My lil brother is KING

Welcome to the forum @Allme2015

My son will be 21 tomorrow. He was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2011. He also has addiction issues and ADHD. I believe he has Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD).

He seems to accept his schizophrenia diagnoses however he does not recognize a lot of what he experiences as being schizophrenia so his insight is limited. This is called anosognosia, when the person is unable due to the disease/disorder itself unable to see that they are sick. It can make getting them help really hard.

My son has believed that he is God or god-like. Believed he could move clouds, reincarnate, reset the world? among other things. His paranoia symptoms are usually centered around his marijuana use.

Setting boundaries and discipline are harder when dealing with mental illness. I try to follow some of the basic guidelines for disciplining ADHD and ODD children.

http://forum.schizophrenia.com/t/oppositional-defiant-disorder-odd-and-ad-hd/8922

I will link what I think will 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

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

The sooner he starts to receive treatment the better as studies shows that early treatment helps long-term recovery. I know that getting him treatment when he doesn’t think that he is sick is hard. Using LEAP may be able to help with that as even though he doesn’t think he is sick, chances are there is something that he feels that he could get help with even if it is anxiety and stress related due to what he is experiencing. Gaining his trust is the first step so that he knows that he can trust someone with what he is experiencing. With my son this can be up and down depending on his symptoms but I see it even when he is at his worst when he says: Mom tell me what to do or Can you be my agent or limbo (right arm). If it wasn’t for his ODD as he gets defiant with me being in a position of authority…

I understand addiction as I’m a recovered addict. My home is currently alcohol and street drug free, zero tolerance. My husband and I also went alcohol free over a year ago. Due to this my son has limited access or resources to abuse. He still does… I just get rid of it if he brings it in. I have a pretty good idea of when and I know most of the signs by now when to be more attentive. I will search his room and belongings as I believe his mental health and stability is more important than his privacy. He knows this about me so we have an understanding… He will lie about it :wink: and I will search for it :smile: Alcohol is a depressant so it too will contribute to long-term depression symptoms.

Depending on where my son is with symptoms, I’m learning to stop doing things for him. He is old enough and physically capable of doing things like making snacks, food, coffee and doing things like his own laundry etc.

Do you mind if I ask where he is getting the money for weed and alcohol? It’s hard but when my son spends his little money on alcohol… He will just have to learn to go without certain things as I know longer have the funds to support these habits. I’m too the point of he can have all of my love and that doesn’t include my credit…

Some other links that may help:
http://forum.schizophrenia.com/t/anosognosia-article/12157

http://forum.schizophrenia.com/t/how-to-tell-someone-they-have-a-mental-illness/2582

http://forum.schizophrenia.com/t/8-ways-to-help-someone-live-well-with-schizophrenia/10496