Hello, I am new to this group, and I find myself in unfamiliar territory regarding anything related to Paranoid Schizophrenia. Without going into all the details, (which I am certain, most of you have probably experienced) about what my son and I have been going thru in the last year and half, where at the beginning of this time, I saw my son dealing with something I had never seen him deal with before. I thought it was just depression, so I asked him to come stay with me and his step father a little while, was hoping it would help him. However, his situation continued slowly declining, him becoming more and more paranoid each passing day. My husband, his step father could not deal with it, so after him being with us about 6 months or so, he chose to move into a hotel room until I could get him to go back to his house which was about ten miles away. So it was just my son and I, trying to figure out what was going on. My son became so paranoid that he would not leave the house. He kept saying people were coming in my home and moving things around, poisoning our food, our water. He said he heard someone in or attici, he said they were moving the wood, up there, which were the structure of the home, they were messing with the gas, making gas come thru our ac vents, to keep us asleep or knocked out while they did whatever they needed to do, He took apart all electronics, VCR’s, remote controls, computers, tv’s, our alarm system of our home, the door bells were dangling off the walls, mirrors removed because they were two way mirrors, drawers emptied and the list could go on. I mean there is not one inch of this 4000 sq. ft. home that he has not went thru, searching for things he knew were there, He even wanted to cut holes in my walls, and that is where I finally put ny foot down, and said no. Thankfully he did continue pushing me to allow him to do it, but he never actually did its which I am vey thankful, Our hone is new, we have been here about three years, and to watch and allow him to destroy it as he was, was very hard, but I felt as long as it could be put back together, it was more important to allow this until I knew what we were dealing with. It was total madness, and there I was trying to figure out why he believed all these things. He said all the neighbors were after him, they crashed his computer, they had control of his cell phone and mine, they were using them to know where we were and could get any and all information from our phones and our computers and they were going to use this information to hurt us somehow. He believed our house was bugged, there were borescopes in the walls, with microphones and cameras watching and listening to us at all times. I mean it just continued on and every time I told him this was total nonsense there was no way any of this was happening, he got so upset He is still gets upset today because no one believes him and it breaks his heart that no one, other than me, has even stopped to care about helping him try to protect himself from these people whoever they are, and Im sure you guys know the list well, i.e., FBI, Homeland Security, Neighbors, even his Step Father who he still believes today is the main reason all of this has started for him, He thinks his stepfather is an informant. I begged him to go see a doctor, I said he would go to whoever he chose I just thought we needed to get him checked out. He first agreed then would change his mind, This continues on today. I finally got a mental health warrant so I could at least get him assessed to find out what we were dealing with, because like I said this was not familiar territory, and quite frankly I was tired, scared, worried, exhausted, angry at all of it.
So about three months ago he was diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenia, given two weeks of medications, and instructed to follow up with LifePath which is who our county contracts with for those with no insurance. He refused to take the medications, said he did not want to take them, they made him feel funny, and now three months later the symptoms are all still there, he is exhausted and tired and sometimes angry because he is being harassed and tormented every second of the day. He is upset with me, the only one he has ever truly trusted, because I had him committed. He knows why, he understands my love for him and that I was only trying to help. But he says I made a horrible mistake, because now he is labeled as crazy and his word is nothing, So he thinks he can’t tell anyone whats going on, or get help because he is now a paranoid schizophrenic. So his emotions are all over the place. I continue trying to get him into LifePath, however he just will not go. He does not believe he as any thing wrong and this never ending nightmare continues on. It is breaking my heart.
I apologize for the long introduction, but bottom line is I am desperately seeking the right approach with getting him into LifePath so we can begin his treatment.
I try to keep him calm, but he is very concerned that I don’t believe him. I have said I do believe that he is experiencing everything he says he is, I know this for a fact. But he knows me too well, I know I am not suppose to play along with what he thinks is happening but honestly, its the only way I can calm him down. So now I have complicated it more just trying to keep him from being so upset, It is killing men and breaking my heart that this is happening to him. I am alone dealing with him, everyone else just thinks he is manipulating me and truly are not interested in understanding what this illness is and what needs to happen. I just continue loving him, reassuring him and trying to cope with a very hard situation.
So, I need to know, would to be best to try setting down with him again, talking to him and reminding him he has been diagnosed and I really want him to go in and follow up for treatment, If I do this I know without a doubt he is going to become extremely angry, and Im just not sure at this point, if he can control wherever this anger will take him.
OR
do I just continue doing what I’m doing, hoping that one day this may pass or maybe he will realize he does need help. I just don’t think he will ever willingly do this, Im so lost and so concerned and so very tired, I just need some good advice and direction. Im praying for some wisdom here that anyone can give me in guiding me to make the best decision for my son. I desperately want to help him, and I will accept any advice that can be given at this time.
One last thing I left out, many actually, but he is back in his home, he did return but not willingly. I had to force it because my husband demanded its. I know this was not what he needed, I know there are thins happening that are maybe pushing this thiing deeper, but one of the major problems is, my family is not takin the time to learn and understand what we are dealing with, Because you see they aren’t dealing with it, I am. I know love and patience and understanding and accepting are all very important factors. Just don’t know how to get everyone on board. So for now I am only concerned with whatever is the best thing I can do, because right now, he only has me.
Thanks!
Brenda