I’d just start with how you feel and see where the discussion goes.
1 Like
Another tack is to say: X makes me feel Y, how would it make you feel if I (or somebody else) did X. One thing I noticed in my visit to the mental hospital is how good patients were at seeing through other patient’s problems and delusions. You might think people would feed into other people’s delusions, but this was far rarer than people saying, “I know why that guy’s here, he’s crazy.” Many of the people could think critically, just not about themselves.
It’s as if anosognosia is this massive blind spot. But it seems more of a blind spot to metacognition or thoughts about yourself. Feelings tend to be there, just blunted or delayed, but if talked about they may surface.
1 Like
My 23 years old son has just been diagnosed with schizoprenia a month ago. I have always been tough on my sons. Before he was diagnosed, I have been quite harsh in my approach to him. My tone of voice and face expression when he tried to talk to me were quite unacceptable to him. The day he was admitted to the mental ward, I didnt visit him for 2 weeks. When I finally visited him, he hug and cried. He said he thought I have abandoned him. He promised me that he would listen after he is discharged. Now that he is at home recovering, I am doing all I can to nurse him back to recovery.
2 Likes
no need here, it will never happen to a normal extent…
Learn to simply blow off all the insanity, like it never happened and someday laugh about it. One of my coolest experiences was the full blown bench trial in the basement of the hospital, she was sentenced to indefinite confinement with the criminally insane, served three months, best vacation i ever had LOL…
1 Like
Read Dr Amador’s “I’m Not Sick, I Don’t Need Help” it helped me learn how to communicate better with my son without upsetting his scz delusions. It can take a lot of practice but it works.
2 Likes
I am glad your son is home. I saw your post earlier on schizophrenia forum. I hope your son’s headache will go away. Hospital usually give high dose of med. Maybe he can lower the dose later on.
1 Like
I personally think @elle26 that all of us caregivers reacted the “wrong” way when our loved one was first ill, especially before the first hospitalization. I was angry and unkind a lot before I learned through NAMI classes and Dr. Amador’s book to tell the difference between the illness talking and my loved one talking. Psychosis is life changing for everyone involved. The altered realities your son is experiencing are scary to him, and he may not know that he is ill. That was the very hardest thing for me to learn. Be kind to yourself, and to your son.
5 Likes
Then again, the Buddha teaches that the "Three Poisons’ Greed, Aversion and Delusion, lead to suffering. So most humans experience greed, aversion and delusion so we are all in the same boat as the actor.
I may be repeating something you all may have done in the past or do but I thought Id share this.
I printed out this sz&bd mood chart for my son to mark on each day so we can get somewhat of an idea in a grafted form to see how he is managing and how his meds are or aren’t working for him plus his sleep, anxiety & triggers, etc. I thought this may also be helpful for his Dr to have each month when he sees him and to be more connected to his moods and feelings each day… (self-awareness)
i just realized the link doesn’t work from here… if you are interested. google mood charts for sz and tons come up… even Etsy sells them to print out… 
1 Like
A job would most certainly help, but my daughter is still looking for some sort of job after 4 years. any advice?
Hi @juliea, the only advice I can offer is to not badger or pressure them about looking for work. It will backfire. They will do it at their own pace. My son is continuing to look for work, but doesn’t seem as frustrated about not finding work. He started exercising and has dropped 20 lbs from last year. At his last doctors (GP) appointment, the doctor mentioned he was proud of him.
Our life now seems to have have hit a calm period (which is all I can ask for).
I did mention to my son how much I hated what the meds do to him (negative symptoms), and his response:
“Mom, what’s the alternative? Jail or being homeless”? That shut me up. So grateful for his insight.
Hoping for a miracle and our kids can find some type of work.
5 Likes