have sent him very little in the way of money and plan to cut that off all together. It is very hard. -although he is very sick he is also able to work his way around the system which makes this even worse. He also has no insight
I checked out these forms and do you know which one I should you?
Sure - there is a chance that a person may recover without medications - some small percentage of patients do best without medications.
First of all you need to understand that schizophrenia symptoms are typically cyclical or episodic - they are fuelled by stress and they come and go for a person. A person may function relatively fine with some fairly benign delusions for a number of months, but then if they try to get work or if they have some significant strssor they will relapse and go completely psychotic again. Every time a person becomes psychotic the research suggests its damaging to the brain (high levels of stress hormones for a long period of time do that to the brain - look up the neurotoxic effects of high levels of stress hormones (glucocorticoids and cortisol).
But most people who don’t get medications relapse within 6 months - and every time they relapse their outcomes are likely become worse and worse.
For this reason most of the focus in schizophrenia / psychosis treatment is on getting treatment as quickly as possible. the longer the duration of untreated psychosis, the worse the outcomes (typically).
Some videos on this importance area of early psychosis treatment:
and
This is what’s so frustrating and painful because I can not get him home or help! I have gone to every resource possible and they keep saying. He is not a threat to himself or anyone else! Right now he is very high functioning even tho he is homeless. He’s clean and looks great, but his emails I get are so delusional! He has definitely stabled out since he first left, but with the length of time being off meds is he ever gonna come back to reality? I feel so helpless!
Dear Rinda,
There are many causes of psychosis. Some psychosis does resolve completely without medication.
There’s such a thing as partially remitted schizophrenia where a person still has delusions and hallucinations, but is stable and does not act on them in ways that are harmful or draw attention.
75% of the time, schizophrenia has a long and varied course for each person. According to the book, Surviving Schizophrenia, by E. Fuller Torrey, 25% of cases of schizophrenia-like psychosis will remit within the first two years regardless of what type of treatment (or no treatment) is received by the person.
Once a person goes past that time and has had many relapses, they might stabilize on medication and recover with lots of support and treatment.
My family member has been ill for three years (after a long prodrome) without trying medication and would stabilize somewhat, but never to the point of not having delusions and hallucinations. There have been four serious episodes of psychosis over three years, each increasing in severity.
The anti-psychiatry stuff is not helpful for anyone with severe mental illness. I have read many books and articles by many members of this group of ideologues. That ideology is for more high functioning people who experience(d) symptoms of mental illness, but can manage their lives and keep themselves intact. Probably people in that 25% statistic who did heal fully and don’t understand that many people with schizophrenia don’t. Also doctors who do not treat patients with severe mental illness and deny that there are many people who become homeless, become incarcerated, or die from SMI.
Most likely, your son will heal and recover with treatment. He may not come all the way back to reality, but he can probably recover enough to navigate his beliefs without experiencing as much distress and dysfunction.
I am also going through a period of helplessness while experiencing the consequences of my beloved family member’s untreated mental illness. SZ Admin’s information is good scientific information about evidence based treatment for psychosis, but the on the ground reality is that these treatment centers are few and far between. In the US, it is increasingly difficult to access necessary treatment for severe mental illness, no matter how long a person has been ill or how much help is needed. Continued suffering, poor outcomes, and family helplessness are far more common than receiving medical treatment.
You are doing everything you can. I know you will continue in the hopes that your family might be one of the few to access needed treatment for a person with severe mental illness. Best of luck to you and your son. I’m glad he is clean, fed, and safe.
Hi Rinda,
I don’t believe our children with sz can function without medication. Years ago I desperately wanted to believe my daughter can function without medication and I briefly got involved with the anti-meds community and I spent thousands of dollars trying the no meds method. It doesn’t work. Maybe someone with some depression and delusions can do okay without medication but with sz - no. The good news in your story is that he’s in Denmark a pretty progressive country when it comes to mental illness. In your shoes I would not force him to come home until he’s ready and wants help. I’m so sorry you are going through this and I understand completely what you are going through. Do you have family members, friends or a church community who can be supportive while you are going through this. Trying to do this all by yourself is difficult.
@Rinda. Try this packet first
http://www.iasd.uscourts.gov/?q=forms/civil-pro-se-complaint-packet
Racketeering and organized crime has conspiracy in it, read up on that one. Then put the organizations he believes are conspiring, put them down on the forms, subpoena information from the organization with subpoena forms.
racketeering activity” means (A) any act or threat involving murder, kidnapping, gambling, arson, robbery, bribery, extortion, dealing in obscene matter, or dealing …
Thank you for all your help
Thank you so much for pointing out the good news Molly, your experience was very helpful. My prayers go out to you as well.
Thank you so much for all this helpful information. My prayers and thoughts go out to you also at this time. I pray daily for my son to get insight then to get help. I also pray for all those suffering with this terrible illness and the families too. I pray that some how we can get laws changed so we can get our loved ones the help they need. I do also want to mention how much the Salvation Army over in Denmark has reached out to him and me and said that as long as he continues to stay in that area they will take good care of him. That alone helps me to sleep at night and get through the day. God bless you hereandthere
I hope this paperwork convinces him that your going to help if he gets on a plane and comes home. Good luck
Were you able to get your family member back from Europe?
No he is still over there . somebody is letting him stay with them as we speak I don’t know who it is though. He post YouTube videos daily and they are getting worse and worse each day he is so sick and delusional and I think he is going to crash soon. Praying it takes him to the hospital and not jail. I have contacted our congressman and gave him all the emails that he has sent and also his you tube videos. They have checked into it and contacted the embassy to see if something more could be done to get him help. But of course he’s not a threat, or threatening anyone or hasnt broke the law so there is nothing they can do. The Denmark police and Red Cross and Salvation Army assure me that they are in frequent contact with him and if they feel he is unable to take care of his self they will take him to be evaluated. The hardest thing for me is watching his videos and seeing him so sick and not being able to do anything to help. But I have to have faith and be grateful that there are so many kind people in this world that are looking over my son and it is in Gods hands. One thing I have noticed that I have reached out to so many people from the Washington police dept, impound centers (we still can’t find his truck???) Denmark police, Denmark Salvation Army plus numerous others and the kindness, empathy and compassion that they all have shown has been truly a blessing . I try daily to find things to be grateful for which helps me to be able to cope with what’s happening. Thank you so much for asking and I hope you and your family are doing well even if it’s just for today! God bless