Sister of Schizophremia

Hi
I’m hopeful for you that you can do something if you pull out all the stops!!
It takes EVERYTHING even in the UK just to get someone sectioned… The family have little influence in terms of trying to get someone care, but everything you’ve got actually might help.
My family did everything to get and keep me in hospital
I was being treated by the same psychiatric doc who mis treated my sister and my mum bought my sisters urn into a meeting of docs to make the point that the services had already failed one of her daughters
Being as strong as you need to be takes everything
Of course I can’t really know, I just hope you can get help

Don’t give up!!!

I don’t think what you were told about your brother is correct. Whether family is assisting should have nothing to do with considering him disabled. My ex-husband and I were fully supporting our son, but he is now considered completely disabled, and is receiving SSI. This takes some of the financial burden off of us anyway.

Apply for disability as soon as possible. They almost certainly will turn you down, but they will fix the date beginning your back pay from the time you first applied. After they turn you down, get a lawyer who knows the system. The lawyer will probably take your back pay, but that can’t be helped. That is the best way to get disability.

You are doing all the right things.
Is there a support group in your area for you? Check NAMI.org.
You are taking on a lot, and you will need support. I hope you can get your family involved. It`s very hard to do this alone. Keep an eye on yourself also.
Welcome to the forum. Hope you can find some answers here.

As a sister of a man who is living with this illness, I just wanted to say it sounds like your doing all the right stuff.

It’s a very hard decision when it comes to reading the journals and bringing them to light. My brother was furious with me when I did that as well. I completely understand why and I know I crossed a line. But I was very worried about him. Little by little his anger faded. I didn’t confront him or ask him about it. The only person I showed it to was our Mom who is very proactive and did highly advocate for my brother.

One thing that I’ve also done is start my own journal. Writing down allergic reactions when I see them, jotting down times of agitation and med changes. When my brother didn’t self advocate as well as he does now, I’d like to think my journal helped out a bit.

I’ve been very lucky. My brother’s meds got changed and what he’s on now brought him back to us. He’s been working getting better by going to therapy, being med compliant and keeping track of his health.

It’s never easy. Please know, you don’t have to fight this alone.

This web site too ( www.schizophrenia.com) has a lot of information that will hopefully get your family on the same page. Early treatment helps promote better recovery.

I hope things go better for you soon.
Thank you for letting me post.

@crimby I completely agree with you. I am currently trying to find funds to seek guardianship of my brother. A family member has more rights to aid in advocacy, treatment, and support for their mentally ill loved ones. I am appalled to learn of the horrid laws within the state of Idaho for the mentally Ill. There is no organization what so ever as to handle the crisis in our state. I notified the governor of this state on this issue today. He has already applied for disability. I am not sure where that is at right now because, my mother is not being cooperative. I have once again reached out to my local community to help with this matter.