My mom has been suffering from schizoaffective disorder my entire life. I will not lie that she does have a mild case as she is not a harm to herself or others. She suffers from mood swings and paranoia. Most paranoid thoughts surround money. She thinks she won the lottery for 10 billion and people at the gas station stole her ticket, etc. We have had her committed a handful of times but in the past 2-3 years she’s been committed twice and each time has only taken her medicine for a few months and then stops. Are they any recommendations on how to keep her on the medicine? We tried the shot last time and it worked so well but it is monthly and she didn’t go back to the doctors for it. Are there any other ways to keep her episodes and paranoid thoughts at bay without medicine? I am open to any and all options to help her live a happier life!
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Welcome to our band of Caregivers. You are in the right place. You will find that (a) your experience is shared by many of us, (b) it sucks, and (c) your goal is to give your mom the best chance while keeping your own soul in tact. Welcome.
Re meds, you will soon hear some great advice. For me, we resorted to all types of ‘bribes’ to encourage med compliance. So many carrots and a few sticks (“if you don’t take your monthly shot then we can’t be together “).
You’ve got to decide where you want to draw the line. The life of an SZ caregiver sucks rocks. But you’re in the right place. And selflessly loving others has its own rewards. But that’s a different thread!!
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