My adult child was in a schizophrenic episode for days, never sleeping, just talking and doing strange things with knives, and much more! I was frightened and called police, it was horrible, she ran, kicked and screamed, 5150. She was in mental ward for a week after which she talked her way out. She denies everything! She wants her record cleared…it has been 5 months all she will say to me is clear my record, it’s all lies. - Sure!!!
Denial is a characteristics of most sz’s. You might have to commit your daughter several times before she realizes she needs to be on med’s. I’m sure your daughter’s behavior is draining on you. I wish there was an easier way.
You don’t get it huh? They didn’t get it when it was me either.
We aren’t in denial and we have knowledge of our episodes.
They are in there with us and doing bad things with us, when this is happening we know it and others do not. They are in our minds and are extremely crafty, they drag us into a pit of fear and trick us alot.
Just imagine an extremely intelligent psychopath in her head, that should help you understand.
Denial is a natural thing for us sufferers. No one wants to have schizophrenia. It is important to keep an eye on her mental health. Is it declining? Is it stable? Is it improving? Please do not think of your daughters as a psychopath. Pansdisease means well though it appears he/she may be having a little trouble accepting that what he calls “they” are delusions. Pansdisease, most peoples experience with psychosis differs in certain ways. I can relate to the feeling of wanting to blame something ultimately, you cannot blame others for your thoughts, it doesn’t mean you should blame yourself for having an illness that distorts perception of reality. Wish both topic creator and Pansdisease well. (Heck you too crimby, good information within your post by the way.)
crimby, what about the hospitalizations help them realize this? Is it because they are being hospitalized or is it because of what happens while they are hospitalized. maybe both?
I would say both. What made the crucial difference with me was the time released shot of Haldol. That settled me right down. I wouldn’t recommend Haldol unless you have exhausted all other options. They have time released shots of other med’s too. Try to get him on one of the “atypical” anti-psychotics, like Geodon or Invega. If they don’t work you might have to resort to a “typical” anti-psychotic, which would be harder to tolerate.
I forgot to press the “reply” button below your message. The message I wanted to give is directly below yours.
My daughter blames me for calling police, hospitals, etc. I have repeatedly told her she needs help - meds. She thinks she is fine…should I just let go and not try to keep email contact? She is 36.
Thank you…
Very scary, I fear for her safety.
That’s a decision you have to make for yourself. If you stay with your daughter you’re in for a rocky ride. If you don’t stay with her there is a good chance she will end up on the street. On the other hand, care givers can sometimes enable sz’s to engage in destructive behavior. There are no easy answers.
From another parent - its a hard road Jane, and scary too. I have to really stop to think how many hospitalizations my son has had. He is not really very accepting of his diagnosis, tho occasionally he has moments of clarity - and then he is very sad to think he has this illness.
Some sz pts (and I would have to say, “especially those who don’t take their meds consistently”) are stuck in a very dense and deep paranoid delusion, especially in regard to those closest to them. My own parents tried to be helpful but made so many mistakes (because of how they were raised) that I saw them as “all bad” and over-controlling, when that was not always the case.
Control of one’s life is a huge issue for many sz pts, and they see all attempts to help them as invasive, threatening and even evil… in no small part because they can only interpret the world in black-and-white and cannot see shades of gray. Everything and everyone is either “all good” or “all bad.”
I’m wondering about her professional case management. Is there any? (Does she at least have a licensed clinical social worker?) Is it competent? Is it well-informed and up to date? Are her meds appropriate for her? (Because all anti-Ps work differently for different pts.) Are you well-educated via HMO seminars or books like E. Torrey Fuller’s excellent Surviving Schizophrenia?
Believe me, I sympathize with your situation, but we can only do so much with a pt who’s still at denial / pre-contemplation and not yet (reliably) at at least contemplation / consideration, let alone identification / acceptance or commitment / action. And it takes pros who know how to use Motivational Enhancement to move difficult patients up that path.
Assuming she was diagnosed SZ and not bipolar.
All you can do is have her taken to the hospital again and tell them what is happening, you can tell her that you do not feel good about the way she is behaving off her medication and if possible-help her find an apt. to live on her own.
At this point-you should not have to be living with this stress. It`s her decision if she wants the meds or not, but you do not have to live with a decision that is hurting you.
Find a local support group in your area-they can be really helpful.**
Thanks Crimby for your advice, always helpful.
My daughter is still delusional, she continues to deny everything!!! Do you think she will have another episode or not. I’ve read most sz do…the only way she will get help is to be taken to hospital against her will.
She is more likely to realize of her being ill when the delusions ebb. I was also paranoid and thought whatever was happening was caused by others’ actions. Sort of conspiracy type. But when positive symptoms ebbed I realized large part of what I experienced was because of me being ill.
I had numerous forcible hospitalizations before I admitted to myself that I was sz and needed med’s. That is about the only way some sz’s can be persuaded to take med’s. At least if you do that you will have a much better chance of keeping her off the street.
Geeknoid, thank you for your insight, my daughter is always the “victim”. I can only hope she realizes - at some point soon - that she is ill and seeks help.
Often denial is brought on by a feeling of humiliation.