Friends, Family & Carers Forum

[perseverer]

Son J is psychotic again.

It started with feelings of paranoia, nothing specific, just a general pervasive feeling of being threatened.

Then he started seeing visions and hearing voices telling him to hurt people.

At this stage, he knows he is hallucinating, but I am scared because before too long he will not know if he is hallucinating.

This week son J has seen the psychiatrist, the psychologist, the CAT team and his case worker. They are all informed about his feelings of paranoia and hallucinations. But no-one has suggested anything, just see you next week.

I am worried because I know from past experience that "the system" does not intervene until something has happened, like a physical attack or going missing. In my opinion, they should be intervening now. It seems to me that son J should be in hospital until the psychotic episode is resolved.

At present, I feel he is a danger to himself and to the community. Am I overreacting?

[NikNik]

Hi @perseverer

I don't think you're overreacting. You know your son better than anyone - and know the warning signs.

Your question is something many carers ask. There's a discussion called 'What is a mental health crisis' which was started by @Maze which you might find helpful.

Nik

[perseverer]

Thank you, @NikNik. I did read this post and all the comments but they don't really help. Everyone involved in my son's support network knows his current status. But until he effects a definite action, they are not going to intervene. This scares me so much, because it is actually an incentive to suicide. My son is not sleeping due to what is going on in his head; it is driving him crazy. What is so frustrating is that every hospital is now so used to him that I think they have become kind of blaz`e. He has a history of attempted suicide, too, but instead of being extra careful they shrug it off and say well if he's going to do it, hospital is not going to stop him. 

[NikNik]

Hi again @perseverer

My understanding of the CAT team is that you can call them for anything.

I know some members call them when it's not quite crisis, and while they may not send anyone around, the can be good to talk to and have some advice.

Also, another reason to call is so they have it on file that you are concerned and then if things get worse you can keep them updated - and there could be a tipping point where they decide to take some action.

I would keep on them - worst case scenario is that they don't assist. 

[perseverer]

Thanks, @NikNik. I will do that.

[Appleblossom]

@perseverer I ask the forum and anyone reading why the mental health professionals are not doing active psychoanalysis .. and ego or 'self psychology' with your son.  If he is seeing them weekly they have plenty of time to actually help work through his issues.

Some psychiatrists can still use various methods to enhance quality of life .. rather than wiping people off for have a serious diagnosis.

I see that as an inadequacy within the mh industry and/or system .. and not an inadequacy of you or your son.  

The world is not a level playing field regarding resources .. and I believe that such power imbalances does play into etiology of mh issues more than simple parent blaming and protecting the worker's legal responsibilities. 

I am talking quality of service delivery.

[Former-Member]

hello @perseverer

hello I havent spoken with you before i joined recently.

I have an adult son diagnosed in late october with paranoid schizophrenia. he is in total denial. After being detained in the public hospital for over 3 weeks he was given an injection and then discharged under a community treatment order. the mental health team he was assigned to have not provided the support that the information sheet states they will give. The care-coordinator has not been supportive or helpful at all. Her manner is abrupt, quick and lacking empathy.He did not have a psychologist or psychiatrist appointed to him by the health team.  My son has fled the state. Two missing reports filed have been followed up by police in this state and interstate. my son presented not at danger to anyone on each of these occasions. Had either of these police checked the records they would have found that the missing report was lodged by the mental health team and that my son is unwell and needs to be reassessed therefore a cat team called out, take him back to hospital and have him assessed by a psychiatrist.

The CTO has now run out. The Cat team in the state where he is are not answering their phone they have a taped recording unavailable even though it is a 24/7 emergency service. Their office had been burnt out earlier in the week so yes understand setbacks, difficulties etc. However this is an emergency 24/7 service that phone should be rediverted to a place where the calls can be taken and relieving people or some back up contingency plan  put in place. The psychiatric ward of the hospital dont want to know, the police dont want to know. the mental service health line is an 1800 number which is not accessible from this state. the other mental health emergency no is a 1300 number also not accessible from this state.

In response to your question, you are not overreacting at all. You are the parent who sees your child and sees the changes not the team. you know better than anyone that he is not himself.No you dont wait until something dreadful happens even though that is the apathetic response you get from them.

you assertively tell them that you son is very unwell, you are no longer sure if he is at risk of endangering himself or someone else due to the occurrence of paranoia and hallucinations.

those are the words that they listen to dont let them talk you out of it.

if your son is taken to hospital and assessed and found to not be at danger to anyone then all good you have  done your job as a mother and looked after the safety of your son and your family.

Are you registered with Carers Australia. They have an area specifically for carers of mentally ill people.

im not sure which state you are in but go to Carers Australia website and you will find some information on there. good luck in your fight for your family's health.

[Former-Member]

have just reread this and unsure how my tone will come across. I have been dealing with this since Thursday morning non stop and am at my wits end. I am not giving up though, if I have to go to the health minister myself.

[perseverer]

@Appleblossom I totally agree. Really all they do is ask the same questions and say they will report to the doctor of the case worker. My son is at the point where he doesn't even want me to call the CAT team, they are so useless. It would be unfair of me to say they are failing in crisis intervention. But there is a lot to go through in order to get into hospital.Where the system is breaking down significantly is with known patients who are frequently experiencing psychosis. Somehow the MH professionals need to get their thinking caps on and work out strategies that can help people like my son when they are hallucinating and paranoid but would rather not go to hospital.

[perseverer]

Hello @Former-Member, it is really good to meet you. I am so sorry about your son. It is a terrible worry and just horrible when the resources you need to help you aren't there. I hope your son is ok. Do please keep in touch and let us know. When my son went missing he was incredibly lucky to have been spotted by someone who called for an ambulance. I went back to the place he turned up and thanked those people for saving his life. At that point his car was still missing and one lady said she would post on her Facebook page as she has a lot of friends in the area and someone is bound to find it. My husband and I had already searched for hours and couldn't find it. But two days after the Facebook post someone did in fact find the car. I am mentioning this because if you know the general region your son is likely to be, perhaps there is a council or community centre Facebook page you could ask to display a photo and see if anyone recognises him. When my son went missing I was distraught when the police said they just couldn't spare the resources to help find him.

The system really let you down. The result is, you have a very sick son who is missing. If this was a child at school the school staff would be in big trouble. Where is the duty of care in the MH system? 

My son is still at home and asked me not to bring in the CAT team. He is paranoid and hallucinating but still at this point realises it. But a couple of hours ago he briefly crossed over into that other zone - I could see the look on his face, like he was going to hurt me. It really scared me. He told me he is in absolute mental agony. He is also terrified of going to bed because it all becomes worse when he is trying to go to sleep. He doesn't want to take a sedative because they make him put on weight and are addictive. The only alternative really is to just put up with the pain and torment. Other things to relax just are not helping; he is way too wound up. So at the moment we are up watching Star Wars movies, but sooner or later I am going to have to get some sleep. But I can't while he is the way he is and the other boys are up as well. It is such a dilemma.