My son is now gone for his second stay at a different hospital. I worry they don’t see what I see and deal with. My heart says they are brushing him to the side dx him with bipolar but I feel that it’s schizophrenia. he is obsessed with a girl he can’t be with and believes she wants to be with him too. I woray for her. I shouldn’t feel this way. He believes he can make it in life with no help at age of 16. He has bouts of serious rage bc he isn’t getting his way or the way it should b in his mind. He traps me in my room and doesn’t let me leave til I agree to his way. I fear being alone with him when he isn’t getting his way. His perception of reality is so not right and I can’t get to see it. I’m reaching out to see if any parents dealt with something similar in the early stages of schizophrenia in the adolescent years
Welcome to the forum @amomscared
My son was diagnosed at 17 and is now 21. To my knowledge there can be a lot of similarities between bipolar and schizophrenia or schizoaffective and the treatment can be the same. As long as his psychiatrist is treating his symptoms appropriately try not to worry too much about dx right now as that could change as his pdoc gets to know him better.
This post/link may help give you some ideas on what to ask to get the information that you need.
http://forum.schizophrenia.com/t/questions-to-ask-the-psychiatrist/2695
Have you looked into group homes?
I can only say from my own experience then when my son is violent or threatening towards me then he is no longer welcome in my home. It is my home too and I have a right to feel safe. I won’t say that it’s been easy establishing those boundaries. He used to swear at me and around me constantly. I live in Canada and I don’t have any negative concerns about calling 911 when needed.
When my son is on the right medications than most of his aggression goes away. Hopefully your son can get on the right medications while inpatient. Keeping on them once released may be it’s own battle.
Some of these links may help:
http://www.leapinstitute.org/ - under resources are free videos on using LEAP
LEAP is a way of communicating to build trust. Listen-Empathize-Agree-Partner.
http://dramador.com/ - Dr. Xavier Amador is a clinical psychologist whose brother had schizophrenia. He is the founder of the LEAP Institute. Wrote the book: I’m Not Sick I Don’t Need Help! Can buy from his website.
Search Xavier Amador and LEAP on youtube.com and you should find some long videos
http://ourhealthyminds.com/family-handbook/communication/Building-a-collaborative-relationship-leap.html
Building A Collaborative Relationship “LEAP”
Treatment Advocacy Center - under problems you will see anosognosia
Anosognosia looks like denial but is different.
Bayes for Schizophrenics: Reasoning in Delusional Disorders - LessWrong - helped my understand delusions
http://www.nami.org/ - National Alliance on Mental Illness.
http://www.schizophrenia.ca/ - Schizophrenia Society of Canada
Can also find some very useful information here:
Early Psychosis Treatment center information in these two links
http://www.raiseetp.org/sites/
http://psychosisprevention.org/get-involved/education-center/finding-treatment/
Psychiatric Treatment Centers affiliated with Medical Schools in the USA
This link may help you find a psychiatrist in your area
Im not a parent but I am sz.
What you describe is like what I was doing when I was younger.
I didn’t trap my ma her room because I didn’t get what I wanted I did it just because we lived in a 1 bedroom apt and I felt more watching tv alone in the living room than having her their.
Because my paranoia I felt she was staring at me.
I got to the point I was so mean to her that she would pay rent on the apt but basically live at my brothers apt. Because the stress I caused her was effecting her health.
I feel horrible for how I treated her it literally makes me cringe everytime I think about it.
Unfortunately due to the economic situation in the world today many are homeless and trying to take advantage of things like health care.
So now many places are to hesitant to diagnose as there isn’t anything they can due for the seriously afflicted due to lack of space and resources.
Im sorry you are experiencing this I hope you get the assistance that you need please pray as it will help.
God Bless You
You cant know for sure. You do not have to put up with abuse or bad behavior. Ita very hard living alone and trying to deal with someone that has a mental disease.
Sounds like you need to get a support network for yourself and your son.
Work with the doctors and make sure you know whats going on with your son. It may be better for your son to live somewhere near you. I had my son living with me several times over the years and it never worked-in fact I think he wanted to be on his own. Please tell the doctors what you have experienced with your son--they should be able to assign a case worker to him when he gets out. I was once told to tell the hospital that he had no where to go--which forces them to find shelter for him. Yep-a broken system. At his age, a group home sounds like it might help both of you. Again, stay in close contact with whats going on there in the hospital…