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Re: Son with psychosis and OCD may need admission to change medication

Hi @Tinker67   Yes I know in my heart that if my girl had stuck with her meds when first diagnosed 10 years ago and taken on the advice of us and her doctors regarding drug use, her story would be much brighter today. Sadly she made the wrong choice. Her initial diagnosis was drug induced psychosis but now 10 years later, catatonic schizophrenia. Her last admission was for 9 months and was released with amazing NDIS support a few months ago. She has ceased all communications with us. Sadly today she has been readmitted as once again had stopped taking her meds and spiralling downwards. With the right medication and the family support your son has as well as employment etc. I feel he will be able to make his place in life. I'm sorry for the grief of loss you are experiencing. So very hard and I still have trouble accepting this is the way it is. I pray that with the love and support your son has that he will live a fulfilling life. Be gentle on yourself and take good care. 🙏

Re: Son with psychosis and OCD may need admission to change medication

@Krishna we watched my oldest step daughter go through similar to your girl, years of drug use, homelessness (when she had a home with us), what we thought was drug induced psychosis and she also had anorexia and bulimia. It was so hard supporting her, but we did everything we could to love her the best we could, while also keeping our own space for our new romantic relationship and in time, protecting our baby boys from the impact of her lifestyle on them while also supporting her to have a relationship with them. Then, 20 years ago, psychiatrists were very reluctant to 'label' psychosis in a 16yo, and they wouldn't provide any medication to treat her distress. So she self medicated with any drug for years. Eventually, she made her way out of drug use, but still used alcohol heavily, and I suspect marijuana. 6 years ago she had her first child, followed by 2 more. It is a constant balancing act for her to maintain wellness, and she's had loads of support from professionals. She lives over 1300km away so we only see a curated life on social media, but overall is doing much better. I'm really sorry to hear about your girl. It could have very well been the same story with our girl. I know that love and support is important, but there are some things that are just out of our control, hey? Thank you @Krishna and bless you for your kind heart.

Re: Son with psychosis and OCD may need admission to change medication

Hi and welcome, @Tinker67 ... @Shaz51  has tagged me as I have OCD, but I'm not sure I can help as I've never had a hospital admission. All I know is that OCD is very hard to treat. 

 

Can I ask what form your son's OCD takes? Mine is germophobia, and I've made accommodations so I can live with it. (I have other more urgent mental illnesses that I've been working on). 

 

I also don't have paranoia or psychosis, which maybe your son's team are focussing on in terms of wanting him to go into hospital? 

 

Anyway, I wish your son and you all the best as you both make decisions.

Re: Son with psychosis and OCD may need admission to change medication

Hello @NatureLover , thank you for your reply and for sharing your experience.

 

My son's OCD involves a continous voice loop he hears of "and then he said, and then she said", constant intrusive visions in his mind of stabbings: others being stabbed, him stabbing others, someone stabbing him.   These visions are associated with a lot of angry thoughts, and understandably make him feel wretched/have very low mood.  Before he started medication, he used to write the one swear word in street art style all over the place, I found so much graffiti around the town that was his 'tag' - so I also wonder if repeating that word was part of his OCD?  

 

His medication has eased the symptoms a lot and he has stopped graffiti tagging, but when combined with paranoia, suspicion, a belief that he is being controlled by an authority or in the middle of some conspiracy (and that we as his parents are imposters who are fake), plus a fairly strong focus on occult imagery - it's all enormously stressful for him (and everyone who loves and cares for him).  

 

He's not as sick as he was before medication at the moment, he has noticed that some anger has started to creep in and his paranoia is increasing.  Unfortunately, as for everyone, but especially people with psychosis, he says that the situation with the pandemic/conspiracy theories/political protests are not good for people with psychosis and it is unsettling for him.  

 

Today we have looked at a less restrictive sub acute adult hospitalisation for him instead of a more restrictive CAMHS admission.  I'll follow up more tomorrow.  He wants an admission next week if we can get it, and yes, the admission is mostly to manage the symptoms of paranoia, psychosis, and to change medication.

Re: Son with psychosis and OCD may need admission to change medication

Thank you @Shaz51 for tagging NatureLover, and for sharing your experience. It's tough going sometimes, hey? Your encouragement means a lot to me.

Re: Son with psychosis and OCD may need admission to change medication

Oh gosh, @Tinker67  - I am so sorry to read what your son suffers, and you too as his carers. It sounds like a nightmare. Makes my germophobia look like a walk in the park. 😞

 

I can well imagine that the current climate of conspiracy theories and the pandemic wouldn't be helping. 😞

 

 


@Tinker67 wrote:

Today we have looked at a less restrictive sub acute adult hospitalisation for him instead of a more restrictive CAMHS admission.  I'll follow up more tomorrow.  He wants an admission next week if we can get it, and yes, the admission is mostly to manage the symptoms of paranoia, psychosis, and to change medication.


This sounds good, and I hope it all goes well and you can get in next week...not easy, I know. That's good you wrote that he wants it. You strike me as amazing, caring parents. 

 

Wishing you lots of good wishes!

Re: Son with psychosis and OCD may need admission to change medication

Ah bless you @NatureLover !!  

I am feeling so much more optimistic about the admission to an open sub acute setting.  There's been a delay of about a week, but the CAMHS social worker has been working so hard to get everything lined up, and my son has a review with his psychiatrist this week.  The psychiatrist supports the option of an admission to a sub acute setting, which is a relief as it was his idea to choose the acute CAMHS ward.  Waiting for everything to come together, but hopefully next week will get the green light.  I'll let you all know how we go.  

 

It's a hard road sometimes being a parent, but I wouldn't change a thing about my family, my step daughters, or my boys.  They make life bright and shiny, despite their own struggles.  Love is a powerful force for good. 

Re: Son with psychosis and OCD may need admission to change medication


@Tinker67 wrote:

It's a hard road sometimes being a parent, but I wouldn't change a thing about my family, my step daughters, or my boys.  They make life bright and shiny, despite their own struggles.  Love is a powerful force for good. 


Aww, this is great 🙂

 

It sounds good that all is on track for the sub-acute admission. I really hope it goes well for your son 🙂

@Tinker67 

Re: Son with psychosis and OCD may need admission to change medication

Thanks @NatureLover 

We're still waiting, Covid has caused some delays/and a wait list for other patients.  So, we're doing ok, fingers crossed.  My son saw his Psychiatrist earlier in the week who has prescribed an additional medication in addition to his other medication to help hold my son until he can get his admission.  

 

Thanks for your encouragement and care. 

Re: Son with psychosis and OCD may need admission to change medication

Hi @Tinker67 ...I hope the wait is not much longer. And that the additional med works well. 🙂

 

I'm glad you're doing OK so far. Take care...

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