I will have to check into that. How exactly do you “force meds”? I leave for work before he is up and often get home late. I really just want him out of my house. I will miss the peace that I am having right now. My son phoned his father last night and he still does not think he needs meds. He ended up hanging up on him, cuz his father was encouraging treatment. SZ is horrible.
Basically the judge orders that they must take meds or they will go to jail. How much support you have for that in your local legal system can vary greatly. Often, as in the case of @oldladyblue 's daughter, they must show up for a monthly injection or they will be picked up and taken to jail. There is usually a time limit - like its a sentence- such as “they must take forced meds for 2 years”.
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It would be really nice if we in this group could get together for coffee and talk some time people and family just want to stay away from you if they know that your loved one has schizophrenia they don’t want to know you. I hear the word mental and schizo.
This comes from family and friends
I hate that word schizophrenia I wish they would change it. I wonder how my son must feel when he hears this .
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It would be very nice for us all to get together. Only those of us that are living this life can understand this life. Friends and family don’t truly understand what this disease does and how it effects EVERYTHING in our lives.
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I have been trying to use “neurodiverse” more. @Maggotbrane had suggested, when I use it, the response has been pretty positive.
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I’ve had my struggles hearing Schizo in younger circles as the equivalent to older generations saying crazy. And I’ve noticed a new trend where some use the full word Schizophrenia for people with obvious psychotic symptoms. Not sure if they got checked for using Schizo as a slur or the intent is to differentiate between the two. Millennials and younger generations seem careful to avoid slurs of many types in favor of self-reporting or speculating specific lesser diagnoses or identities in less stigmatic ways. So their use of Schizo really sticks out to me.
Personally I’d prefer if they went back to crazy for generic unconventional behavior and avoided using diagnoses altogether unless there’s self disclosure. I mostly use “diagnosed” without being specific in this forum, because I feel it’s less important to split hairs about diagnoses than focus on effective treatment.
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Psycho is also a term that you hear a lot. A popular singer put out a song a few years ago called “Sweet but Psycho,” resurrecting the tired, misguided trope of “crazy” people, usually women, being particularly sexy because they are presumed to lack inhibitions.
My very intelligent friend complains that, throughout his life, people have called him stupid and sometimes spoken to him as if he were a child, or developmentally delayed. It’s just one more layer of the humiliation and stigma people with SZ face.
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Hi Tippy,
I have only just seen your thread and was flicking through to see what US state you were in. I think Marchment Acting is your best bet. You need court ordered treatment in a long term facility. I am in the UK but currently estranged from my wife who is in Florida and in a not incredibly stable state. I am beginning to regret not going for a Marchment a few months ago. I think you need to get some scores on the doors. The Baker Acts will just mean he keeps getting picked up, made a bit less mad for a few days, but not receive any longer term therapy to deal with the root cause of the issue. He has an advantage over many as he has parents that want him well.
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Thank you for your reply. I have also checked into the Marchment Act. They can force him into treatment, for 2days or 200 days. My son is allowed a public defender and can fight it. It seems to be a risk that can come with a lot of expense. What if I hire a lawyer and he only goes for 2 days? This is crazy.
I am not sure if you will need a lawyer to move for a Marchment Act. I think it is designed to be done be the concerned party themselves. My wife’s hospital asked me to fly to the US and raise one because of the problems we were having, and they made it sound like if I turned up at the Court House I would be able to raise it on the spot. I would check it out to clarify, but I am being driven mad by my own legal stuff at present.
Personally I would not worry about the 2 days. If he goes in and they see enough to warrant keeping him in, they probably will. 200 days is likely going to be reserved for really severe cases where they are completely unable to function and keep themselves from immediate harm.
I would recommend you keep a document with dates recording anything that he does or that happens. Then you can present that narrative to professionals or courts as you need to. If you can see signs of the situation worsening then document that in full. Then make yourself a version of that you can tell in 45 seconds so that you can quickly brief professionals if you need to in the future.
Thank you for your response. I am thinking this is something that is worth a try as everything else we have done has not worked. My sons delusions are so bad right now. There is no talking him down. He currently thinks that an exgirlfriend’s (from 7 years ago) sister is trying to kill him. She doesn’t live in this state, he can not prove any contact has been made. He feels the only way to get her to stop is if I phone the father and tell him to get her to stop. I got so frustrated with him, I told him that I tried to call and was only able to leave a message. I know I am not supposed to feed into the delusion, but I was at my wits end. I still am.
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In one of Dr Amador’s videos he tells the audience that no one has ever been talked out of a delusion.
I know that people worry about reinforcing delusions - I don’t think anything we do contributes to the delusion. If you can identify with the emotion which is fear, and you did, I don’t think you should worry about attempting to relieve his fear, even though it’s paranoia based. You didn’t start his delusion, you can’t make it stronger.
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Well, my son was Baker acted again. 2 times in a month. He went to a different facility this time. It started when he tried to have his father arrested and the police could tell he was delusional. We did everything that NAMI told us to do. We documented every phone call and delusional thought. We faxed it to the facility and asked that it be added to his file. No one will speak to us, cuz my son refused to sign the paper. Do you know that after 5 days, no one, not one single person read what I sent. It was not added to his file and no medication has been given to help him. My husband finally was able to speak with an NP who listened. They are still going to release him today or tomorrow even though he still feels this “person” is controlling him and wanting him to harm himself. I have also found out that if you have Medicare as your insurance, there are NO inpatient treatment programs available. I kept him on Medicare cuz the other insurances did not offer good psychiatrists. I guess it doesn’t matter right now cuz my son is refusing all treatment. We are about to make a very hard decision. We can’t let him come home anymore. We can’t keep having the same cycle continue. I pray that my son does not cause anyone else any harm and that he will realize that he needs help. I feel like I have given up, but I have reached my limits.
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My thoughts are with in this most difficult time , take it one breath at a time .
It is so hard when it’s one crisis to the next .
This is SO hard. My son phoned last night and was fearing for his life because “this person” said she wanted to torture him during the night. But they can’t keep him in the hospital-Why? He is still a danger to himself. They still have not stabilized him, and I thought that was the job they are supposed to do.
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Is your son on Medicaid and Medicare?
He is on Medicare. I am now finding out that Medicare is not accepted for inpatient treatment. He has a LIFETIME limit of 190 days. He is still under the Baker act and they can’t find anywhere to put him. He can’t come home. He is still delusional and paranoid. Still thinking someone is controlling him and trying to get him to harm himself. He must phone me 20-30 times a day with the same loop. He just wants his money so he can get an apartment and sleep. Not having any rational thoughts.
Is he eligible for Medicaid? Sounds like he may be refusing meds, are they holding his Baker act hearings in person or is he making video appearances? Any way you can find out what judge is handling his case?
I am not aware of a judge being involved. The facility is supposed to be dealing with these issues. The social worker said he found a place to put my son. When I phoned the group home, it was for independent living. Thankfully, the man I spoke to listened to what was happening with my son and he said he phoned the director of the facility. My son will not be released. The rep that runs the group home can not take my son unless he is stable, which he is not. Maybe now they will get him on the meds he needs?
Tippy, you applied for “extra help” for your son last summer - did he receive it?