What is the hardest part about being a caregiver of someone with SZ? What are the issues you face and the number one concern?
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A big issue is having to repair my son`s house all the time.
Hard to watch how my son live_
When he stays on his meds, he is just beautiful! 
He is dual diagnosed & I think he stays off his meds so he can drink or do some other substance.
Anger issues over not being able to get the proper care for him.
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Mine is communication. My brother is often too drunk or scattered or what have you to carry on a cogent conversation, much less try to advance any causes that might improve his life.
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Also communication with my son who can not hold a conversation longer than 30 seconds as he clearly has racing thoughts. He is med complaint and still delusional . Just heartbreaking
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Thinking about the future
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Knowing what to do for my teenage sonâŚin my area, there isnât a school for teens with psychosis. There seem to be some promising schools in other counties, if he could tolerate a long bus ride and six or seven hours of high school, followed by the long ride home.
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Thatâs so tough. Itâs hard because you canât force anyone on medication. I have family members who self medicate with alcohol too. Itâs life sucking and prevents from the real healing of happening. Hang in there. Your son is blessed to have you.
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Yes! Communication. Are you taking care of your brother?
That happened to my mom too. She would get psychosis even while taking the meds. But eventually a hospitalization would occur that would lead to a med change and she would get better. Hang in there. How long has your son had the diagnosis?
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Thank you for your post. We need to do more for teens and young adults. I donât think there is a school in my area either. How young did your teenage son start developing symptoms? I hope and pray there will be more resources available as awareness increases.
Remotely, Iâm a secondary caregiver. My sister is lead. Neither of us lives in the same city with him. My parents do, but are in their late eighties and mid nineties and donât have the time or energy to deal with his shenanigans.
He has his own house (owned by a trust) which he has pretty much hoarded out. He owns a van, but he canât drive due to DUI convictions. So he hires an âassistantâ who drives him around. When our parents pass or need care, one of us, probably me will need to move there so we have âboots on the groundâ or we may have to move him closer, which can be traumatic for people with hoarding tendencies.
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Talking to my daughter trying to get her to agree to medications. She is still delusional after 2 months in a hospital. She is on abilify injections plus some oral drugs. She hits doctors and nurses because she does not want the drugs. She also hits her head. She is very depressed.
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3 years now , from being so ânormalâ to having one break at age 19
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man, thatâs tough. My mom has hit nurses and other patients and Iâve felt embarrassed about it. So sorry!
Thatâs a tough situation. I can see why youâd feel anxiety over the future and what will happen after your parents pass. Tough stuff.
Uncertainty. The roller coaster ride med compliant then not then off the wagon then back scary
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My 47-year-old son was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia (SZ) and cli ical depression over 20 years ago.
After years on anti-psychotics and anti-depressants he has become extremely despondent and depressed.
He lives in a group home finally, after many evictions, arrests, hospitalizations and out-patient recovery programs.
He has been hinting at suicide lately.
Saying things like âI have no hope.
I donât want to live like thisâ , and worse.
I donât know how to start a talk about suicide.
He is also sufferi ng from recently diagnosed atrial fibrillation.
He suffers a lot with all these problems.
I can relate to why he would consider ending his so- called life.
as it is now.
How do I handle this?
My father ended his life after years of untreated SZ, violence and alcohol addiction.
I feel sick when I think of what my son suffers every day.
How can I help him? After many requests, he still wonât give permission for me to talk with CW or M.D.
D.
Advise needed, sâil vous plait.
from Vermont
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Mine is also communication. Unless it is a âyes or noâ question, my sonâs thoughts are so disorganized that he cannot carry on s conversation that makes sense. He is med compliant but still talks away to himself in his own fantasy world. It truly is heartbreaking!
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Hi , Do you mind me asking what meds he is taking ? . My son is med compliant also , no insight , on Abilify 25mg and still has paranoia , delusions and responds to stimuli . Doctor suggest we try another type of meds but my son refuses . Even if my son agrees to switch meds one day i have hardly any hope things will change for him as i hear so many times that these meds do not eliminate delusions or hallucinations . It keeps him out of hospital . He is stable , isolated and still psychotic at times .Heartbreaking as this is not a life .
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Oddly, my biggest issue right now is not my daughter, but her also schizophrenic BF. She is just out of hospital, so mostly okay. Even sick, she is quiet, rarely leaves the house and doesnât bother her neighbors. BF is another story. I am often notified of his disturbing, possibly illegal activity (we own the home), and there is really not a thing I can do about it. Today, one lady thinks he hacked her Facebook account and the posted content is quite disturbing. Again, nothing I can do about that, but it is stressful to consider. I actually donât think he has the tech skills to do the hack, but maybe? I donât doubt heâs holding a grudge against her for being ânosyâ ie complaining. Anyway, no action required on my part, but itâs hard to clear my mind. Always waiting for âthe thingâ to happen which will require me to act, although no idea what it will be and what Iâll need to do.
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