How hard was it to get court ordered medication? May I ask? Ditto that on the hugs
Hi Mom2,
It did take a long time, but that was only because he was not in the system. He was living in the woods in another town, and I would send him money by Western Union every week, after our weekly phone call. Little did I know that I was prolonging his staying out of treatment. He had not been to a psychiatrist, and I was not absolutely convinced that he had schizophrenia. (Thatās a long story for another time, though.)
Once the outreach workers in the city where he was found out about him, he was put on a list to get help. The outreach would go out and get him things he needed and befriend him over time, in the hopes that he would come to trust them, as well as just to provide the things. Then, if the law was called for any reason, the police would send officers who had the special training on how to approach with and communicate with someone with schizophrenia. Every contact was put in the record. It did not take long from that point for him to be involuntarily committed, and for the medication to be not up to him, anymore.
It is important that your loved one with this illness come to trust you and know that you are on his side, because if he is picked up and committed, the hospital staff legally cannot notify you or even confirm that he is there.
I advise everyone to meet the outreach folks, thank them for all they do, and ask about your loved one. Get to know as many people that will interact with your loved one as possible. Sometimes it was outreach workers or police in that special unit that would notify me about my son. I make greeting cards out of paintings by current artists (myself included), and I would bring everyone a card of a painting of a local scene, or some such. I didnāt write in the card, it was a gift. But I did also give them my contact info, of course. I think it helped them remember me and my son. I always carried a photo of him, so they could see whom I meant.
By everyone, I mean outreach workers, hospital staff that interacted with me, liaisons, crisis team members, police, other homeless people in the vicinity ā¦absolutely everyone. I always expressed my appreciation for everything they were doing for my son and for all those in his condition, and I meant it, because they are in the trenches and it is not always easy, to say the least. Even when I had requests for them to do things differently, I did not assign blame, which helped them to hear and respond to my requests. But I gave the homeless each a dollar or two, instead of a card.
I also advise everyone to learn all you can about the illness through books, Nami classes and other people who are further down the path to stability for your loved one with this illness. There is a great deal of knowledge on this illness that is new and that is not yet in the public eye. I find that the more I know, the better I can assist my son. And I find that the more I know, the more the puzzle pieces tend to fit together, allowing me to access my inner wisdom and figure out how to handle situations.
Lastly, I want to say that this journey and all its struggles are worth it. It is a marathon, not a sprint, and changes the lives of those involved a great deal, but it is so worth it. There is very great reward in going the distance, I promise you.
With respect and support,
ILoveMySon
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Thank you.i am his legal guardian onward he was court ordered to take his medicine once in the hospital. I donāt know if that can be reinforced but Iām going to try to use it so he continues on the Invega depot shot. I wish you, your son, and family good outcome. In this moment, everything is fine.
Here in CA, they use conservatorship instead of guardianship for adults, and the conservators have the authority to have them picked up and admitted, if they do not comply with court ordered medications. Perhaps there is some similar authority for guardians in your location.
It really helped my son to know he legally had to take his meds, or he would be back in the hospital, for that first year. After that, he had stabilized somewhat and was so used to knowing he legally had to take his meds that he has just kept on with it.
So glad to hear it is going well. Here too, all is well.
(Yeay!)
Hi Flymeaway, I like your log in name. This is my first reply to anyone. I feel like flying away at times. But after 4 years into my daughterās illness, I feel there is hope. We went through the senile phase with her, six months of not knowing where she was ( as it turned out she lived in a tent). We supported her through three hospitalizationās, three medications that made her worse. For some people Abilify, Geodone, and Risperidone antiganize the positive symptems. Today she is on Clozapine, has accepted her illness. She lives with me, and is working hard on ecersize and healthy diet. You are one of the winners yo not give up. My daughter teaches me every day what it means to be humble, and brave.
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Sorry I meant ( denile ) phase.
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My brotherās story is exactly like your sonās. Have you tried to get Social Security disability for your son? This could be a step toward him living on his own and toward his independence. Itās a very lengthy process, it took me three years to get my adopted daughter with bipolar into the system and they still review it every few years, as though sheās suddenly not going to be bipolar! LOL! My brother is in his late 50s and on disability. He lives on his own since our mother has passed away, and does need emotional support. He and one of my other brothers, who has personality disorders of another type, live nearby each other so they help each other also. Good luck and God bless. One last thing.When I was raising my adopted daughter who has bipolar we had an excellent therapist and he gave me a piece of advice that Iāve never forgotten and have passed on many times. He said there are three rules to help your daughter. Number one, take care of yourself, number two take care of yourself, and number three, take care of yourself. Thatās the best advice I ever got.
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Boy Lifecoach, I couldnāt agree with you more!
My son had SZ symptoms psychosis 3 months ago. Thatās scared me a lot. His symptoms were induced by weeds/spice smoking. He stayed in hospital for 8 days. Medical bills are still coming now. The prescription is 3mg Risperdal daily.
He came home and the positive and negative symptoms are still existed. The medicine help him a lot but not 100% recovery.
I started to give him Sarcosine 2 grams and after 24 hours he told me that he stopped feeling terrible eventually. His Risperdal has been tapered off to 0.25mg by pdoc now and expecting off in 10 days. He is applying jobs and want to back school now. And knew the prices of smoking weeds/spice.
The supplements he took everyday as follow but it may not work for everyone.
Sarcosine 2 grams-------CNS
Berberine 500mg x 3--------PNS
NAC 500mg x 3
B vitamin families------Gray/White Matter
Magnesium 500mg
D3
Fish Oil
Niacin 500mg
***** You must avoid all supplements which can increase/stimulate Dopamine*****