Friends, Family & Carers Forum

[Louise]

Before my 16 year old sons first psychotic episode he did have some strange new ideas, was talking a lot about them and showed more emotional engagement than usual. He started sleeping outside in the shed. Then came a notable delay before every response during conversation. Then he started flapping his arms and upper torso constantly, saying that Jesus was healing him. At this point I took him to a GP, saying we both suspected he was showing signs of schizophrenia. The GP said he seemed ok but that I better keep an eye on him. Then he started talking about  Jesus to everyone he met, pulling grotesque faces,  speaking nonsense in strange voices and throwing himself on the ground. Less than 48 hours after the visit to the GP he was taken to the Emergency Department of the hospital by family members. There he was medicated and stayed in the Psyche ward for over 2 weeks initially.

[Linmerc]

We did not know what was going on. His illness made him very secretive and we only realised he was sick when I discovered he was having affairs.

[Former-Member]

It's great to hear some advice coming through for your loved ones. @kenny66 the point about being gentle is a key one.  And not just physically.  I think there can sometimes be a tendency to argue back - challenge the delusion - when some empathy for the emotion behind it (fear, anger, shame etc) would actually be more helpful.  It's like we try to verbally shake people back to our reality.

[kenny66]

none of mine are exterior-the running commentary and commands are inside my head-

[CherryBomb]

Hi @Louise

Welcome to the discussion, and thanks for sharing your experience with your son.

It sounds like it was a pretty scary ordeal. Did your son remember any of it afterwards?

You've also brought up some stuff that I was hoping to discuss: support services and treatment.

Where should carers go and who should they call notice these symptoms?

[soul]

If you sense a psychotic episode coming on, are there any strategies that are helpful in minimising it or averting it even?

[CherryBomb]

Hi @Former-Member and @kenny66

You raise a really important point - what are some conversational strategies that people can use when their loved is experience psychosis?

Should carers go along with delusions, challenge it, ignore it?

[kenny66]

as I said trying to make you see reality is absolutely the wrong way to go. My flatmate is a paranoid schizophrenic and he manages me adeptly and successfully. I think it is inside knowledge!!!!

[Shadow]

Most people I speak to say theirs come from inside their head and mine come from outside like someone's sitting in the room with me speaking.

[Former-Member]

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@soul wrote:
If I'd known how to handle it, he might not have been in the situation he is in right now 😞

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@soul There really is no way you could have forseen where this was going. Are you getting some support yourself to work through the what's happened and how it has impacted on you?  

From your experience, and all the other wonderful Forum members sharing their experiences, do you have any thoughts for anyone starting to suspect a deeper problem with a loved one?