Schizophrenia?

[PiscesMom]

Hi. I wonder if anyone can point me to a good resource to learn more about schizophrenia?
My son is finally under the county's care. I guess after a few too many trips to the ER, the system thankfully takes notice.

He was living in a group home for a few weeks, stopped taking Risperdal, and is really having a hard time. He was moved to a crisis place now - a house with a lot of staff, structure, and we are waiting for his appointment with his psychiatrist, which is a week out. His social worker talked to him, and he has agreed to take medications.

He calls me a lot, paranoid and fearful about how the police are about to arrest him. The voices in his head mock and insult him constantly, he gets angry at me because of course I know about all this and what the police are up to. On and on.

I am acting like the voices are real. He must experience them as real. Last night I said Why do you believe them and not me? He calmed down a bit and said maybe I did care about him, after all. (Instead of being ok with him being imprisoned and tortured to death)

He has not had any marijuana since before Christmas when he was moved to a group home, away from his dad's. He seems to be around 13 emotionally, developmentally; he is very innocent despite having been to jails and treatment centers from 14 on.

 

[recoveringenabler]

Hi PiscesMom. Schizophrenia is tough. My brother and sister both have schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. If you haven't already, go on the NAMI site and search Schizophrenia, they have good information there. Perhaps if you call them, they can refer you to more information and guidance.

Plus if you do a search here, you can read others posts about it and articles as well.

Both my siblings hear voices. What I've observed with my family members who have been diagnosed with various mental illness' is it's often challenging to find just one diagnosis....often there are more than one, which can make medication difficult.

 

[Sam3]

This seems very difficult and yet you seem full of effort and grace. What a wonderful mom your son has, no matter what.

 

[PiscesMom]

This seems very difficult and yet you seem full of effort and grace. What a wonderful mom your son has, no matter what.

Thank you, Sam. It's really good to hear. I have felt so bad about my parenting for so long - I blamed myself for everything. I wish I had been kinder to myself all these difficult years.

 

[PiscesMom]

Thanks RE, I will look around. Yeah, I don't think he is a typical schizophrenic, he's also like an eternal 12 or 15 year old, maybe that is the autism part of it. Maybe I will look into a NAMI support type group? I already did the class, that was before the diagnosis and new symptoms.

 

[Nana C .]

Hi. I wonder if anyone can point me to a good resource to learn more about schizophrenia?
My son is finally under the county's care. I guess after a few too many trips to the ER, the system thankfully takes notice.

He was living in a group home for a few weeks, stopped taking Risperdal, and is really having a hard time. He was moved to a crisis place now - a house with a lot of staff, structure, and we are waiting for his appointment with his psychiatrist, which is a week out. His social worker talked to him, and he has agreed to take medications.

He calls me a lot, paranoid and fearful about how the police are about to arrest him. The voices in his head mock and insult him constantly, he gets angry at me because of course I know about all this and what the police are up to. On and on.

I am acting like the voices are real. He must experience them as real. Last night I said Why do you believe them and not me? He calmed down a bit and said maybe I did care about him, after all. (Instead of being ok with him being imprisoned and tortured to death)

He has not had any marijuana since before Christmas when he was moved to a group home, away from his dad's. He seems to be around 13 emotionally, developmentally; he is very innocent despite having been to jails and treatment centers from 14 on.