That’s about the age we first had problems too. It seems to be a fragile time of vulnerability.
2 Likes
I wish I had something positive to tell you or a magic pill regarding treatment, but there aren’t any. My husband was diagnosed 3.5 years ago and has been on the revolving door of hospitals ever since. Every six months he has been committed. Earlier this year he was arrested for criminal mischief and when it came time to go to court, he refused and was later arrested on a warrant. He spent about a month in jail and they just now, within the last week, transferred him to a state psychiatric hospital. The only thing that did help me with understanding is a video of Dr. Amador talking about anosognosia. It made me realize that it is not just run of the mill denial like I originally thought, it’s that my husband honestly has no idea he is sick. After seeing Dr. Amador’s talk on video, it made perfect sense to me and made me feel all the more sad because I just don’t know how to reach my husband to make him realize he is ill. His lack of insight has become so bad that I had to separate from him just to ensure my son keeps a roof over his head. My son is only 12. My husband’s lack of insight has brought a lot of trouble to our home. I am hoping that his stay in the hospital this time is long term and that he gets the help he needs and perhaps realizes he is ill…only then can he really make an effort to stay on his meds and know when things are going off the rails before he is completely derailed. But with all of his hospitals stays and all of the information he has brought home with him on every discharge day, it just doesn’t seem to sink in. I am trying to stay positive as I would really like for him to live with us again, especially for my son who loves his Dad unconditionally, but the past is always in my head and stomps out any light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak. I wish you all of the luck in the world. God Bless you and your family.
3 Likes
Ginger thank you so much. It would be so hard to have the father of my child with this illness my heart goes out to you. I understand the hospitalizations and it has been a revolving door for my son as well. It is to the point where I just don’t know that the hospitalizations work. I’m going to try a new therapist this week and possibly change your doctor as well and hope that he will see this one. I’m praying for our family and for all of us here. God bless us all with patience and wisdom.
1 Like
When my husband is on meds and doing “ok”, I try to talk him into going to therapy to talk out his fears and anxiety, but he tells me he’ll do it and then doesn’t. I know my husband has a lot of issues over losing his business and feeling like a failure even though I have told him countless times that he tried his best and he really did. It didn’t help either when we moved into my inlaw’s house and my father inlaw would have a bit too much to drink, which was on a daily basis, and call him a loser every chance he got and literally tear him down to the ground verbally or my mother inlaw’s f’ed up mind games she played with him…I know that us moving into his parents house was the icing on the cake for him. I wonder at times had we never moved there would my husband still be himself and then I kick myself for staying in an unhappy atmosphere as long as we did because both of my inlaws became sick and I felt I had to take care of them. I’m getting off track here… I have read that cognitive behavioral therapy helps along with meds but my husband doesn’t stay out of psychosis long to even try this avenue. He thinks that seeing his Nurse Practitioner every 2 months for prescription renewal is good enough…
2 Likes
The only thing that worked for my son is earphones with a Walkman. We tried everything
else that we could possibly think of. He wears them constantly,has a part time job and
has been offered other jobs by many people because they see that he never misses a day.
I talk to his psychiatrist sometimes,when he goes for his scheduled meeting and she thinks
he is doing quite good but we make sure we talk to him every day and he phones us every
day as well. A Walkman and earphones has worked for 2 others that I have met in the past
few months. It seems to keep their mind on the music they listen too.
Please try it and let me know if it helps.
Good luck to all.
2 Likes
I wish we could try, he is beyond working at this point as long as he is unmedicated. He loved working and always signed up for the night shifts no one else wanted. He has a pattern of starting work and doing well, the delusions start building up and he starts whispering foul language at his coworkers. The day he became aggressive with a coworker was the last day he worked. He didn’t touch the coworker, but he did throw down something in anger directly in front of the coworker while calling the coworker a really bad name.
At this point we have to hope he tries meds someday or the illness lightens up in his 50’s as some have reported.
We just have to get him there.
3 Likes
My son is in his mid '40s so I know what you’re going through.If he can’t work,try the Walkman
and it might settle his mind,down a little bit.I wouldn’t tell you this but I have seen it work on my
son and two others. Give it a try.You never know.
2 Likes
I guess these days it’s just the phone and earbuds.
2 Likes
My son also uses his phone but I wish I hadn’t replaced it. He messages people to death and they become irritated.
I dreamed tonight that we could all take our loved ones to a safe and local place and they could all be themselves and paint or do something. Wouldn’t that be wonderful. Perhaps glass mosaics. It is only a dream but I’d love to see it.
4 Likes
My son doesn’t have a cell phone. He never used to use a Walkman until I bought him one and
realized that it help to change him back to a somewhat normal life by listening to music that
he liked.
Sorry that I bothered you but I was trying to help.
2 Likes
All info and ideas are very helpful 
2 Likes
I have heard of others saying that it does make a helpful difference. One young man I knew even had his doctor write a Walkman into his college plan for use during classroom time. I think DianeR was just saying that Walkmans have been switched out for cellphones and their music these days. Same basic idea.
1 Like
I should add that he used his Walkman for music to block out auditory stuff in class - he also recorded the classes so he could listen to the lecture later. He wanted the total school experience, his illness had hit his first year of university and one of his dreams was to return and finish a degree.
3 Likes
That is what I was saying. Phones are the new walkmans.
2 Likes
I have read so many articles and books about this disease,that sometimes it gets me depressed,
trying to think of something that might help. All we can do is keep trying different methods or things.
Here is an article about B vitamins :B vitamins may improve schizophrenia symptoms
B vitamins reduce schizophrenia symptoms, study finds -- ScienceDaily
www.foodforthebrain.org/.../schizophrenia-and.../about-schizophrenia-and-psychosis.as…
Thank you
I hear you - it is not an easy thing to have a loved one with this disease. I will look at these links. I got the vitamin B but he won’t take it. I heard from my PT therapist yesterday that he had a client who’s son was having problems determining what was reality and what was not. He (had money) went to the best therapists /psychologists he could find - nothing helped. Finally, he went to a nutritionist and they got his son off gluten and that did the trick. I’ve found a few studies that find that people with celiac disease if they eat wheat/gluten they will have schizophrenic symptoms. Have you heard of that? I’m going to give it a shot. It will be tricky as we have several people in our home but next summer it will be me and my son and since he doesn’t go out to get his own food (only occasionally) I can reduce all gluten in the house. Wheat and Schizophrenia | Psychology Today
1 Like
Yeah, I’m pretty sure they don’t even make Walkmans anymore. iPhones now.
This is the one I gave my son :https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Sony-Walkman-sports-single-telescope-SRF-X90-8x-with-AM-FM-radio-/332172668355
I never thought of Celiac disease but my brother and sister ( 2 of 7 ) both were born with it.I remember both of them ate a lot of bananas when they were young
Thanks for the tip. You just never know when a light bulb goes off. It might help.I will tell my son.
2 Likes
Mine does try different diets and supplements. Oddly enough massive amounts of coffee seemed to help him the most. He stopped drinking coffee and switched to some special teas.
I will read articles and books about scz for a while and then take a break for a while.
2 Likes