If your mom can do this for your brother, I think it is the best path and if it’s any consolation the violence is more from the drug use than anything else. If the authorities can get him clean for a long period of time and on the right medication. Then you may (eventually) see a new brother you haven’t seen for a long time. I wish the best for you. My son and I are out of the dark now and able to see the light. Stay in touch.
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Don’t discount the effectiveness of clozapine. There are several factors that are key to its success. One, he would have had to be on while clean and sober or it won’t work and can be dangerous. Two, if he smokes or drinks caffeine while on clozapine, he has to be on relatively the same amount of cigarettes and caffeine each day or it will drastically change the effectiveness of the drug. For example if he smokes a pack a day and drinks 2 cups of coffee a day when he reaches an effective level of medication that regiment would have to stay that way or the effectiveness is off. If he reduces or increases cigarettes or caffeine it has to be gradual and of course less of each is always better but no cold turkey, everything has to be gradual. So it doesn’t surprise me that the clozapine didn’t work this time for your brother. If he gets sober it could be the best solution. It saved my son’s life. Hope my info is helpful. Talk to your mom. hugs
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Catherine,You have a lot of knowledge
That’s great!
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could he stay in a group hostel for the meentally ill…they are staffed by psych nurses and social workers…it might be an option…ask your mental health team
He should have a caseworker. I’m sure the county does not want him living under such conditions. He basically would be considered homeless. He needs to be in a program where he is receiving counseling and can get on his feet. Does the hospital and the caseworker know how you and your mother feel and the conditions under which he will live? If so, I don’t believe they would release him.
In California you cannot as a parent file for a conservatorship on your own. It has to be initiated by a mental health facility and preferably a hospital. We have what is known as LPS conservatorship specifically for the mentally ill. I have been my son’s conservator for the last 23 years. I have to renew it every year. A lot of work and going to court. It is worth it though. My son used to do extremely well and o e day his meds stopped working. His idiot psychiatrist wouldn’t change them just kept increasing the dose. My son ended up in the hospital and made death threats to me and my husband. After discharge from the hospital I put him in a Board and Care where he is doing well. But, a Board and Care will not accept anyone who is violent. Here in California, in your son’s situation, after hospitalization the patient is then placed in a locked facility for treatment and rehabilitation for a minimum of six months. Your brother should never have been released under his current condition. Really unconscionable. He cannot continue down this road as he will end up hurting someone or you and your mother. (Or himself) I don’t know what the laws are in Kansas. Mental healthcare is horrible in every state but some worse than others. You might find an attorney who specializes in mental health law. Unfortunately, your brother is very sick and can’t help himself. I know what you are going through and it is so hard not to get stressed out. NAMI can help you and give you suggestions on what you can do to help your brother in your state. Best of luck to you. I will say prayers for you and your family.
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My son is on the monthly invega sustenna shot too and three pills so four medications. I’m not sure how well he takes the pills. He does get them refilled but I suspect he forgets, skips days and then takes more than he should. And sometimes he doesn’t want to go for the shot but then he goes when he realizes he’s feels terrible and he gets very irritable and verbally Avis I’ve. He lives with my ex husband, his dad, who gets all the verbal abuse. He can becomes physically aggressive as well. The last time he was in the hospital was about six months ago and it came about because he attacked his dad, blindsided him, knocked him down to the floor and then sat in him, punched his face till bloody! He’s also extremely strong, like your brother. I’ve heard good things about clozapine (clozaril). Look into it. I google everything and read everything I can about this dreaded disease. Your brother might be s good candidate for clozaril. I don’t know how easy it is to get started on here in the US. I think it’s more freely used in parts of Europe. The one thing that scares me about it is it has a side effect or it can cause a condition, something to do with white blood cell count which can cause sudden death but this is what a psychiatrist will explain. Frequent blood draws are done to check for this condition. Good luck. My heart hurts for all of you.
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I’m sorry to hear of your situation. I’m in California and moved my son to a residential care facility specific to people with schizophrenia. They have a full staff 24/7 to manage residents with this illness. My son (age 27) has been living there for 18 months. They put him on Clozaril and he’s the best he’s been in his 5 years since diagnosed. I could not continue do this on my own.
Perhaps your state has a similar facility? I just started looking on the internet, called and visited several programs and picked one. He likes it, he’s safe, I’m healing. Take care of YOU!
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SZ is a very shocking disease. When the symptoms come out and everyone running away. But the person you giving up is your family member.
The symptoms are like psychosis, auditory and hallucinations are all due dopamine deficiency. The are a lot reasons for dopamine deficiency such as ADHA drugs, cannabis and illegal drugs abuse, prescription drugs abuse and smoking etc.
Search on Google you can find a lot of supplements for dopamines health. Don’t give up!
Can I give more than one “heart” to this? Yes, don’t give up on Clozapine unless he was on it for at least 6 months and was not using illegal drugs or even marijuana which can worsen symptoms.
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@Crying First, I hope you can see how most of the people posting here have real reasons for and are trying to give you hope. I know it is not easy and there are so many obstacles. When something doesn’t work, keep asking questions and persevering. We care about you and your brother, as you so obviously do, also!
Yes, I am suggesting you document in writing his complete history. No medical staff person can write fast enough (nor can we remember, especially at an emotionally charged time or in the middle of crisis) all the history that points to “MY FAMILY MEMBER IS SICK AND NEEDS LONG-TERM HELP” Record all FACTS and your observations, especially those that point to danger to self snd/or others. Hospitalization (places, dates, results), doctors (names and contact info, dates), medications (name, dose, dates, what worked and didn’t work). Violent acts, threats, suicidal tendencies if they exist (this will get help the fastest if you can truthfully use the “S” word), job losses, criminal convictions or arrests, evictions, bizarre behavior, etc. etc. My MS Word document was 10 pages long when I used it to get my loved one Involuntary treatment. The challenging journey continued but my loved one is NOW doing wonderfully on Clozapine and is completely med-compliant after 2.5 years of non compliance.
Have you read the book “I’m Not Sick I Don’t Need Help”? It is a MUST-READ. Also, “Surviving Schizophrenia: A Family Manual” by E. Fuller Torrey (7th edition).
A NAMI Family Support Group can be a wonderful place to share and to get knowledge and advice from persons who have already experienced what you are going through or something similar. They know the local resources better than we do on this Forum. Many are doing virtual classes right now. Google NAMI in your state. Also, the NAMI Family to Family Class was the BEST thing my spouse and I did 2.5 years ago when our son was missing, homeless, living out of a car and wandering in large metropolitan areas, and he would not normally communicate with us or with any family or friend.
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