Topic Tuesday // Challenging Psychosis: Working with Thoughts // 23 Aug, 7pm AEST

[CherryBomb]

Knowing what to do or say to someone experiencing psychosis can be confusing, which can feel stressful for both you and your loved one. 

Join both @Former-Member and I this Topic Tuesday to discussion ways you can support someone experiencing psychosis by working with them to challenge unhelpful thinking and beliefs. 

Session starts at 7pm, Tuesday 23rd August.  

Four things you can do now:

1. Register as a member of the forums, which enables you to participate in the session

2. Hit the like button below to receive an email reminder on the night

3.  Read 'Five tips to help a loved one challenge psychosis'

4. Can't make the session? Leave a question below to be answered on the night 

[CherryBomb]

Welcome to this month's Topic Tuesday. Tonight @Former-Member and I are going to talk about how you as a carer can support someone experiencing psychosis. 

Calling out to those who RSVP'd:

 @Elbe @Koya @Teragram @leitor @Shaz51 @hope77 @Appleblossom @Chooka @Faith-and-Hope  @ash @Jo

@Former-Member would you like to tell us a bit more about what tonight is about?

[Former-Member]

Sure @CherryBomb

Hello everyone, thanks for joining us tonight 🙂

Recently I've been reviewing some of SANE's online content about schizophrenia and have been learning about cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis. I noticed that the strategies and principles can also be used by family and friends to help their loved one with psychosis. Tonight we'll talk about some of those strategies and how they might be helpful to carers.

Please feel free to ask questions and bring new ideas to the discussion. It would be great to hear what your experiences have been in helping a loved one challenge psychosis and if any of these ideas resonate or have been helpful or not so helpful in the past.

[Shaz51]

Hello @Former-Member, @CherryBomb

[CherryBomb]

@Former-Member what are some approaches to psychosis, and how might carers use some of these to support their loved one?

[CherryBomb]

Heya @Shaz51! 

[Former-Member]

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) works by exploring the beliefs which underpin our reactions to events; and aims to change unhelpful thinking styles. When used with psychosis, the focus is less on the symptoms themselves, than on how the individual responds to those symptoms. For example, for someone hearing voices, the aim of CBT might not be to make the voices go away, but to make the experience of hearing them less distressing.

A few things that are key in CBT and can also be useful for friends and family at home are:

Trust and relationship

Normalising symptoms

Exploring beliefs

Relaxation and distraction

Knowing early warning signs and having a plan

We won't go into the details of how CBT works tonight but if you'd like to know more about that you might like to check out @Shimmer's Topic Tuesday about it here or the SANE blog here.

[Former-Member]

Hi @Shaz51

[CherryBomb]

@Former-Member based on the approaches you've listed. It seems like working with psychosis - hearing voices in particular - means working with, and accepting the voices rather than trying to silence them.

[bbear]

I'm new to this.  Can you please tell me how I join the forum, where I need to go to.... please?