I’m new here & unable to pick a category… so I’m just going to write what’s going on. My 21 year old son was diagnosed Schizoeffective at age 16 1/2 after depression and anxiety came on, then delusions, hallucinations and an expression to commit suicide. The first year and a half was very rocky, in and out of hospitals trying medications and adjusting doses etc. Once they finally got the meds right, he stayed on his meds and did quite well for about a year and a half.
Last October things were going so well for my then 20 year old he decided to stop all his meds. Within several weeks his pyschosis began coming back.
He just turned 21 last month, still off his meds. My problem right now is his pyschosis is the worse it’s EVER been and he’s just not reachable! Half the time he doesn’t know who he is, and calls his family members different names with bizarre stories such as he needs to go to Area 51 in Vegas and he tells me that I’ve killed my son, how can I not remember. I’m scared to death. The police won’t take him on a hold. My son refuses treatment, he seems to be fixated on he only has anxiety. Our local NAMI only meets once per month. I feel so alone in this situation. I’m constantly reading about the disease and trying to understand what has happened to him.
Any positive feedback is certainly appreciated. I’m feeling very much like seeing a counselor myself soon so I can st least be able to cry and talk about this.
In the state of ohio were I live I wouldn’t go in for treatment. My mom went to court and had to talk to a judge. He issued a court order for me to our in the hospital. The police came and took me to the state hospital. This happened three times because I went off medication. The last hospitalization was in March of 2011. I have been on medication ever since. I have too many responsibilities to go back to the state I was in. I don’t know how the the mental health system works in the state your in. I believe these ladies on hear say that it varies from state to state. Did you try calling a crisis center hotline? I believe they gave my mom advice. Best of luck to you.
I’m in California and not much help avail. There are people everywhere that have mental health problems and homeless and such. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts & experience though. I pray every day, sometimes multiple times a day, for my son to GAIN INSIGHT to his diagnosis so he can get help. He got into some trouble with the law recently so I did contact the DA asking for assistance in court ordered treatment. I feel like it’s my only hope right now. Goodnight
I essentially had to bait my son into a fight in order to get him treated. He ended up threatening me which was enough for the police to take him in. I did this by locking up his car keys and refusing to give them to him unless he agreed to go to the Dr. I felt confident that he wouldn’t hurt me but had a neighbor on standby if I felt physically threatened.
According to the treatmentadvocacycenter.org these are the laws for California:
Mandatory Treatment Laws in California
California has civil commitment laws that decide when involuntary treatment (also known as “court-ordered treatment”) is appropriate for individuals with severe mental illness who are too ill to seek care voluntarily.
To qualify for mandated treatment in a hospital or other inpatient facility, the person must be:
dangerous to self/others; or
unable to provide for basic personal needs for food, clothing, or shelter.
To qualify for mandated treatment as an outpatient living in the community (known as “Laura’s Law” or “assisted outpatient treatment”), the person must live in a California county where Laura’s Law has been authorized by county supervisors and:
have a condition likely to substantially deteriorate;
be unlikely to survive safely in community without supervision;
have a history of noncompliance that includes two hospitalizations in past 36 months; or
act/threaten/attempt of violence to self/others in 48 months immediately preceding petition filing;
be likely to need treatment to prevent meeting inpatient standard; and
be likely to benefit from assisted treatment.
Though you are not able to get the police to take your son to the hospital, as described above, I think in most places there is a legal process available for seeking treatment for a person who is unwilling or unable to seek it on their own. For me, it was thru the Sheriff’s office, getting documentation to them, and requesting a Mental Health warrant.
It is hard to think clearly thru all the anxiety - hope you can find the information needed to help your son.
I can hear the tiredness in your voice and I’m sorry that you’re having to deal with this also. I just want to say that the medicine does help once they find the right medicine. We had a good day today and my son actually picked up dishes on his desk and took them downstairs to the sink without being asked. This is the first time in three years that is happened. It’s huge to me.
Hang in there. just when you think things will never change it tends to take a turn. Try to stay positive if you can and to get some help for yourself. I’ve become quite selfish with my time with exercise and my husband and I have started alternating so that we can get out at least one day a week without a friend.
I have not been able to find a local NAMI but with the high recommendations here, it sounds like I need to for all of us. I’m sure you’ve heard that it’s a marathon and not a sprint. Take it a day at a time and celebrate the good days. Be well!
Down here, you can call an ambulance for involuntary committment if there are two witnesses (who are direct relatives) to someone being a danger to themselves or others if it is a mental health issue. This can include not eating or sleeping. I don’t know if this applies in CA, but you could always call a mental health facility or the sheriffs office and inquire.
My dad recently called on himself and stayed for 5 days inpatient at a mental health facility (not sz related). They got him on some medication and scooted him right along. He and I are estranged but from what I know, he’s doing fairly well and still on the medication.
What I’m getting at is that it doesn’t hurt to call and see what your options are. I know it’s easy to feel helpless. I’m not religious but I often think on the serenity prayer as a reminder to not let someone else’s disease control my life. I am deserving of happiness, and so are you. I encourage you to seek therapy and find some source of empowerment for yourself. It can be a hobby, your job, or even talking to someone. I personally find my empowerment in makeup, and I have several social media platforms dedicated to my work. It’s my safe space where my husbands sz can’t reach me.
I wish you the best of luck and I hope you can help your son find the treatment he needs. Much love
Aworriedmother, I completely understand your situation. My son was diagnosed with Schizoaffective Disorder at age 21 after suffering major depression for at least a year. Once he was properly medicated that is when the psychosis and mania appeared. He became resistant to medication after three months. It took me approximately six months to just call the police and report that he was non-compliant with treatment and he is manic. He was hospitalized for a month at that time. My son hates the hospital so he became compliant and agreed to start on Invega Sustenna monthly injections (156mg); he was stable for a year and a half, including working and he stopped using marijuana. Unfortunately, once he convinced himself that he was no longer ill, he discontinued his medication. The injections build up in your system and he did not start to deteriorate until three months after he stopped his medication. We went through this circus act for another six months and this time he was worse. This time my oldest son called the police after my youngest son started fires in the kitchen. Unfortunately, this is the cycle of this disorder for some. After his last non-compliance run, I had to contact NAMI to find additional resources for my sanity. I attended the Family-to-Family group (free) and it was a huge support and gave me the resources I needed to feel empowered. Self-care is very important if you want to help your son because Caregivers suffer from a lot of stress and health problems.
Thanks Hereandhere. Good reference.
One more question:
does anyone think if a mentally ill person found naked in public and get a violation for his behavior, would he get the sex offender registration and perhaps Jail time.
I would hope that he might be in the mental health system and get sent to the hospital for evaluation but I could be wrong. It probably depends on the city and state where you live.
Aworriedmother,
I have been through the Road before several time. My son left my state and drifted to Northern California where my brother lives and a family friend. My son has been hospitalized in 3 different states. When he refused medicine at Hospitals. The Hospital in California and in Texas would get court order in order to treat him.
I have the Guardianship now but I still cannot force him on medication without court order. He is now in California with a family friend and not on medication and I feel he is getting worse and worse.He has been off his shot for 3 months. I am now trying to call the court to see if I can get a court order and hospitalize him over there.
This is so frustrating and draining my energy. I keep going through the same cycles over and over.
I know exactly what you feel.
Yes, I would advise to see a counselor and talk to a close friend about your problem so you would feel you are not alone.
my prayers are with you and your son.
I’m sorry for all you’ve gone thru. My 32 year old son started getting sick when he was 22. He also refused to take his meds it was a difficult time since he wasn’t doing well. He hasn’t been doing well for the past 3 years, seems he’s med resistant he’s doing horrific right now, he hears voices, hallucinates. And is plain psychotic. His psychiatrist wants to hospitalize him which I agree to, problem is there isn’t any beds. I live in S.California you can message me whenever you need to vent.
I am holding on to one hope right now; he actually has been arrested a couple of times and I have contacted the DA directly asking for court ordered treatment. It’s so heartbreaking. He’s been on “the streets” unmediated since December. I pray daily, sometimes every hour if needed. I wonder how other people can continue their strength when it wears you down. I would like to hear something on what’s others do FOR THEMSELVES to relieve the stress and worry? I appreciate you responding.
Thank you! I’m praying for all of us, and all our significant people that are LOST and need help. This world is FULL of mental health persons in need. In need of direction, in need of medication. In need of HOPE for themselves.
In my opinion you are right to consider yourself in this illness. I walk early in the morning with a couple of friends. I garden and work and that is a great distraction. I take a day a month and get my hair colored and maybe a pedicure and manicure. Give yourself permission, it might be lifesaving.
My daughter had no insight to her illness. I live in Texas in a county that has an amazing mental health program…the people of the town I live in and state money got it going and serves everyone insurance or no income.
I called them when my daughter first became ill. She has no insight and refused treatment. My sister wrote a summery of things over the past few months she had done to be a harm to herself or others. You need to word it to make it believeable. She had tried to jump off our second floor apt, told me she wanted to cut her throat so I had to hide knives. It was a scary time, she slapped so hard she was bruised, if I tried to hold ger hands she said for me to move or they would bite me. She would become rational and say “Mommy it’s not me doing this.” Grouling sounds would come out of her mouth, and things I do not want to repeat. Our judge here is awesome, twice she has issued court ordered treatment. It seems to be normal for Schizophrenics to be worse after they stop medication. Your only hope is to document and focus on convincing the court he is in danger…I will admit we imbellished a tad bit, she had pushed her father, but it was longer than the 2-3 month window for court order reports for treatment. Do what you feel you need to-do for your son.
He will aquire insight in time.
