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My daughter is small too. Good doctors know what to do. You need to insist on lower milligrams per dose. This is what I was told by the chief of doctors over those treating patients for mental illness for veterans.

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I was told that only a medical professional can administer a long-term injectable anti-psychotic. I’d be interested to know what others know about this.

Hi Hope4us.

Regarding your question to @Jan, it’s been suggested to me by a few different professionals, including 2 nurses and a psychiatrist, that I can be trained to do my son’s injections. If it’s definitely possible, I’m going to pursue the training for sure. I’ll post more when I learn more.

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There is a psychiatrist that we called first that earlier said that they weren’t taking new patients, but then my daughter’s regular doctor sent them a referral and they told the doctor they might be able to take her as a new patient… And we should hear from their office soon. I wonder if the difference was the direct referral from the doctor? It is good to know that she was advocating for my daughter!

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Patients or family members can be taught to give the injection if medication comes in patient injection kit. We avoided this route as it would cause too much family conflict if I gave the medication even though i know how to do it as I’m a nurse. Some states allow trained medical assistants to give it, others do not and require nurse or md to give it.

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I went and saw the movie Glass with my DX’d brother.
It was a good time, really awesome acting and a solid script.
But, if you’re loved one / friend is recently diagnosed, this movie does contain a few potential triggers. For one, most of the movie takes place in a psychiatric hospital.

Fortunately, my brother seems to be managing really well. We had a chance to make a couple “Schizophrenia jokes” quietly amongst ourselves.
A clear sign of a healthy level of acceptance and self-forgiveness in my brother.

I really hope everyone here gets to experience that kind of breakthrough.

Medication, doctors visits, therapy, teamwork and patience.

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That’s wonderful, @wreklus. Your note regarding self-forgiveness is interesting; I will research to learn more. I hope you’ll both have many more happy outings.

I’m praying for help and safety for all the mentally ill people living on the streets through this upcoming cold blast.

It’s such a terrible crime that those who are so sick and vulnerable are not rescued from themselves. Laws need to change.

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The shelters around where I live are working hard to provide shelter for the homeless during this cold snap… they gave out a number in the news to call if you know of anyone who needs shelter.

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Tragically, those people who are so very ill won’t utilize those shelters. Their illnesses, namely their paranoia, will prevent them from doing so.

There are so many people on the streets who are clearly “dangers to themselves” during these harsh winter months, but on the streets they’ll remain.

Family members and friends have too many legal blocks to be able to help their loved ones. It’s a crime.

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Refusal to go to a shelter in this brutal cold should be classified as danger to self or grave disability, and the person should be put on a hospital hold. Many are too ill or disoriented to make a de ision.

I am praying for all of the mentally ill on the streets during this cold storm.

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In the 19th and 20th centuries there used to be “poor farms/ houses” where the needy or people in need (with some disabled) were housed and given work to do. I’d like to see this again to get people off the streets. In addition to SSI/SSDI.

Poor farms were county or town-run residences where paupers (mainly elderly and disabled people) were supported at public expense. The farms declined in use after the Social Security Act took effect in 1935, with most disappearing completely by about 1950.

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if it were safe to do so a patrol could be set up to find people
or a curfew set so that the police could sweep the streets… this would only have any use in residential areas that can be easily searched and god it’s impossible
so sad, so sorry.

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Interesting you should mention this @DianeR. I actually live in an antique home that used to be used for this purpose. It was a New England “poor farm” until the 40’s.

It would be the humane thing to do, to get our MI citizens off the streets, so they get treatment and can feel community/safety, rather than fear.

It’s such an unfair world, you know?

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@Day-by-Day Yes it would be a good thing to do. We’d solve most of the homelessness - a lot at least. imho. We learned about it as we used to live down the street from the one in CO and they were having an estate sale. Here it s picture. Of course the workers lived in smaller dwellings. That’s pretty interesting that your home was a poor house - must have some interesting history. Once_the_Boulder_County_Poor_Farm

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I am feeling frustrated because are having trouble finding a psychiatrist that is taking new patients. I am hesitant to go with one that is, because I haven’t seen the best reviews online for the doctor that responded to the regular doctor’s reference. There is long process to be accepted as a patient… first they meet with her to determine her needs and then they have a committee meeting to determine if they will take her as a patient. But she would not be able to keep the therapist she goes to now whom she really likes and connects well with, but would have to go to their therapists.

We called another practice associated with one of the hospitals in the area and they said we would have to put on waiting list… when they found out that she is now 18, they said they have to talk to her directly… well that caused my daughter a lot of distress, because talking in the phone is an anxiety filled thing for her…then she yelled loudly, “I don’t like that hospital! I don’t even trust any doctor!” The receptionist heard this and when we got our daughter calm enough to talk on the phone, they said, “Do you want to be a patient or not? Otherwise it would be a waste of time to send you the information packet.” Our daughter said that she would. The doctor at the one she would have to be on a waiting list has excellent online reviews.

So there are several challenges for my daughter to get the help she needs:

Because she is 18, the practices will need to talk to her, and this could cause her distress.

Long waiting lists…

Unfortunately, because my daughter is NOT in a crisis situation, the longer we have to wait to get her help.

So feeling frustrated…

I hear ya. They are super busy here as well. I finally found a guy who just hired a new doctor at his practice. The guy was ok but I still have an issue with him and it was $700. Where are you located?

I live in a small town in central New York, 1 hour from Binghamton, and 90 minutes from Syracuse… both my wife and I work in Binghamton.

I’m in Boulder, CO . I guess many people need help here. I just kept pushing and calling. Are you looking for a diagnosis for your daughter?

In the meantime you may want to look at Julie Fast. She has rapid cycling bipolar disorder II (complete with hallucinations). She is a speaker and writer and came up with a helpful card system for the ill person that can help others know what to do when they are ill. i.e. when she was sick her husband thought she need a hug but that was the last thing she needed so she would hand him a card (like a flash card) that said something like - It’s best for me if I’m not touched right now. These wouldn’t work for my son but you may find some things helpful for your daughter.

Yes, we are looking to get a diagnosis… her regular doctor did suggest some possibilities, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.