This post tells you to how to help someone who is experiencing psychosis, based on first aid guidelines that have just been published in the medical journal Schizophrenia Bulletin
Psychosis is a mental state where someone might experience hallucinations, unusual beliefs, paranoia, mixed emotions, muddled thoughts, hyper-awareness or show unusual or puzzling behaviour.
The guidelines have been drawn from an international committee of professionals, patients and carers. The detailed points are in table 1 of the paper which is available online as a pdf file.
If you want additional mental health first aid information, there’s more on a dedicated website.
Recognising and acknowledging psychosis
Psychosis is the mental state where someone might experience hallucinations, unusual beliefs, paranoia, mixed emotions, muddled thoughts, hyper-awareness or show unusual or puzzling behaviour. If someone seems distressed or impaired by their experiences, even if they’re quite subtle at first, it’s best not to ignore them and hope they’ll go away. It’s good to give the person the opportunity to discuss the situation.
Approaching someone who might be experiencing psychosis
People experiencing the early stages of psychosis may be worried, and may be concerned about discussing their experiences because of what others might think. Also, the experiences might be frightening in themselves.
The key is to be caring, gentle and non-judgemental. Find somewhere where they can talk safely and that’s free of distractions. Say why you’re worried about them, but avoid talk of mental illness or diagnoses – you could be wrong and it might just make them more frightened. Don’t force a conversation if it’s not wanted and don’t touch them without permission.
Ask the person what will help them feel safe and in control, and allow them to talk about their experiences at their own pace, even if they seem quite unusual to you. Let them know that help is available, and if they don’t want to talk, they’re welcome to talk at a later time.
Giving support
It’s important to respect the person’s beliefs, even if you don’t agree. Someone who is experiencing psychosis might find it hard to distinguish what’s real from what’s not, so telling people that they’re wrong rarely helps. However, it’s always possible to empathise with whatever emotions are stirred up by the experience and this can be very comforting.
Avoid criticising or blaming the person. They may be talking or behaving differently because of their experiences. Although the person might be having some odd experiences and difficulty focusing, their intelligence is unlikely to be affected, so you can talk to them as any other adult. However, sarcasm might be misunderstood by someone who is very suspicious, so should be avoided. Be honest, and don’t make promises you can’t keep.
Dealing with delusions and hallucinations
Delusions (false beliefs) and hallucinations (false experiences) will probably seem real to the person. Avoid denying, dismissing, laughing at, or arguing about their perceived reality. Try not to be alarmed, horrified or embarrassed about any unusual ideas or paranoia.
Dealing with communication difficulties
People with psychosis are often unable to think clearly. Speaking at your normal pace is fine and usually you will be understood perfectly well, but you may need to give the person extra time to absorb and respond to what you say, and you may need to repeat anything they haven’t been able to focus on. The person may seem to show little emotional reaction – but be aware that they may well be feeling strong emotions inside.
Discussing whether to seek professional help
Ask the person if they’ve felt this way before and, if so, what helped then. Find out what sort of assistance the person thinks will help them this time. If the person has supportive family or friends, encourage the person to contact them. The person might need practical or emotional support when using mental health services, and if the person lacks confidence in the medical advice they’ve received, encourage them to get a second opinion.
What to do if the person doesn’t want help
Some people with psychosis don’t realise there’s anything wrong, even when they’re quite distressed or impaired, and may actively resist encouragement to get help. However, many people understand what’s happening and have a right to refuse help. Threatening the person with hospitalisation or mental health law is likely to make matters worse.
If you’re worried about someone you should encourage them to talk to people they trust or get a medical check-up. You may need to be patient, and remain friendly and open to the possibility that the person will seek help in the future as some people will need some time to feel comfortable with the idea.
What to do in a crisis when the person is very unwell
Try to remain as calm as possible, talking in a normal tone of voice and answer any questions the person might have. Your aim is to make the person feel more comfortable and calm the situation.
Try and evaluate whether the person is at risk of being harmed, harming themselves, or is suicidal. If you think this is the case, call for medical assistance immediately. If the situation seems risky, check how to leave and keep yourself safe.
If you need to call medical assistance, make sure they know the seriousness of the situation by describing specific observations about the person. If new people arrive, explain who they are, that they they’re here to help, and how they’re going to assist.
Find out if there’s anyone the person can contact who they trust and might be able to help. If you can help with any requests that aren’t unsafe or unreasonable, it might help the person feel in control.
What to do if the person becomes aggressive
It is very rare that people with even severe psychosis become aggressive. They are much more likely to be a risk to themselves.
However, people who are extremely suspicious, feel persecuted or are worried about their own safety may be jumpy or feel ‘on edge’. The best response is to make the person feel safe and calm. A good way is to lead the way by acting in a calm, reassuring, non-challenging manner. Try to avoid doing anything that might look ‘shifty’ or suspicious or avoid restricting the person’s movement.
Take any threats or warnings seriously. If you are frightened or worried about your own safety leave and call for help. If you call the police, describe any symptoms and immediate concerns and tell them if the person is armed. If possible, explain that you’ve called help to get medical treatment and because you’re worried about their aggressive behaviour.
65 Comments
Excellent advice.
Have come to the same observation in dealing with people I’ve known to be experiencing psychosis.
My daughter is suffering from severe psychosis. It has been a nightmare to deal with, as she is in complete denial and extremely delusional.
My daughter to is suffering from a phychosis to and like your daughter feels there is nothing wrong is very painful to deal with a big shock and an over whelming feeling of feeling powerless i like you feel there is no where to turn maybe we could keep in touch take care marie
My daughter is in a severe state of psychosis, is very difficult to have any conversation with, is not trusting anyone, but is talking to her therapist almost daily on the telephone. She threatens us daily with her her words, she thinks we bad people, we are not, but she has it in her mind that everyone is sinning and is against her. She is clinging to her bible and corrects our every word and tells us we don’t have God in our hearts, but indeed we do. She wants us to speak and act the way she wants us to speak and act. It is the most difficult situation to deal with. She trusts no one and is very suspicious of everyone. She is paranoid and is having a delusional relationship with a policeman which, even though the policeman is real and is someone she knows through her previous job, there is no relationship. She writes him letters, has called him at work, has emailed the entire police department. He will put a restraining order on her if she tries to contact him again, but she is persisting that he is going to marry her. There many things going on in her mind, so will end here. Need some advice.
I see myself in your daughter`s story. What helped me were medications, going away from city to a mountain, silence, lots of sleep, physical activity. It took about 3 weeks to completely get out of psychosis.Here is the list of medication prescribed to me and I still take them: Seroquel, Lithium, Rivotril, Flormidal, Propranolol. Keep her away from stress and if there is some sort of trauma in her past, that would be the place to start, after she gets out of psychosis. I hope she will get better soon.
Dear Carol, I realize that your post was over a year ago, but I so need to talk to you. I am a single parent and have raised my son alone since he was 21. He is getting worse and I would die to talk to someone that has experienced this. I need to wake him up, but if you will, can you share your story with me and do you have any hope to give me. He won’t take his medicine, but I am going to set a boundary with him and make him take it. If you want to call, I will call you back on my dollar. My phone number is 405-947-2662 and my name is Anna. My son is 21, I am almost 54 and have never ever been through anything this scarry in my life. Warmly, Anna
Hi Anna
your post was a while ago too but maybe you should look into a support group in your area.
I haven’t looked further down the thread to see if you’ve had any replies yet but I hope you are coping.
My partner experienced his first psychosis 3 weeks ago. Thinking he’d been drugged by workmates, hypnotised, set up by the police etc. He’s completely placid and knows something’s not right which is half the battle won I guess – atm I’m seeking an alternative therapist who can work on his beliefs to see if that helps. I’m not a fan of medication at all but I know it’s necessary at least for now to help him and keep us safe.
Good luck on your journey and seek the support where you can.
Ainsley
Hi Carrol
I undestand ur pain as my son got psychosis (first attack four years back, I think because h tried cannabies, may be broken heart from a relatinship. but he got it badly, did not trusr us, and did not even wanted to see us. He thought he got some super-powers, and in disease was talking of that girl too much sort of comfort zone for him. Even he refused to take the medications, but thank God I just created a story matching to his, that how I got thesuper powers too because of him, and god told me about all the powers he has given to him to reform this word. Immediately he strated putting ome trust in me. Then I told him, how these people here(medical staff) are sent by GOD to serve him, so dont refuse them, rather let them serve you. After mediction and talking daily a lot about his expriences,I tried remain connected to him, he recovred. He went to study again( I slowly makehim realise, that his experiences werebecause of his mental illness) He is doing good at studies, but off and on get symptoms too, but at the same time he has learnt tomange himself. While during second attack, he thought this time, it’s pretty orginal god gift (as he has not taken any drugs after first episode), was hard to take him to doctor, but this time with mild attack,he himself has gone to doctor.
I am not sure wether any thing mentioned here could be helpful But I wish a speedy recovery of ur daughter
regards
rajni
Hi Carol, I read your comment and it nearly perfectly matched with the description of my sister; i really feel for you, it is very painful having someone you love for (and only want the best for) believe you to be against them and that you have/will betray them.
Unfortunately she attempted suicide, she lived but has had to have one of her legs amputated. This slightly changed her for a while, she acted slightly more “normal” until a couple months after.
She now has continued having her physchotic phases, its distraughting, I can handle it but what gets me upset the most is that my little sister has to deal with this, it just isnt fair on her
She often refuses medication, the pshyciatrist couldnt give two sh*ts; I really don’t know what to do.
My 34 year old brother has severe psychosis, he was first diagnosised 7 years ago and his episodes have gradually become more severe each year. At the moment he is sectioned in a hospital where he has been for 6 months and he is getting worse by the week. The consultants keep changing his medication but with no improvement he is walking around like a zombie and his speech is so slurred we have difficulty working out what he’s saying. My parents and I are considering trying to get the sectioned overturned so that we could care for him at home. As all the hospital do is give him drugs but don’t chat with him so he his left in his room most of the day, which in my opinion would be enough to send anyone of us over the edge. Does anyone know of any alternatives to medication that we could try?
Thanks for any advise you can give.
hi
your brother need love from you he need to find family next to him love him and care for him, this will hellp him alots, you need to get him home and start showing him life and soind lots of time with him and go out alots with him respect him and make him feal he is ok its the best way with medacation
do that and he will be 75% better
good luck
My brother was diagnosed in his early 20s, was able to maintain an almost-normal life for 30+ years with occasional medication changes (they all have side effects) then stopped taking medication on his own and descended into psychosis once again this past year. I visited him at the hospital when he was first put back on medication and seeing him as you describe your brother. Please do not take him home yet. In order to get patients to take the medications they need, hospitals prescribe other medications that act to reduce resistance to treatment. It is very unhappy, but a common delusion is that one is being poisoned and so is resistant. At home there is no way your family can insist your brother take the medication he needs. Of course you want to visit him often as you can–but love is not going to cure this episode anymore than it would cure a heart attack. As with any other hospitalization, your family needs to keep the medical staff aware that someone cares what is happening to your brother. That is all you can do.
I believe it is especially important to differentiate between delusions, which are a feature of psychosis, and the paranoia regarding being “poisoned” by psychiatric medicine. This paranoia may also be psychotic in some way, but it’s not delusional.
Anti-psychotic medicines are, for the most part, extremely toxic. Informed consent means that the patient should be aware of the metabolic consequences, as they are trading quality of life for years at the end. At the very least, awareness of the reality of their toxicity should not be pathologized or dismissed as part of the illness.
my friend all mental need love need family need loving home, plz take your brother out of the hospital he need to be with his family he will do good at home, he need to be surrounded with ppl he love and they love him, love love love is the one key for mental,
Wow Collette that is so sad! I know you wrote this back in 2011 but I thought I’d respond anyway.
Personally I don’t trust the mental health system at all. Each doctor we have gone to see for my partner doesn’t listen to us and just throws him more meds.
I have a background in Neuro Linguistic Programming & communication which has helped me deal with our situation better. I am going to take him to see my NLP teacher who is also a hypnotherapist and psychotherapist. I know he will work with my partner’s beliefs on a deeper level rather than letting him walk around like a zombie stuffing him with meds.
I recommend you get him out of there as soon as you can! These institutions cause more harm than good. Bring him to a loving, safe and trusting environment and nurture him. People recover faster when they feel loved and can talk about it.
You might not be able to do this but I quit my job (we had some money saved) and am spending the next 2 months focusing on him and getting him back on track. If you or your parents are able to do this I recommend it. It’s hard work and can be frustrating at times so supporting each other is paramount too. Maybe get some counselling for yourself or find a support group.
Finally, watch this movie. It’s called ‘The Marketing of Madness’ and is about the psychotropic drug industry. VERY compelling!
I hope it’s all working out for you. Alot can happen in 18 months since you posted but I hope you can get something out of my message anyway.
Good luck!
The movie mentioned above is in part sponsored by an orginazation that has close ties with the Scientology. This organization believes ALL medicines and MOST medical treatments are not to be used. The vast majority of people who specialize in treating psychosis, people who for the most part could have chosen specialties that were far more lucrative, believe medication is essential for most people with psychosis. Even those who emphasize other forms of treatment, like cognitive behavioral therapy, still believe that medications are a staple of treatment. I would not recommend that you let him out where he might be at risk for killing himself. And if you do, please make sure that your state has involuntary outpatient commitment laws. I’ve signed an advanced directive for myself, because I sure would want to be helped if I can longer realize I need help, for a period of 1 year. Instead, be involved with his treatment as much as possible. What medications is he currently on? Which ones has he taken? Has he been on a trial of Clozapine yet?
There are two types of doctors in the States, Medicine and Medical. To those doctors…which one are YOU?
Get your family members out of the medicine hospitals as fast as you can and get them home.
If you can’t spend time with family, what does it all mean?
Best Wishes.
Hi Colette,
Please let me know how you bother is doing…my son went thought the same thing…he is 26, 2 years ago he was in the hospital 4 months..Doctors tried every drug you could image, it made him worse..I am also looking for more natural alternative..he can only think of the same thing over and over agian..he thinks he is a bad person and can not go to heaven. He
is the most caring and sweet person I have every meet…He has alot of guilt..He was BULLIED all of his life in school..Right now the only thing he is doing is pacing fron room to room with the same thought…He has talked to many Doctors ( But no relief )
Has anything helprd your brother?
Thank ypou so much for sharing!
Please take care of yourself!
Sandy
P.S.
I think if the church would get behind helping hurting people with this illness and their familes it would help a great deal..but I guess they do not understand or ( AFRAID )
My 34 year old brother has severe psychosis, he was first diagnosised 7 years ago and his episodes have gradually become more severe each year. At the moment he is sectioned in a hospital where he has been for 6 months and he is getting worse by the week. The consultants keep changing his medication but with no improvement he is walking around like a zombie and his speech is so slurred we have difficulty working out what he’s saying. My parents and I are considering trying to get the sectioned overturned so that we could care for him at home. As all the hospital do is give him drugs but don’t chat with him so he his left in his room most of the day, which in my opinion would be enough to send anyone of us over the edge. Does anyone know of any alternatives to medication that we could try?
Thanks for any advise you can give.
I hope u can find a better alternative for your son, to treat him that way locked up in a room on drugs doesn’t sound like rehabilitation, he needs calming/normal/pleasant experiences like we all do. I feel for you.
i have a brother too suffering of psychosis,its serious battered his wife many times and recently hiding from police because the warrant of arrest issued for battering his wife.can anyone advise? coz i just love my brod so.
My mum has these symptoms described, and is in denial or unaware. I’ve come to realise that the following is definitely important in how I deal with her: Do not criticize or ridicule, be empathetic, be calm (that’s hard!), don’t take over but offer support make them feel it’s on their terms so you’re not taking control away from them. I hope one day mum will agree to seek mental health help. I agree she’s very suspicious of everyone and everything, scared. It’s upsetting but those caring for them must remain strong.
My daughter is 22 and has had her first “break”. I am devastated. I don’t understand this. She just graduated from college with a BS in Political Science. She had gotten a job that she suddenly quit and was pursuing law school admission then suddenly decided to not pursue it further. When everything go derailed. She was admitted and placed on medications last week. I cannot get her into see a psychiatrist until 6/20. She keeps accusing her brother who is 14 of things he isn’t doing. She is difficult to deal with. She just started another job with a prestigious law firm that I know she cannot keep with her given thought processes disturbed. She says she is confused. I don’t know what to do or how to do it. I want my daughter back. What has happened? She was a kid that always had it together? The medications she is on currently are not helping her. She isn’t getting well at all. She is worse with the psychosis now. Any suggestions of what I should do? The confidentiality of the mentally ill really does not help the family in their support of them.
sches:
I’m so sorry to hear your daughter is going through this. My brother has schizophrenia and has been in and out of hospitals about 10 times in the past 5 years. I think it’s important to keep in mind that mental illness is a chemical brain disorder that can be treated with medication. It has nothing to do with how much someone “has it together,” just like cancer or renal failure it’s a medical condition that needs to be addressed and will not go away on its own, and says nothing about the person’s intelligence or character. Someone can be very intelligent and have psychosis, my brother just recently graduated from graduate school at a prestigious university. I’ve found that there is no point in reasoning with a delusion, they are not real and thus need no further discussion. I’ve also found that it can be very helpful to focus on supporting them through the experience. Example: My brother demands I ask the doctors for a toxicology screening because he believes he is being poisoned by the nurses and drs. I respond “I am not going to ask for a toxicology screening because I do not think you are being poisoned. I’m sorry you think that, that must be very scary for you. I’m your family, I love you and I’m here to make sure you’re safe.” It’s important to keep in mind recovery can be a life-long process. We are 5 years into my brother’s illness and still have not found the perfect medication although after much trial and error we’ve found ones that help immensely. Keep track of all the medications she is being given, how she responds to them, any side effects and their dosages. Good luck.
When in acute psychosis medications help. Such as Zalasta, Seroquel..it all depends on person which one will help. But I recommend to all who have this problems to try Cognitive Behavioral therapy either with a help of professional or alone. I strongly believe that psychosis comes from complete confusion about one`s own emotions and about ways to deal with problems.
I have a son aged 23yrs has been experienced with psychosis. I am really worrying that he is not getting better even though he has been on drugs. he keeps saying that we all are sinning, and everyone is in delusion and everyone is in a dream, this world is a devil world, everyone will go to hell. he keeps reading article about Matrix and read bible.
he does not socialise anyone and talk to anyone either but seeing his pschaitrist. I am really hoping that he will get better soon as he is my only child. any feedback will be excellent thank you
Hi Shila,
My son is 26 he has been made fun of all of his life.
He is very smart..He also thinks like your son about the bible…He is stuck on 1 verse in the bible, he thinks he can not go to heaven..it consumes his every thought along with pacing from room to room every day for 2 months..I feel for every family out there that is going though the same thing with mental illness..I wish people and churches would wake up and not
critize ( I think they do not understand or afraid)
My son too have been on all drugs you can image,
He was in the hospital 4 months with no relief or help from them…He also got worse.If you have found anything to hepl your son pleae share.
Please Take care Of Yourself!
God Bless!
Sandy
Zen buddhism, taoism, yoga… these things can help a mind regain composure. Exercise, good diet (balanced, lots of vegetables and water), and sleep are crucial. They help restore balance to the brain’s chemicals. Getting out of the city, experiencing nature can help. Avoiding overuse of technology can help. Meditation helps. Don’t worry too much. Don’t project negativity. Guide the inner child. If things get too messed up, you can suggest going to the hospital for a check up, see if neurotransmitters are doing ok and whatnot. They might get checked into the mental health care facility from there.
One point I would add, from my experience as a student nurse in a highly regarded psychiatric hospital, is not to validate their delusions. Like you said, if you try to deny or argue with a psychotic person, you will lose their trust and only damage your communication with them. On the other hand, you should not try to agree with their delusions either– this only sets you up for losing their trust when it becomes obvious that you’ll say anything to pacify them.
When talking with schizophrenic and bipolar patients, I found it was helpful to ask them more details about their delusions, to allow them to talk about their fearful state of mind. It helped to gain their trust by showing that I was interested in what they were experiencing. It will take a while for them to come back to “normal,” so building a foundation of trust is essential.
I have known both a case of schizophrenia and paranoia, and I find that paranoia psychosis is much harder to deal with. The person is in control and lie about everything if they loose your trust. They convince very well the doctor that they are fine, but then live on their mental construction (they have to escape the city, something like that).
The paranoia person I know has been diagnocised Bipolar, but I doubt that’s the problem. She doesn’t have periods of high moods followed by depression. For me, after having read a lot, I feel more that it’s paranoia personality disorder, because even in standard life she is highly aggressive, all the time reproaching others that they’re just talking in their backs, and also ask a lot of help like it was due to her but give little back. Not somebody I would refer to as a “kind” person, yet she has friends because I think people are attracted to how she is pretty much self-empowered and go-getter in her “normal” mode.
I have read that the best cure for paranoia personality disorder is humor, and it is true this person has none whatsoever. This is a person in my family, by the way, which I’ve tried to help for 5 years (funny how all the friends disappear when she’s into psychosis and then come back later). Personally I don’t think I can do much more. It’s flabbergasting how someone can come to realize they have a big problem, get treatment for it, and than later they fall all back into it again, and worse. It’s very discouraging. Maybe she hasn’t reach the bottom enough, I don’t know. I’d think this is a disease scary enough that you’d make everything for it to not come back. I don’t how harsh are the side effects of meds but she’s only focussing on stopping taking them as soon as she’s fine. She “doesn’t really need them” is how she sees it. Ah well, sorry for the rant.
Trouble is, a person never recovers from a psychiatric disorder, it’s built into the physical being…a chronic disease, not one that gets cured. People can only gain some control over it, not do away with it.
You’ll have to do some more reading, actually your description of your friend with bi-polar diagnosis sounds very much like diagnosis is correct. Please continue reading, and choose the more complicated, not quick, material because there is no easy way to understand these things. You can’t really help, except by being calm yourself, and not getting dragged into situations.
my son was recently diagnosed with physicosis, he graduated from high school,and then he went off to finishing his degree becoming a electrician. he needs to still do his internship, but with this sickness he can’t seem to go foward. his brothers and sisters are scared of him and he is always talking to people from the past or past events to the air. his brake down was last year on june i took him immediatly to EMH and he was hospitalized for 2weeks he was sent home on seriquel, but know he doesn’t want to take the medications he was doing good at first until his father and his step mom dropped the ball while he was living with them. he doesn’t want to seek help and he won’t take the medication. i don’t know what else to do but pray to god to make it better.
There really is nothing else you can do–he will probably have to go back into the hospital and get put back on the proper drugs. The ones that work tend to have side effects, but like treatments for diabetes, for instance, it’s kind of a choice between being able to live and not being. My brother has this problem, it generally shows up in young people starting out in life, and never goes away, but the medication does help control it enough for people to have a real life.
Just wondered if anyone could help me. My sister has just recently had her children taken of her due to mental health grounds they seem to have taken the children but put no help in place for her it is very frustrating because when we try to get information they just tell us its confidential. she is constantly making up story’s which are very graffic and hard to repeat regarding sexual abuse ect. She recently visited our mums grave and left two vases with the name Matthew and Bernard engraved when she was questioned about this she told us they were for her children that are buried there but this is not true we don’t know where those names have come from or what to do about it. any suggestion would be greatly appreciated x
my son is 19 years old he is becoming extremely difficult to handle. His thoughts are unreasonable and he is always looking for an arguement. His dad told him to live in a shelter and he does not want to deal with him. I recently had the police take my son to a hospital for treatment. Today i visit him and found him worst making faces and telling me he is so smart and that is why no one understands him. The doctors are treating him with a drug named invega. In the past he has been treated with depakote and seraquil forgive my spelling . I see no improvement in him and i am so sad. When do you know if the medication is the right one?
You might call the local mhmr facility and see if he qualifies for group home living for the developmentally disabled. He is secured, has Dr.s/appts and proper medication dispensed properly, is also taught life skills and communication skills etc.
Hi Maria,
My son is 26 , he too has in the hospital for 4 months taking the same meds as your son..which made him worse…I am still looking for a more natural approch..He has had so many hurts in his life ( made fun of in school ) He too is very smart and talented, but can not seem to go forward.
I wish their were more awareness and support from churches ect..I guess they do not understand or they are afraid..If you have found anything that helps your son please let me know.
Please Take care Of Yourself!
God Bless!
Sandy
You know it’s the rigth one when it finally works. When he/she no longer has delusions and they say they feel better and have insight into the disease. When they understand they need medication, not that everyone else is wrong and they are right.
My brother is once again suffering from a psychotic episode. He makes up ridiculous stories about me threatens me and when my mother questions him about it he denies it and says it was someone else. He makes no sense and will not stop messaging me accusing me of very serious things. He is not on medication for it I’m just wondering if he will ever come out of this and if he does if he’ll remember any of the things he has said or done. Mentally Ill or not, he has done a lot of damage to my reputation
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I am just here to say i think i have the same problems as you all describe you friends and relitives to ahve. im not sure what to do about it thou , i cant confront my parents , ive been ignoring my “friends” , i have no connection with the outside world other then the birds and bees in my backyard. i have severe tooth decay and fear death is on its way. any ideas wat to handle first? my teeth my brain or a job to help out with the bills ive racked up over the years getting in trouble with the police. i have beeen feeling really bad that my parents have to put up with me and acutally pay for my mistakes. help please..
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I dont think any of these confusing replies you have received are going to help you. You need to speak to your parents or friends and explain what you have been feeling. Apologise for the fact that you don’t trust them and let them know that you are aware that you have a problem. Talking about this and getting it out of your head will be the best way to think about things clearly, especially if people help you make reasonable sense of situations. The fact that you know it could be you and not them is a sign that it most likely is. The fact that you are open and honest (even though it will be very hard to speak out) will be appreciated by them and they will not judge you. They love you so much that they will just want to help you feel better. Good luck
To bla bla blah, hope you check back here. Please get your parents help. I did not know what was happening to my son and it went very badly for us. Your situation can still deteriorate. Your parents should take you to a psych doc and an MD to rule out correctable medical causes. Your teeth need treated now. If you have some help I am sure you can get to a place where you can work & stay out of trouble
You can’t continue as you are. You can’t get well without help. Don’t feel guilty. I hear you. You will do better when you can. Hiding away is not protecting anyone, especially yourself. My child hid away and tried to protect us. The outcome was very serious for us all made worse because we did not get him help in time. He hurt someone while he was paranoid, delusional and very frightened. It will take years for the legal issues to be over. Please listen, honey and find some help. It will be best for all!
Hi bla bla blah,
It’s great that you are seeking out help. I would find mental health resources, NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) has a helpline that you can call to learn about the mental health services in your area. 1-800-950-6264. Look into if there are free mental health centers in your area where you can access a psychiatrist and medications. It may be a long time before you are find the right medication but stick with it, mental illness does NOT go away on its own, and definitely does not go away only with prayer. (prayer can be a support for many people, but please know usually medication is necessary). Good luck.
How can my son 26 stick to meds that does not work for him? He was in the hospital 4 months …every Doctor was confused why they would not work..What is a mother suppose to do in this case????
He is going weekly for talk theapy…What do you think about neofeed back???
I think what most mentally ill people need is love and acceptance..which they do not get from hospitals or churches…( belief me I know) My son is very smart a great film maker…which he can no longer do because of a film school making a movie about his illness making fun of him….showed it at a film festevial in front of 300 people…how degrading…he has not been the same since ( Low self-esteem)
Any Suggestion?
God Bless!
Sandy
Thanks for the information, I work in a group home for the developmentally disabled and autistic without experience or degree. Every little bit helps. Em
My sister recently had a psychotic break. She is paranoid and accusing her husband of child abuse and being gay. She also has a complex narrative that involves many people in her life. I panicked when it first happened, got angry and desperate to get her treatment, and now she thinks I am a villain, and says she will not talk to me until I tell her the truth. I have chosen not to get involved in discussing “the truth” which is basically her sitting in judgement, saying that any observation of her inappropriate behavior is a lie. I tell her I love her, that I want to be there for her and listen to her, but she is stuck on my “telling the truth.” I am hoping that someday I will cease to be the villain. But more than that I hope she can come out of the paranoia and psychosis. Would appreciate hearing how anyone else talks to the psychotic person in their life. Any tips? Any guidelines for conversations or when they are accusing you? Thanks.
What about a 7 year old with hallucinations and paranoia? Medication has calmed the hallucinations but not the fears and paranoia. She is afraid of our own home. I can’t seem to get the help I need to understand how to help her effectively. She also has ADHD in addition to the psychosis. Sometimes it seems like she can control it but the Dr says thats the ADHD. The self control is in new situations. Sometimes she is violent. Her younger brother is learning her behavior. We have been trying to get to a psychologist to see if a diagnosis can be reached that will qualify us for some helpful programs but recently discovered we can get that far with the State Insurance. Recommendations?
Here’s a new one for you. What do you do about a grown adult in their 60′s in your family who over the years stopped communicating with relatives, and siblings, then eventually and gotten to the point of having no friends, then stops speaking at all. Voluntarily mute. Wont have contact with her kids or grandkids. Relies on a spouse for everything and stays at home. Any ideas??? I’m worried about my mom and dont know what to do.
Really sad too hear all the diificulties you going thru. My wife was diagnosed with psychosis about two months ago. i went thru the most difficult time of my life. The signs were there, i just never picked up on them. Now after a lot of running around shes on some good meds, and shes doing well. She had the paranoia, delusions, accusing me of stuff (Hang in the Louise) Police were called.
You have to see a psychatrist, not psycologist
You pay a lot but its worth it
my younger brother has just turned 18 he was diagnosed with sychosis early this year after he tried to commit suicide. he as a cannibis user which they say cause the sickness for him he is soo hooked he craves for it. the doctors said his body is allergic to it but yet he never listens we put him in a rehab and he just ran away just to get the buzz. Before that he was transfered to a youth mental hospital to where he didnt feel comfortable and wanted to come home so we took him home only because we love hi and didnt want him feeling that way now things have worsened he has a imaginary girlfriend he talks to her twenty four seven in his room he locks him self up he never commuicates with us but he is forever talking whispering i never hear a clear sentence what he is saying he speaks it very fast and that he just does it all the time he is also very restless only if he takes he meds he sleeps but he trys to fight it to stay up and talk. This advice is very good and undastanding but yet it is me and my sister who is trying our best to make him better and we are both only under the age of 25 which is hard to understand what we can do and what phase we are in? We were thinking a mental hospital because he is getting aggressive and moody and just angry all the time he fights with his imaginary girl friend crys argues with her and beats himself up thinking he is hitting someone else
it is very stressfull for us our mother had given up she couldnt cope with it and moved countries and left us here. We are now getting to the point where he is seriously freaking us out his personality changes into diffrent modes etc etc etc. Also he has diffrent voices its flippin scary no s%*% all we wantt is the best solution for my little brother to get the help he needs we just want the joyfull funny brother he use to be.:( please help me if you could. thanks
My mother is suffering from very severe psychosis,she dnt talk to us making false beleifs n talking to herself all day.I smetym gt angry to tl hr please dnt talk rubbish but nw i keep calm,talk to her swtly normaly me,my dad,my bro are very tense.I dnt cre what people say but i want my muma bck,i am getting tird i am terrible.She z takng sme drugs n slpng pill at ni8..suggest an effective medicine n how i treat her..i love my mum i wnt her bck:-(
I want to talk to smebdy who might have experiencd or any of their lovd ones..contact me
+919005445161
I have a daughter who suffers from psychosis and I have been through hell and back. there is no support out there and the social care wants to take my daughter away because I question why should she have to be inpatient if she is secure at home and coping well. she can be managed at home with her treatment but they are forcing me to push her into hospital. she is very worried.
and cries every day that why would put into this mad place
hey there my older brother just turned 18 is suffering with severe psychosis and believes the he can see dejavu he thinks that it isnt 2012 and we all older then what we acctually are he. threatens me and says that we all lieing to him and we set him up and we all know what he his going do before he does it. he doesnt trust any one but he has trusted me before but now he doesnt he is on medication and has been to a mental place but is now at home he believes he’s in reality and we are not i would explain more but dont want to be here all day please help me and my mum any suggeations would be helpfull thank you…
I am so happy I found this thread!
I have read alot from various sites for my partner’s condition so I can help him manage it. I’m not a huge fan of the traditional way of medication only and locking them away. I am big on complementary therapies that can help such as CBT, hypnotherapy and anything else.
My background is NLP and I teach communication & behaviour which helps our situation immensely so I want to put recommendations up for others that have helped us.
1. Get help straight away! Understand that most local GPs are NOT TRAINED in mental health & therapy. They will give out meds and tell you to up the dosage if it gets worse but that’s it. Look for a GP who also specialises in this area for more info…..and look for a nice one. If they are rude and don’t listen never feel that it’s your fault. Doctor’s surgeries are revolving doors and in most cases you’re just a number!
2. Do whatever you can to build trust with the person experiencing psychosis. Meet their needs but you MUST SET YOUR OWN BOUNDARIES of what you will and won’t put up with. If you are weak and accommodating you will lose the battle.
Lower your voice tone when you mean business because it is more authorative, speaking in a high question tone can come across as passive and they won’t listen to you.
3. Listen to their stories but don’t agree with them – this will just validate their beliefs. The more you/they discuss or think about it the bigger the ‘monster’ gets. Work to change the subject as much as you can or keep them busy if they keep going over the same material. Sometimes I just let him investigate whatever he needs to in the hope that he’ll find out that his paranoia is inconclusive. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t……
3. Let them sleep. This is your downtime too for recharging your batteries – go for a walk, call a friend (don’t talk about ‘it’, otherwise you’re feeding your own monster), watch a funny movie, play with an animal. Do anything that makes you smile.
4. Keep them busy when they aren’t sleeping – we visit people, go for walks or drives, watch movies etc. Social activity is really important because the more they withdraw from the outside world the more confidence they lose and it’s harder to get them back.
5. Get leverage. What I mean by this is maintain power over them because you hold the key to what they need.
For example, my partner thinks I’m the only person in the world he can trust so doesn’t want to lose me. The leverage (power) I use with this is I make sure he takes care of himself, socialises, keeps active, gets the help he needs and focuses on the present moment. It ain’t always easy but I know that if I let him lie around the house watching TV all day it won’t help him.
This may sound manipulative but you have to be strong and not let them manipulate you first. Otherwise you have no control over their actions and decisions which will cause them to go downhill.
6. If you or someone else can take time off work to be there for them I recommend it. It gives you space to just focus on them. Look into getting a carer’s allowance/pension from your government if you can or working part time. It isn’t ideal but it can sustain you so you can step back for a little while to get a new perspective. Once you’ve got them in a good state you can then go back to work.
7. Encourage them to set some goals. Don’t push it but plant a seed in their mind about creating a future. Giving them something new to look forward to changes their focus. I told my partner many times before this happened that if he wants to study something I’ll support him financially and in the past he’s brushed it off – lastnight he told my aunt that he is interested in studying. Inside I jumped for joy!
8. Take care of yourself. Exercise, socialise, work out ways to make your life simpler, go to support group meetings, smile at the funny little things. I try to see the funny side of some of the things he does. Some people might find that cruel and sadistic but if I took it all so seriously I would send myself crazy! I don’t taunt or belittle him but I have a little giggle to myself when he wants to turn himself in to the police in his underwear….
9. Keep having fun with them. Tiptoeing around them and being serious all the time creates an air of misery. This can compound the issue and they feel bad for bringing everyone else down. Keep laughing with movies, banter and jokes, stories and whatever else makes yours and their day!
10. Be loving and patient. Stuff takes time so make decisions but don’t hold expectations. Otherwise you might be disappointed. Having said that never lose hope and NEVER let anyone tell you that this is what they’ll be like forever!
Good luck
My son was diagnosed with schizophrenia 12 yrs ago. He hasn’t had any major problems for several years and is on a small dose of medication now, but isn’t working and really has no friends, just us, his family. We’ve tried different things to help him recover and I’ve read a lot of books and online. I recommend reading anything written by Dr Abram Hoffer, google him on the Internet and he has written many books. His protocol is large doses of Vitamin B3 (niacin), Vitamin C and Omega 3′s, no processed foods, no sugar, no drugs. We went to see Dr Hoffer in 2003 but my son was hooked on cocaine at the time, so we didn’t have good luck then, but he’s clean now and taking the supplements and I think that has helped him a lot. A few years ago, I found out about the GAPS diet, (Gut and Psychology Syndrome). You can google Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride or Gaps diet for information on this. Dr Campbell-McBride cured her son of autism with this protocol, which is no processed foods, no sugar, lots of healing broths and whole foods, balancing the good and bad bacteria in the gut and detoxifying the body. This diet will help people with different diagnoses of mental illness, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar, autism, ocd and what these have in common is leaky gut syndrome, which comes from overuse of antibiotics among other things. Many people with mental issues have food allergies (gluten, dairy, eggs are common allergies for people with mental illness), gastrointestinal issues, malnutrition and toxicity. A couple of years ago, my son started seeing a naturopath familiar with celiac disease (gluten intolerance)and he’s been on a number of supplements since. He had had severe diarhea for 2 yrs and with the supplements, he was over that quite quickly. (I had taken him to a regular gi md that did some tests and then told us not to worry, he’s a healthy looking guy, just have him take some over the counter diarrhea medicine and stop worrying. Some doctor.
Along with treating his leaky gut, his naturopath tested him for food allergies, he’s allergic to gluten, dairy, beef, and several other things. He checked his neurotransmitters and he was low in some of those. There has been a great improvement since we’ve been addressing his gi issues, cutting out the junk foods and allergens and supplementing with vitamins, herbs etc. He still has a way to go, but I really believe that getting the gi issues resolved and his body and brain nourished has been key to his improvement.
I have goen through too much with my mother..she is in control ana a bit ok now..she was smetyms violent shouting abt who i am and her false friends etc she talk to them all day nite..she do that nw too but too quietly n undrstnds that she have people around her..i was given a medicines i am tense to get her fit..people around us this society just knw to make fun of this..i feel vulnerable..i have been abashed smetimes..i care her i talk gently sweetly and like nthng happened..
I can empathise will all these comments. Help is so hard to get initially and the feeling of relief that someone believes you by giving your close one a correct diagnoses can feel like a weight being lifted . I had to get my son sectioned after about 8 months of increasingly odd behaviour , he was 19 and spent 9 wks in hospital . The medication helped gradually and after a year he seemed to be making good progress, the doctor reduced his doses of Sertraline and Olanzapine down slowly over a period of two yrs. Then a few weeks ago they finally stopped his medication altogether as he had shown no psychotic symptoms for 2 yrs. This weekend he has had a major relapse, he is paranoid, doesn’t trust anyone, we have had to move all electrical things from his room etc and are awaiting the arrival of his doctor in the hope they can persuade him to restart his medication(at the moment he probably thinks we are trying to trick him) .he might end up having to be hospitalised again . I really wish they hadn’t decided to take him off his medication in the first place as he’d been doing so well but I suppose we now know that the Illness had never really disappeared, it had just been successfully managed with medication .
My son is 26..has been bi polar/ocd for about 8 years…the first trigger was being bullied in college…he goes to a film school which has always been his love and passion..he has worked many well known actors over the years..to make a long story short..his so called friend made a movie about him to show at a film fest, in front of 300 people which made fun of his illness….He ended up in the hospital..Sad to say he has not been able to act or do any films since then…He recently had another set back ( in the hospital for 4 months this time) no meds would work for him…Is the a more natural approach…besides talk therapy.
Thank you for your responce.
God Bless!
Sandy