My son (24) has schizophrenia

[Zam]

The first time I was admitted into hospital from taking much more sleeping pills then what was recommended . I took to many sleeping pills, not trying to do self harm or anything but because I couldn't sleep because of voices and just wanted some sleep. When I woke up I was admitted in the psychiatric ward thanks to parents..

second time I was tricked into thinking I was going in hospital for a few days but stayed in much longer 

they can involuntarily admit you in hospital if they think you are a danger to yourself 

[Cat64]

@Pamina - I have had to have my husband hospitalised several times over a 16 year period. The first time was the scariest. He was so psychotic, I rang the mental health emergency line who told me he was psychotic. They came to the house we were at and tried to get him to go with them. Because he refused, the police where called and he was taken by them.

Subsequest hospitals stays have mostly been on my call. We are lucky enough to have two mental health nurses visit us fortnightly as we are remote, so with their help we manage to get him there.

Ocassionally I have been lucky for G to have enought 'insight' as they call it to know he has to go. He absolutely hates it though, sometimes blaming me and other times just accepting the fact that it's the place to be.

So the starting place as I said for me was to ring the mental health emergency line and take it from there.

Once in hospital, G is sometimes voluntary and others involuntary. Right now he is involuntary and gone on to an injection. Drs wanting to change to an oral that he doesn't want and I was told they can enforce and injection but can not enforce oral medication. So I guess the involuntary process may be the way some people will be admitted.

I hope for those you are having trouble getting the support they need are able to get is soon.

Sending love and light.

[Pamina]

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences!
The problem is that every time the ambulance comes he is kind of "pretending" not having any problems. So for a short time he is able to dissimulate for a short time. Then the ambulance leaves saying that he is not in danger so they can't take him with them...

[mia1]

that's is exactly what my daughter does. unless they say they are going to commit suicide or look like they are, no one will touch them.

[Cat64]

G is very good at this too...even after 16 years he can sometimes trick me.

@Pamina have you tried that mental health team in your area. I have found that they are very good at deciphering what is going on. When ever we have had G in a general ward at a hospital they really don't have the training in mental health. Same goes with the ambos I would imagine. They are trained in general health issues and are very busy, The difference with having a mental health team come to our loved is that they have the time to sit with them for a while and eventually the picture of the situation is formed.

In my previous posts you will see that G has been in hospital now into his 7th week. He presents extremely well on the phone and day time outings with me, but when he needs to 'hold it together' any longer than that, he slips back into his psychosis.

@Barbara, what a struggle for you. G is the same with hospitals - and where he is right now is not a very welcoming environment. There is no stimulation, and others in ther with him just do his head in. Luckily he went voluntarily, but has since been written up as involuntary. I wonder sometimes if it's the right thing to do and put himin there, but at the end of the day i have to try and cope with him here - which I did for 3 months prior to this addmission. He hates it and blames me for putting him in there, but eventually he settles and understands that it needed to be done. Sorry I can't offer you any advice, just my commpassion and understanding of what you are going through. Just being able to write all this kind of stuff down and get it out of my system is a huge releif. Finally there are people out there that understand our fight and offer some comfort.

Love and light to you all

[ivana]

Hi @Barbara,

Sorry for your awful situation.

I hope improvements can be done to change the mental health system and training for doctors so that people like your son,who may not have "classical" symptoms will receive more help and that doctors would become more educated on the more "unusual presentations".

Regarding the  "hyperacusis" that your son is experiencing,its *possible* that he's experience excess sensitivity to sound due to damage of the auditory cortex within the Temporal Lobes.

In my undertanding,in a healthy brain-when there is no damage,there is usually a "filter" but when damage occurs to this region,that filter is destructed and sounds will sound much louder and be very pervasive.

You may want to perhaps consider seeing a Neuropsychiatrist and seeing if you can obtain some brain imaging for your son.For example:pet scans.

Neurologists generally often order brain MRI and this would not show the damage I'm referring to but would show if there was a tumor or other structural damage.

If you can't find a Neuropsychiatrist,perhaps you could find an openminded Neurologist and try to convince them to order a brain PET scan as  a PET scan shows how the brain and its tissues are working as opposed to CT or MRI which show only if there is structural injury.

Unfortunately,Brain PET scans are very rarely done clinically in Australia.

Generally speaking,i know some people have had them done in the US.

Would you know if anything has preceded the deterioration of your sons condition?

Eg:did he have a virus or did anything else happen?

What is his diet like?

Does he have any issues with walking or anything else to do with movement or muscle twitches etc?

Maybe you could also write an email/letter to RANZCP or the Mental Health Commision stating that you arnt happy with how certain things in Psychiatry are being caried out and ouline what you think needs changing?

http://www.diffen.com/difference/CT_Scan_vs_PET_Scan

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/services/imaging-institute/imaging-services/hic-pet-scan

http://www.nature.com/nrn/journal/v16/n9/abs/nrn4002.html

A Sane moderator asked me to edit my post,so i should probably state that the above is for information exchanging purposes only and should not taken to consist of medical advice.

[Barbara]

HI, thank you for your advise, there is no way i can get him to do a brain scan, also impossible to get him to dentist or psychiatrist or hospital. another update on our life - J. has daily episodes and losing control over himself, being very aggressive, it is so terrible to watch him deteriorate. I called the mental health line who said to me they can not do anything nor send anyone unless J. agrees... which is really strange... of course he would not agree... but I NEED HELP !!!!  My husband had to call the police the other day because J. was attacking me physically. they came and spoke to him and called the ambulance to take him to the local mental health hospital. he had a few psychiatrists assess him and J. was on his best behaviour and they sent him back home. then i had him booked in to a private clinic because i thought it is better than him ending up being 'sanctioned' in a public hospital.. he is heading that way if he keeps going and i would tell someone how he is really behaving, i am still too scared to send him public so i keep quiet... which is probably why they did not keep him. so much dilemma in me.

so we are going round and round in circles with no improvement, more the opposite. I have daily breakdowns and can not cope with him anymore. i am spending all day trying to keep him under control, pleasing him, cleaning up after him, he is terribly messy and dirty, trying to take him out into the nature, where he only abuses me verbally, screems at me, blaming me for his terrible life. he keeps telling me 'every second of my life is hell' and this is all our fault, his bad upbringing, his traumatic childhood (it was not so bad, of course we made some mistakes but not because we wanted to hurt him, we always wanted to best for him) he is really losing his mind and i am so stuck and exhausted. he has so many obsessions it is impossible to live with him,but we just put up with all the rubbish, he can not help himself i suppose, it is his illness. so he gets away with everything !! i feel like i can not go on anymore myself. my other 2 children had to move out from home because it is too traumatising for them to see J. 

so we just have to keep going... every day.. day by day. minute by minute. waiting for the next 'explosion' to happen, i am so scared in my own house. i have no friends nor joy anymore. i have no purpuse in my life except to keep J. alive. and myself i suppose.... 

[Barbara]

...oh yes, i forgot to mention - J. did not end up going to the private clinic, he refused - as it is volutary i could not make him. so we are back 'to square one'...  

[Appleblossom]

It sounds like you are walking on egg-shells and becoming a slave more than a mother for your son. It can keep him

I think he is old enough to hear a few things from your point of view, and be told not to abuse you. He will hurt himself as much as he hurts you in doing that.  The problem becomes that distinction between himself and his demons and you as major caregiver are difficult for him.

I know a few men who let themselves go during their 20s in terms of hygeine and living in a mess ... got themselves out of it in their late 30s to the end of their lives.  he needs to come to terms with his own lived environmentI love nature and talk about good dirt .. the earth and hygeine ... but it is hard to be a mum and not Help".  I still do too much for my son to try and encourage him to live moderatley cleanly and tidily.

No easy answers @Barbara you are a salt of the earth mother. Try not to let his anger get you personally.

Recently my son was very direct and angry to me ... I knew he had to let off steam .. it was shocking but ok ... in that it would b e worse if he kept such thought inside ... but also I am setting boundaries about not being a whipping post.  I still work to catch him being good and point out his good traits and efforts.

Good Luck

[mia1]

OMG I feel for you and I feel your pain. my daughter is the same. They know the system and how to play it. Unless they say they are going to suicide no one can do anything. it is a horrible life for everyone involved and it would great if the mental health system pulled their finger out and actually put something in place for these kids.