I’m reading from many different sources that severe depression / trauma brings on psychosis. Psychosis, as we all know, is way beyond just depression and something a thousand times darker and more severe and frightening.
Taking genetics and drug use aside, what about the children who have, for the most part, were brought up in a wonderful nurturing home, with both parents who were supportive and sacrificed everything for their children?
I’m reading stories of these types of cases, it has got to be beyond devastating, a double blow for these parents. I can’t imagine.
My situation, I know partially how this could have happened, what most likely may have partly attributed to my son ending up with this illness.
But what about the children who were brought up in Brady Bunch homes… I don’t understand. Kids who were excelling in college, kids who were excelling in their jobs, kids who were loving life…I just don’t get it.
Hello @mbheart,
I don’t get it either. Our family was supportive, involved and loving. When Lou had his accident we suspected some kind of synthetic drug use, (DMT) although he was never tested. It was things he said while in recovery and things not said by my nephew who immediately joined a recovery group. After Lou’s recovery, he suffered a TBI which lead to where we are now. I believe there is some fact, some outside source, that has made our kids scitzophrenic. I mean, I am not even sure what’s wrong with Lou, because of the privacy laws in California, no doctor has ever said. The only report I have to validate this, is what a social worker said to me by accident. She wanted to know if anyone has ever talked to us about Lou’s mental illness.
Peace, AnnieNorCal
Hello @AnnieNorCal, it must be frustrating to be where you are today and still not know for certain what his “condition” is. I was lucky (lucky in the sense that I was included), because when my son was 19 and in hospital after a major psychotic break, his social worker divulged everything to me. I’m certain she was violating HIPPA mandates but this did not stop her from including me. I’ll never forget her first words when she called me from hospital 3 days after he was admitted. She said, “are you sitting down Mrs. Xxxxx, I’m afraid we have his diagnosis”. She was amazing and she is also the one who helped my son get on SSI (it took no time @ all, she filled out all of the paperwork for us), while he was still in hospital. She did it all. She was my angel in that black darkness of confusion.
From there my life changed. What’s so frustrating and heartbreaking about this disease to me is that it appears to derive from many different situations and conditions, and furthermore, it manifests itself in so many different ways in different people. I’ve read somewhere on this forum that no 2 people will have the same symptoms or behaviors. In addition to this, meds that may work great on someone may have devastating consequences for someone else. This illness sure has its twists and turns and there’s always an uncertainty about everything. Never a moments peace wondering if the meds may no longer work.
I’ve read AP meds eventually stop working after long term use. I sure hope this is not true. I just pray that meds may either need to be changed or the dosage may need to be altered.
Last I read, I believe you were not in contact with your son? Have you spoken to him? How is he doing? My apologies if this is not the situation with Lou, I read about so many different situations on this forum.
Cancer can affect anyone even when the person has done nothing to cause the illness. So is serious mental illness. It knows no boundaries. There are likely environmental causes/triggers that contribute, but it has little or nothing to do with the way we brought up our children. It often comes out of nowhere. I found these conditions for “who is at risk” on the Mayo Clinic website:
“Having a family history of schizophrenia. Increased immune system activation, such as from inflammation or autoimmune diseases. Older age of the father. Some pregnancy and birth complications, such as malnutrition or exposure to toxins or viruses that may impact brain development.Apr 10, 2018”
And this, from the NHS in the UK:
“Drug abuse. Drugs don’t directly cause schizophrenia , but studies have shown drug misuse increases the risk of developing schizophrenia or a similar illness. Certain drugs, particularly cannabis, cocaine, LSD or amphetamines, may trigger symptoms of schizophrenia in people who are susceptible.”
@Revrain, I’m not sure I understand? Please feel free to share your story, that is why we are here in this suppprt group. Im sure I’m in the minority in this group when I say I’m anti meds and I’m always trying to soak up information about alternatives so I can present it to my son’s therapist. But I think everyone in this group is very nurturing and welcomes and accepts each other’s views without getting ugly.