Im searching for people in the uk who have loved ones with this hearbreaking condition?
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Good job -you figured it out - sorry for slow response, I was sleeping.
Yes i did not sure how but its out there no replies yet but fingers crossed. Theres lots of things over here for bi-pola but not sk. How are things with you?
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Hi Sandy. I am in the West Midlands. Glad to find another uk based person, i think there are another couple of people, maybe more.
My son was diagnosed with paranoid sz around 12 years ago after years of struggle and not realising what was wrong with him. Its been said a lot on this site that its a long hard road. Its def not hopeless tho, especially if the person is lucky enough to respond to medication. Even after all these years i regularly have days of crying. My son doesnt live with me, i doubt i could cope if he did. He seems to be in a fairly good place at the moment so i enjoy that while i can. Its a journey of ups and downs.
Where do you live? How are things with you?
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Hi this is great to hear from you, its so good to know wer not alone out here with this struggle. My son hes 18 got moved y/day from london to a closer picu unit to ipswich we live in suffolk there wer no local beds when the acute hospital first looked hes been there 3 weeks now. We are off to visit later today ive not seen him since last monday then he wasnt too pleazed to see me he always blames me for being in hosp cause he cant see hes ill thinks ive locked him up. Hes on a section 3 . He only came home last sept after being in hosp for 6mnths it really gets a hold of him. And i never fully get him back. When i look back even tiny he would have episodes that didnt match his older sisters his first admission was at 9 but back then they dnt really now whats going on i guess as they get older more and more comes out. It breaks my heart to see him like this you feel so helpless. Tell me where is your son and how are you coping. Are there any organisations in the uk?
Hi. Over the years i didnt find any way of connecting with other parents. Birmingham now has a support service for relatives/carers. There might be sonething similar in your area - i guess you might already have asked yr sons mental health team? I find this site good because i think there are specific things about each illness, especially psychotic illnesses, and the people here know exactly what it can be like for the families.
I dont think the heartbreak goes away but there are times when i cope better than others. My son relapsed march and was s2, he was discharged very quickly probably cos of lack of beds so it has been awful and i think i am still in shock/post traumatic after what happened. He was in supported accommodation for a while, now he is back with his partner who he split up from while he was ill. Its a volatile relationship so i live in fear of what might happen. Hes 36 so theres not much i can do. I see him less often - about once a week if i manage to get him to agree.
Sorry to hear your son has been struggling since he was so young. Must be hard to watch a little one go through it. Mine was diagnosed early 20s but struggled during his teens. I realise now but thought it was just extreme teenage behaviour.
Abilify works fairly well for him when he takes it. He was quite stable for a number of years on it and managed to finish university. So there is hope if the meds work.
Hi all
I’m from the UK and have a son with a diagnosis of severe and enduring SZ.
As with many of , my story is a very long story of multiple hospital admissions, some good times, when you get hope, some bad times and some very bad times.
This time he’s been in hospital for almost two years, the first 6 of those months in general hospital due to multiple injuries after jumping from a 3rd floor window under the influence of his voices. The last 18 months he’s been in psychiatric rehab.
I’ve reached out many times to other parents in the UK and formed a small self support group that meets every few months for coffee and chat plus created a Facebook page for sharing information with UK families called POPS UK. Like this amazing group, the UK connection has been very useful in making regular direct contact with others and building friendships and understanding with other parents and families.
Please get in touch if you wish to chat phil1904@hotmail.co.uk
Thanks
Phil
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