Frustration for partner with schizophrenia

Family
1

UK.
My partner has schizophrenia and has done since he was 15/16, he is now 28. We live together and are due to get married this year, me being his main care giver.

He has a full time job and over the last year or so he has had his episodes (hallucinations, voices etc) more frequently on a monthly basis. He was on Olanzapine 20mg last year. We had a few problems with the psychiatrist that he saw and didn’t think she was right for him and we managed to get transferred to another who was ten times better. He has started him on aripiprazole 10mg to hopefully transfer onto eventually, as long as he copes well. He also takes sertraline, diazepam plus N Acetyl L Cysteine and sarcosine.

He is currently having one of his episodes and we are both struggling with what to do. (He has previously gone three months without an episode). The hospital system is completely flawed and there is no support for people when they are going through episodes. The last time he went into the mental health unit, was NOT a good experience and we achieved nothing- only a whole day wasted sitting in a&e and then the mental health ward!!

I cannot understand why there is nothing to help people in a crisis. Why there is not someone who can be on call for people in need? Why the mental health team do not understand the reality of the situation? Why people with mental illness are left to fend for themselves?

Makes you start to think about the poor people with mental illness who commit suicide…because there is no support for them. And for the people that have no family for support.

I was wondering what others in the UK have experienced? Whether anyone knows of someone that we could ask for help?

2

Yep the nurses in hospitals are pretty cold. They just do their jobs and dont really care what youre going through. But thankfully my family was there for me. Also my psychologist helped me alot. It just takes alot of times until the wounds fully heal. Meds can help with that.

3

My son is in the UK but he is still under the Early Intervention Service and he seems to get really excellent support. If he doesn’t turn up for an appointment, they go to his flat and find him! They’ve been real lifesavers for us. However, in Autumn that will come to an end because you only stay with the EIS for three years. I don’t really know what happens next. I know that some areas have Community Mental Health Teams. You can find out some things on the Mind website http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/guides-to-support-and-services/community-based-mental-health-and-social-care-in-england/#.VtiK9EVXenM

You may need to ask for help, but as far as I understand it, at the very least, if your husband is having episodes on a monthly basis, you can ask your GP to refer him to a psychiatrist at the local hospital. There also should be specialist mental health nurses, either at your GP or at the hospital, who will see him regularly.

There are variations between areas but there is definitely something to help you.

You may be able to contact Mind. They can give you advice probably.