Hi, I haven,t posted for a long time. My 35 year old son is schizophrenic ,diagnosed when he was 22 but I’ll for awhile prior. He has lived with my husband and me for most of his life,other than a few stints in apartments which were disasters for the most part. He has been on a very low dose of invega for the past two years (1.5 mg) and probably not taking that most of the time. He eyes his nurse practitioner every 3 months (state ins protocol)
And that is it for mental health care. He has been very psychotic for the past 2 years (obviously). We have tried in vain to get help for him, to get him admitted to the hospital is impossible we have called the police on numerous occasions and though they try to convince him to get an evaluation at the hospital,he refuses and they say they can,t do anything unless he is a danger to himself or a threat to others,even though they agree he is psychotic. Today after trying to talk him into getting some help,after a screaming rant by him (normal every day behavior ) he packed up his car and left. I,m afraid for him and heartsick. An advice out there?
The only way I know to help someone who has SZ and not taking meds or getting treatment due to anosognosia, if the person cannot be involuntarily committed to hospital, is to use LEAP. It is explained in the book “I Am Not Sick; I Don’t Need Help”. You can also be ready to act quickly for a time when your son might be a danger to himself or others. Put in writing a complete history of his erratic behaviors, medication that worked or didn’t work, hospitalizations, etc. and be ready to give it to the Crisis team that is called to come get him.
Thank you , I actually have that book but haven,t read it yet. I will find it and read it! He was med compliant at one point about 4 years ago and was such a pleasure to be with he is smart and funny and very talented as an artist. I,m afraid for him and want him home
Hi Momof2,
I’m sad to hear you’re gong through this. Unfortunately, when our loved ones won’t recognize their own illnesses, it is pretty much impossible to reason with them.
He has a car and he has whatever he feels was important to bring with him, so let him be with his emotions a while. Either he will want to come back or he will figure out a way to survive on his own. That may mean he will come to a crisis point and have to go to a hospital or to be arrested. Sometimes our loved ones need to reach that point and then they will be more interested in treatment.
Try to not worry about him. He is an adult, after all, and at least he has a car. My husband is in the same situation right now, very far away from me, delusional but has a car to sleep in. I try not to worry, but of course we will. Just hope for the best. I will be thinking of you. 
Thank you lifeishard ,I guess this is for the best if it helps him to want help, hopefully he will. I,m sorry you are going through this with your husband it’s a really terrible illness, prayers
Well, enjoy the vacation while you can…
YesGSSP it would be a vacation if I wasn’t,t so worried, something has to change that’s for sure so maybe this episode will help or just be a break for a short while. You sound like you,be been through this before right?
26 years, wife and daughter…
Very important vid from my daughter, listen to all of it, day after ECT:
from this:
to this:
to this:
wife gone:
Wow , glad the etc worked for your daughter
That is all that is left when all meds are proven to fail,
she did 9 rounds, two weeks in, 6 rounds every mon, wed, fri, one month later 3 rounds, one week in…
her description was great, i like the part, she said, no way out when bite puck inserted, lol…
@Momof2 I was in your shoes on more than one occasion when I had to call police but they could not help because he was not homicidal or suicidal. I learned to call the crisis center as they have authority to be able to pink slip someone who is psychotic. It is very painful to watch your loved one be taken down, then transported to a hospital. When my son is in the hospital, I am more at ease knowing he is safe. I feel your pain and heartsick not knowing if he is safe. I became very close to the crisis team; they were so helpful when my son lived in that county.
I have seen and continue to believe that our loved ones are still “there”. It breaks my heart to think about your wonderfully created son who lives with this debilitating condition. It is the effects of the condition that cause abnormal behavior. When we have opportunity to help our loved ones manage the condition we give our loved ones a chance for a more normal life. “Shoulds” do not change behavior but finding common ground for something that is important to or inspirational for the person CAN change behavior! It is not an easy road but I encourage us all to really try every tool at our disposal . LEAP could be that tool that we need to practice and learn how to use. How can we give up until we have tried? And even if we don’t see immediate results, there is still hope.
ECT is proven to help a certain smaller percent of persons with SZ. Your daughter fit the criteria for its use! I’m so glad for her restored life! ECT is most used for depression. There are other scenarios where it may be used, also, such as for catatonia. My son is an example for that. It has been proven to be safe and to have a high degree of success in the right population.
Thanks sparky, unfortunately the crisis team has the same restrictions as the police here (Maine) maybe because we are not his guardians yet,we are pursuing that now
I agree,I will never give up trying, this is so heartbreaking to wonder where he is,we fixed a missing person report with the police last night,they will look for him because he is so ill,but need more time to pass before doing more
There is information on the NAMI.org website about Missing and Homeless, as well as comments elsewhere on this Forum. I have been through that. There are other things you can do. Having the
police find a missing person who is an adult (unless you have guardianship) does not necessarily mean they will be able to take any action if he does not want to come home and he is not of harm to himself or others at that moment.
Thanks hope4us I will check out nami ,today is his birthday 35 ,I pray he,s ok
I am saying a prayer for his protection and safety, for positive intervention to help him get the care he needs, and for provision and peace for him, and for you and your family. Can you call or text him…even to give him a phone number for something like a crisis helpline or to a homeless shelter?
I have called and texted him and will give him the number of a shelter nearby thanks for the advice,I think his phone is off cuz it goes directly to voicemail but I can leave messages and text. Thanks for the prayers .
Hi,
My son too lived in his car and in the woods for 6 months due to his illness and anosgnosia. This is a terrible disease but it is hard not to worry when can they really make decisions for themselves. but what can you do when they won’t accept your help.