Hi everyone, I’m new to this site and new to this challenging journey… I will try to explain in a good way and will be very very grateful for any feedback.
Since we got together, this is the first time that we are apart with my partner for longer period of time (one month). It’s been just a week now and he’s going through a lot (paranoia, not sleeping well, hallucinations, I think I can just say full on psychosis…). I am not there so I don’t know if he takes his medicine, he said he did one time I asked, but that was when he already had strong symptoms. Sometimes he calls me and says how bad it is and all kinds of worrying things from his paranoia and things that really make no sense to me, about doing magic and having different selves inside of him etc…It is already difficult for me to navigate when we are somewhere together, but through the phone I am really lost. How can I react in a way that is supportive? What is the best thing to do or say? I keep letting him know I am there for him and that I am available when he is in the space to talk. I acknowledge how difficult it must be for him to be experiencing that… I send him number for a schizophrenia crisis line, in his native language, but I think he did not use that. I gently mention taking the pills, walks or showers…
I am afraid that he is the type that mostly rejects the idea of being ill, he doesn’t have a therapist and has a lot of resistance to pills and hospitals, after bad experiences…
We are 26 and 25.
Thank you for reading and if you have any advice or suggestion, please share <3
The LEAP system may help. Listen without judging, Emphathize, find something you Agree on that can lead to treatment and Partner to get a result. You can read abt it in the book I am not sick by Amador. Your partner needs help, Hopefully he can get it where he is now, but sometimes takes a few tries. If he refuses treatment and was taken involuntarily they will release him in 72 hrs unless he is a harm to himself or others. You can ask him to sign the release of information form so the Dr’s can give you info.
I am so sorry you are going through this worry. It is common for a person to not see that they are having mental issues, it is called anosognosia. Even on medication, those with schizophrenia might not see that they NEED the meds. If you can find a way to get him to agree to take his meds as directed, that is the best thing you can do. Coming off of meds all of a sudden is very bad. But controlling this from far away is almost impossible I feel.
Dr. Amador’s book is very good at explaining how those with schizophrenia feel and think and the LEAP method is very good. I had to read the book several times to fully utilize it properly.
Good luck.
Thank you so much for the encouraging words. It really helps me to feel understood and supported. I will definitely read the book and try to follow the recommendations, I see it is well known in here. Thank you for helping me learn about it.
We had a triggering conversation about medication and therapy, which made him feel like I reject some part of him, when I want to seek out help and relieve the symptoms…It has been better lately and he even put the effort to make an appointment with a psychotherapist, which gave me some relief and also hope in our relationship, knowing, that he recognises (at least sometimes) that he does need professional help.