My husband and I went to the justice of the peace to have the police pick up my son and take him to the hospital but this time the hospital sent him to a psychiatric hospital this is not a nice place the first thing they said that they would report his illness then he would have his drivers license taken from him. He never had a problem driving he would never forgive us for that.
Margi,
I have heard that in some states they will try to persuade the patient to cooperate willingly because if they are not willing to be medicated then they can/do lose their driver’s license when they are force medicated.
Could this be what they are saying to your son?
I have often thought that my son would be more likely to cooperate- if we ever got to that point- if that was the choice he was given.
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Margi, I’m so sorry you’re feeling such sadness. Has your son shown any signs that the medication is starting to work to clear his brain? Is he starting to be able to speak more clearly and is he being more calm? Is he starting to look more like your old son, in his facial expressions and in the way he looks at you? If you can answer yes to any of these questions, then I pray you will see this as a sign that things can get better. If you can’t say yes to any of these things, then you need to communicate this with the hospital staff, so they can make changes.
Your son has been very ill for a long time. Based on what you shared with us about his mental state before this hospitalization, he has been living a life of fear, anger, and torment. The hospital and the medications are rescuing your son right now. I hope you too will have the strength to help rescue your son. Please work with the hospital staff. They are not the enemy. This illness is the enemy.
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I do understand that you are doubting your decision @Margi . It may be that your son blames you, but the truth is that he has been sick for a long time: he was not eating, he was isolating, he was throwing away food and other things you bought for him, he was spending all of his money in very short amounts of time, and you were not doing well personally yourself. I remember reading your posts and wishing he would go into the hospital and that the right medicine would be found, for both of your sakes. You must understand that the hospital will do the best they can to help your son, with or without his cooperation. If he loses his license, it is not your fault. If you give in and let him out of the hospital, he is likely to go back to his old ways, or worse and you will again be suffering as he wastes money, food and is still paranoid.
We all wish for him to recover from his psychosis and for you to feel peace with your decision to hospitalize him. My daughter’s 5th hospitalization was the lucky one that broke the psychosis and she is continuing to be medicated. I hope the same happens for you and your son.
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I have a 21 year old son that was just diagnosed in june of 2018 he has angonosia and has been sick for 4years untreated until june that was short lived he got an haladol injection once …horrible exlirience…and went back to bospital in november …then abilify injection…could not stop moving…he will not take meds since he is unaware that he is sick …only time on meds is when i cpep him…basically i call the cops speak to them prior to entry…then they take him he will not leave the house otherwise …i too read amador book my son still says he loves me everyday which breaks my heart since he paces in silence back and forth muttering words…touching the walls and has not showered since november …tried cops again tuesday february 11 they would not take him he isnot violent or suicidal the book helps keeps the peace…but i guess no shower…sameclothes and urinating in the sink is not enough for the authorities to take him …they need to be trained in mental illness
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It’s so frustrating how little help some of us can get from local police and sheriff departments. In the part of the state that I live in, their hands are pretty tied.
It’s so difficult for us to watch our children suffering.
I am sorry that your attempts to get your son on meds have not worked out. I hope you keep trying, they need us so much.
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You could try to get a mental health hold. You can go to the County Attorney to do that - at least here in CO. You have to give them a whole list of what has happened then they file a request with a judge. The cops then would come and forcefully take him to the hospital. My son was not violent or suicidal. He did barricade himself in the house and that was my last straw. I called the cops but they would not break in without the Mental Health Hold which removes them of liability. Definitely write about his hygiene issues. It couldn’t hurt to call them. That was my first step and within 24 hours we had the cops there to take him. It was a rough time.
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I am so sorry Margi. Almost 2 years ago began the process to involuntarily admitted my son. While he was still in ER, restrained, I was able to see him. The first words out of his mouth were I am never going to speak to you again. I kissed him on the forehead and replied, that is ok, I will always love you. Things did not go well and while he was inpatient he refused to speak to me or let me be involved in anyway. After discharge–thanks to the insurance refusing continued inpatient care, he was impossible to be around. He wanted to sue everybody involved. Two years later, he still is not happy about having his “civil rights” taken away but he does understand why I wanted him confined. He is still unmedicated but uses CBT and manages fairly well. Most days.
My point is there are no easy answers. Those closest and most involved bear the brunt of their frustrations We do the best we can given the circumstances we have. You thought he needed to be hospitalized and followed up on you concerns. Do not beat yourself up. If you do have concerns about the hospital, talk to admin and maybe see if he can be transferred elsewhere. Best wishes.
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Does you son go to a therapist for this or did you find something online? My son won’t go to a therapist. Maybe I’ll bring this up at his next psych Doc appt.
What is a CBT. Now the hearing is set for this Wednesday.
His psych doc recommended it ….during a period of time when he liked his pdoc! Maybe you could find something on line that teaches the techniques.
Cognitive Based Therapy. It gives coping skills to handle situations we would call delusional. It works pretty well for him but it took a couple of years of therapy.
@Yodacrew2011 I agree totally with NeverTooLate in that keeping documentation is the main reason we were able to help our son (along with being proactive and diligent to locate him when he was missing). I have a 10 page document that I keep updating!! There is no way we can explain our lengthy stories to police or to medical personnel in the 5 minutes or less we are given, but when they see the lengthy and often dramatic history, it may be what is needed to get that involuntary commitment and help them get the help they need! I also have a record and at opportune times when our son can tolerate it and is open to discussing, this record provides some proof to him of the problems that he experienced when he would deny it otherwise.
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Today was my day off from work. After getting home from my 2 hour visit with our 5 1/2 year old daughter, who lives with her aunt and uncle ( an 80 mile round trip ), my wife tells me that the man next door was arrested ( in the last day or two ) and his two daughters were taken away so only the wife was there. She said he was arrested for harassing people. My wife also said that the woman who lives in the house on the corner was arrested ( in the last week or so ) for harassing people too.
I have to take what my wife says “with a grain of salt”, and can’t take it for granted that what she says is accurate because if it sounds hard to believe, I should probably realize that it is a delusion.
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My dad last just over a month off his medication, before the voices where too loud and the hallucinations too real and he ended his life. Something I can state whole heartedly my dad would not have done with a clear mind.
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@With.a.broken.wing I am so sorry for your loss. I hope you are taking care of yourself and have someone you can talk to. May I ask how long ago this was and what age (or age range ) you were? My thoughts and prayers are with you. 
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@Latestart … I’m doing my best. Just recently moved back home by my family. After my dad passed in June 2016 (I was 26 at the time)… I moved away and kind of secluded myself in a new town and drowned myself in work. I stopped talking to everyone (except my daughter of course). I think I was afraid - and still am at times - to let anyone be close to me. I’m working through it slowly, but surely… one day at a time. He was a very big part of my life in so many ways. It most certainly knocked me off my feet and all of the wind from my lungs.
I am so sorry you lost your dad to schizophrenia. Thank you for sharing the message that you believe whole heartedly your dad would not have done it had he continued on his meds. So few people realize that those of us who are trying to get and keep our family members on meds live with this constant fear. I am so sorry.
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This must be what my daughter’s therapist had been using with her… ot st least something similar… at the moment coping skills for dealing with panic attacks.