2frustrated, so true. The “has to be danger to self or others” is total bull shit and completely inhumane.
On a side note, my son refuses all pills for a delusion-based reason as well, but he will take injections. Is there a chance your son’s med refusal is about the actual pills, rather than medication in general?
His therapist is trying to approach that and she is the 1 who suggested he would be a good candidate, I try not to go there with him as it is too frustrating and we usually end up upset with each other. He has that stigma about NOT being mentally ill, something he will not accept so therefore needs no meds. Anosognosia. He at least listened today and was receptive for the MOMENT… that quite possibly meds could help him function and move forward? The psychiatrist suggested fish oil pills to start, said it “could” help improve his mental ability if he was willing to start there. I bought some for him and he took 2 while he was here and ate pizza, soup, chips, etc. as I am sure he is hungry. He just does not have the follow thru. on anything, he forgets and then always has a reason as to why he didn’t do it. I hope he continues with the fish oil just to see if he has any more clarity on things. Although we know his condition will not be cured with it, the fact that he was willing to try it was a good thing. When he works with my husband, he is focused on what he needs to do and we all have acknowledged that when he “can” focus on something other then his delusions, he can do pretty good, just cant maintain that for any length of period. UGH…!!! Damn illness…
I know. It’s such an awful illness. Heartbreaking.
Well he was willing to eat fish oil pills. That’s a start and more than my son would be willing to eat.
My son had severe anosognosia as well, but he’s much more aware of his illness after 17 months of injections. Aside from his pill paranoia (long story), based on a few things he’s recently said, I think he feels the injections feel more forgettable and less about him being ill. Somehow, he feels less stigma with the injection.
Maybe you can present the injections as “nobody will know” and they’ll be “over and done with”.
Thank-you! I don’t come on here very often, but I do appreciate the loving support I always see/receive. Most gut-wrenching thing? Hard to say. Son’s story involves rape as well, so . . . well, yeah.
Molester was under 18, so the state ignored it. We changed churches to get away from this guy, and now he’s changed churches too. (Same building, but different congregation, so we only pass him in the halls sometimes–and yes, I made sure church officials are all aware of this guy’s past, and they keep him away from children. No volunteering in the Sunday School for him!) I want to run away from home, but how will son find me?
We were making plans to build son a room attached to our house, but he shouldn’t even be on this side of town–nothing but triggers here–but we want him to know where to find us if he needs to, even when he’s having an episode.
Life is a big adventure!
My son was on the injections for 2 years, they worked! last year he decided he didn’t need them any longer. We had rented him an apartment, he got evicted then a DUI and spent a couple of weeks in jail. When he got out of jail in Oct 2018, he didn’t call any one in his family and won’t have anything to do with us. He’s been living homeless ever since. Some of his friends see him and tell me he says he’s happy. So I just let him be right now. He stays in the shelters when it’s cold outside and there’s several food pantries for him to go to. He turned 37 in Dec. living on the streets. It’s been a long haul with him and this illness. Our family has tried just about everything, spent a lot of $$ on him. I just pray he’ll want to get help again and off the streets.
Just watched “God Knows Where I Am” on Netflix. Wow. Just wow. I could totally picture my son.
Me too JaninAZ. My son’s paranoia is bad enough while on meds, never mind without them and unsupervised. It’s so frightening to imagine how he’ll survive once we’re gone.
We did that for my daughter, built a separate sort of “studio” apt with a back door for her into her room rather than coming through our home. It has worked out well. We aren’t in the best neighborhood, but she knows she has no where else.