sorry its long!
my sister has enduring delusions or memories of past lives and experiences with demons and generally believes in all this as her extraordinary spirituality and the spirituality of myself as a schizophrenic and our middle sister who had unremitting schizophrenia
she is a very heavy drinker and in fact most likely quite long term alcoholic already having 2 bottles of wine every evening over 10 years ago
she has severe post traumatic stress from childhood and isolates herself in her room at mums
one thing she knows she has is pretty extreme depression
but would not try again with meds
for the past 5years she has been too unwell to work has been self injuring to extremes like nothing i have seen
she has been very suicidal all this time
she refuses to trust anyone to help her
no trust in doctors, mental health services, peers as in self help or aa people, therapists, and refuses to consider any of these as potential ways forward
she functions only in very basic ways but has become positive about a photography project (she is one of the best portrait photographers in the world)
she is able to have conversations
travel for a few weeks in europe
go to the shop
cook
care give mum when she was hit by a car 5 months ago
these are significantly better than i was in psychotic episodes
i dont see any way forward for her
unless spontaneous remission is possible
she has this unremitting psychosis at a slightly less extreme level than frank, acute psychosis and would be released from any attempt at hospital within days
she has extreme mistrust in any form of medications
with no medical options available to confirm - is this schizophrenia? schizotypal personality?
mostly post traumatic stress from childhood?
my mum ignores attempts to diagnose because she has daughters not conditions for children
but knowing i have autism and schizophrenia has helped me frame my life
I imagine getting a firm diagnosis would be challenging since there are issues with major depression along with PTSD in addition to addiction. Sounds like a pretty serious situation regardless of the diagnosis. It is encouraging though that she is pursuing her gifts in photography. I have no advice really except to encourage her to continue to search for healthier ways to manage her emotions If she’s completely refusing medical intervention maybe at least taking care of her physical and mental health through diet, exercise, meditation, etc may improve her mood and symptoms.
Thanks TAG
very realistic kind response
that appears to be the only approach at the moment! I know she eats healthily (or atkins or master cleanse or healthy Thai food, fish, veg, no sugar, chicken, beef)
they will possibly not be the healthiest options but it is better than being underweight, overweight or obese.
mum becomes at her absolute most horror struck if we fight.
that should be my first-at-all-ever approach -for me to back off and not get angry
back down… admit we are shit.
it is difficult when we are being accused of only doing wrong in our lives and relationships with her.
She does have property, her looks, and is able to live okay without working, which is a huge positive. She has talent almost unmatched in her field (portrait photography) - which is near imossible to make a living from
as she has never been in it for money i can see more exhibitions possible
mum has no hope she will get well
i dont know why but WE are all out of hope after our middle sister had untreatable schizophrenia and was extremely psychotic for 12 years as well as addiction
I certainly hoped for 11.5 years - more like 24.5 (she died age 25)
She wants us to go on a walking holiday together in April.
she has been travelling on and off for a couple of years a month or three at a time.