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Looking after ourselves

Suzi
Contributor

How do others cope

Hi my son was diagnosed with schizophrenia 14 years ago and lives with me full time. He is compliant with his medication but there are still multiple times per year where he becomes extremely paranoid and I distant that the neighbours are talking about him, attacking him verbally via his computer and games. He won't see a psychiatrist but we do have a very good family doctor to support. I am finding that my ability to remain supportive and not be confrontational at these times is getting harder. I feel alone and tired. How do others cope. I worry so much about the future as there seems to be no support
6 REPLIES 6

Re: How do others cope

Hi @Suzi,

I noticed that there's a similar post here that you posted. May I suggest steering the conversation that post?

CB

Re: How do others cope

Thank you I will

Re: How do others cope

In reply to your post this is exactly what I find as well.  My son now aged 28 with schizophrenia brings out the worst in me as I seem to get so mad with him.  It is often over some of his crazy ideas.  I try to make him see reason or be more reasonable.  But he is strong willed and also has quite a bit of obsessive compulsiveness about him.  He will go on and on about somthing he wants to do but is unreasonable to achieve. eg. going out into the desert to fast like John the Baptist to rid himself of evil.  He is by no means an evil person of course and studies the Bible all the time.  In fact not the Bible itself at present but has latched onto this book called Letters from God.  Which to me could well have been written by someone with his condition.  I asked his pastor about this book and he also feels that the book is causing him to be unwell with strange ideas but do you think I can get him to stop reading it. Or preaching to me.

I have gone off the topic here so how I cope, i dont think I do but I keep trying to bring him back to what is normal and also to keep him busy focused on other things .  But I would also like to hear what others do .

I also seem to worry all the time and this makes my hsuband annoyed as he feels I am wasting energy in trying to fix something that is unfixable. 

Re: How do others cope

Unfortunately we don't have a crystal ball for the future. My son is 46yrs. Had the carer role & experience for 25 yrs. Support is not on the horizon if you are wanting to go out for the day,or a few hours,away from the situation. No organizisation is going to send someone to the home if their safety is comprimized.

In my situation,my son is trustworthy,so I am able to go to exercise groups.

From my experience, the age of the person with the mental illness,it appears to settle with advancing years.  My son also takes his medication without fail,& sees his Medical Doctor for tune up & scripts.

The saddness I feel for him,is that he has no friends,only family contact. this is of his choosing,which I can't alter.  Anyway, we keep going,& I  hope you get some pleasure during your day. 

Re: How do others cope

Hi Jaycoco

My 27yo son has schizophrenia, he is on ITO. My son lives with me, I don't have a partner. While your husband may be right about schizonphrenia being unfixable, I found watching "Beautiful MInd" helpful. It gives hope for better days. Of course, it's just a movie but the fact it iis based on a true story is encouraging. Of course, we all seem to be doing it tough and many of us wonder how we are going to cope. It is very sad for our family members and for us. But while it may seem like we are banging our heads against a brick wall, I don't believe in giving up hope.

Moved:

Re: How do others cope

This comment has been moved by a moderator to another part of the forum where it might be more easily found by the community.

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