I’m very new to everything going on, my former fiancé and father of our baby was diagnosed with paranoia schizophrenia last year while I was 8 months pregnant. He has so much potential and was a former state champion and all American in wrestling. But this illness has made his life, my life, as well as his family very difficult and somewhat devastating. I love him, but for the sake of our baby I don’t see a future with him in any way. I’m extremely new to all this so I would appreciate any advice I could get to cope or to help him. I’m not sure what to do at all.
Take him to a psychiatrist and have him medicated. It’s okay if you can’t see a future with him, but the least you can do your child and for him is to help him get medications for his condition.
1 Like
He’s been hospitalized twice last year, he gets a shot every bi weekly to help treat his symptoms. And it’s amazing because I feel like it’s him again. im not sure if he’s been drinking or self medicating, but he has bad days where he will accuse me of absolute nonsense. Technically we are still dating, but I’m not sure how to even go about this situation. I fear if I left completely he would become depressed.
How about adding some therapy into the mix? It could help him get his thoughts and emotions in orders to differentiate from what’s real and what’s not.
That’s definitely something I’m trying to bring up and convince. Each time he got help or continues to get his medication, he did for the sake of our daughter. How do you deal with your loved one in this situation?
He recently got out of the hospital after having a panic attack and he was screaming, so the neighbors called the police (I wasn’t there). He was resistant after being calm and then say atrocities and in the hospital pretended he had guns and said he was going to kill everyone, along with other things and in court the judge said he needed to be institutionalized for 3 months. It was the first time he ever took medications. I’m taking him to the psychiatrist this Friday again and I’m reporting all his symptoms and behaviors which I wrote in my iPhone notes. I don’t think his medication is working at all. You can read through my posts to see more on it. There’s no real specific way to deal with it, you just have to be patient and try to remember what made you love this person in the first place and what you want out of them once they’re fully recovered.
Question, what injection is he receiving? I would be greatly interested in bringing up that option with his doctor.
1 Like
I feel like schizophrenia isn’t spoken about or advertised as it should. I’m so new to this. And although I’m sorry for what you’re going through, I’m relieved to know I’m not alone. the second time the father of my child went to the hospital, it was through a court document and when he realized where he was going, he ran out of the hospital naked and ran across town. So I guess we can relate to how serious this illness can be. I’m not exactly sure which medication it is, I’ll try to get the name as soon as I can. I feel like it’s not working or it wears off after the first week, I’m not sure if he’s self medicating or drinking alcohol to make his shot wear off. I don’t live with him.
It takes awhile to get better. I’m trying to wrap my own head around the fact that once you find the right med, it can take 6 months of compliance for it to be fully effective. And, I’ve read that it takes about 2 years at best for the mind to heal after acute psychosis.
Recovery is a slow, drawn-out process with lots of set-backs apparently and you have to look for the tiniest improvements. But, lots of people do recover.
You need to do what’s best for you and your child, but if medication is relatively new for him, you might want to give it some more time before you decide there’s no future with him.
2 Likes
Wow that’s some great information! I never knew that. It’s been a few months since he’s been taking a shot bi weekly, so hope to God it works well and he continues to stay on it. As of right now I see no future even though I care so much about him, but I want him to recover and I feel like if I left now he would take a huge step back. But it’s so hard to find a good judgment on what should happen next.
I understand you. Sometimes the medications just don’t work, he could be really trying.
Did your loved one struggle with substance abuse?
My son does - most anything you can get high off of will work against the anti-psychotics, especially marijuana.
There is some debate as to whether or not opiates can suppress psychosis, but almost everything else increases it.
Substance abuse is very common - they call it dual diagnosis when there’s addiction along with mental illness.
I strongly believe he’s been using marijuana, and I feel like it makes it worse. He took a step by going back into the wrestling gym but I’m still worried.
Much good advice from other members here… but I would add that you want to read this full document and do what you can to help your baby:
Great read, our daughter is so much like him and looks exactly like him. We joke how one day she will be the first female state champion in wrestling and he will be coaching her. I always worry about her mentality and how she will react if she becomes exposed to one of his outbursts or episodes. I’ll try to educate her as much as possible.
I am 52 and only now have realized that my mother has schizophrenia. Only now!
Since my childhood I was so used to her being the way she was that i never realized. Not even my grandma realized; everyone just thought my mom was mean. So she never got any help, but for sure made our childhood extremely difficult.
My only brother has the same diagnosis. I tried to help him and as a result he had a few good years, but now he is out of the country and i can no longer help him.
Now, my adult daughter has been diagnosed and i am dealing with that.
Honestly, i have chosen to give up on my mom and brother and will only concentrate on my daughter. That is the reality as hard as it is.
Concentrate on your baby, if I had a right to give any advice…