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Re: Son with no insight into his mental condition

@greenpea @Dadcaringalone

 

We tried that route a month ago. All that happened is they kept him for observation to make sure he didn’t harm himself. He refused medication. The psychiatrist said he didn’t show sufficient signs of psychosis for him to get an order for him to be medicated involuntarily. I argued that I really believe he needs it, but he didn’t accept it. So we took him home with a referral to Headspace. They have seen him once but we can’t get any info on what was said because he is 18. We feel like the medical professionals have let us down. That there just isn’t any way to get help until he does something more severe.

Re: Son with no insight into his mental condition

@Stefanie Hmmmm .... yes well can I be perfectly honest with you we got to that point with son2. He was terrifying our household ..... I have to be careful of what I write here so that the moderators don't get upset with me ....It might come to the point of what you dread most which is what we want to avoid by getting him into hospital asap. 

 

Sounds like a very ordinary psychiatrist (alot are it took me ages to find a great one for son2).... Okay there seems to be two ways to do this:

 

1. call the police and ambos and send him to hospital when you feel threatened (that means when he is banging cupboard doors etc. That behaviour is very aggressive and you shouldn't have to put up with it. Particularly your ex wife and daughter. Plus it could escalate into something worse which nobody wants). 

 

2. Tell your son if he doesn't take his medicine he will have to move out .... that will be harder as you say he cannot look after himself but it might give him the incentive to take his medicine.

 

In the meantime find a good psychiatrist. Have a good look around. I have gone private as I have been underwhelmed by the public ones I have to be honest here.

 

Also I have just thought of something when my son2 was super aggressive I was totally honest with him and said if he didn't take his medication he could do something that he regrets which could have him end up in prison. There are many mentally ill people in prison. That put the fear of god into him and is one of the reasons why he takes his medication. greenpea

Re: Son with no insight into his mental condition

Dear @Stefanie and @greenpea

I had a very similar experience with trying to get my son treated Stefanie, they refused to treat him because he was over 18 and manipulative as hell to the stage where I was arrested and I was put at risk of being put in jail for 2 years while I was restraining him from self harming while he was receiving command hallucinations to commit suicide. I had to deal with the tough realisation of prefering to have him still alive or not and then the negative impact on me having a criminal conviction against my name. Then when we finally got him in hospital we couldn’t speak to him because he was over 18 and my wife and myself were cut off from contact with him. I agree 200% with greenpea that you have to be really firm here, it’s a really tough stage you are experiencing. I described your situation to my son this morning and he commented that what you described sounds to him like your son is at the prodromal stage of psychosis and it unfortunately has to get worse before things get better. 

 

What I have to add to what greenpea has already written here is that the more time your son spends psychotic the more he gets addicted to this new reality, and while drugs maybe seen as having a negative side effect on him, they can also be viewed as the best way to restrain these very negative symptoms as I don’t want to hear from you that your son is stuck in a perpetual state of psychosis! My therapist who is excellent told me the story of a mother who took her son of his meds, took him to Korea to have an exorcism, and when he returned to Australia this poor young man was almost in a continual state of psychosis. Don’t want to be the bearer of bad news but from what you describe here, his illness may need to get worse before circumstances make it almost the only choice left to get him back into hospital and get prescribed the correct medication for his mental health condition. Due to the nature of my son’s illness, he only turned up to hospital or his gp when he was really depressed or sick. When he was manic, he was happy for no particular reason, we now because he’s on the correct medication manage to keep him balanced enough to function socially normally in society and even hold down a job to give him the independence he missed so much. Hope that helps Stefanie and yes greenpea, it would be awesome if we could have a coffee some day. Take care the both of you and best of luck with your families over the next few days where the weather is going to be very hot where I am and I am sure emotions will also get over heated...

Re: Son with no insight into his mental condition

@greenpea 

Dear Greenpea, long-time no speak! How are you? Sorry I’ve been out of contact with you for so long. You have been in my thoughts but I’ve been pretty busy. Things have been pretty uneventful and the conditions of my son have stabilized substantially. He’s now on a therapeutic dosage of his ms and traveling pretty well. The only concern I have is with his antipsychotic because he has a type of placebo side effect from anxiety which he strongly believes is caused by this med. Both myself and his specialist are strongly convinced it’s all in his head but he strongly disagrees and has type of psychologically convinced himself of this case to change this med at home because he still lacks the insight concerning the impact this will have on himself, his future and those around him. It’s impossible for this to happen out of hospital and I don’t really know how to stop this chain of events which will destabilize the whole situation I have been fighting to change over the past year or so. We will just get out of wack again and have to start from ground zero! I thought you may have some insights concerning this situation or may have experienced something similar? I’m going to try and voice my concerns with his case worker and specialist separately but when he sets his mind on something he delusionally does not listen to common sense. Take care and pls keep in tough...

Re: Son with no insight into his mental condition

@Dadcaringalone  Hi Dadcaringalone so good to 'see' you and yes I have been thinking of you recently infact and wondering how you were going :).But I figured no news is good news . Hmmm ... re son may I ask what his 'placebo effect from his meds' are?  For myself with my anti psychotics I have put on weight (which I hate and am trying desperately to lose) get very tired more often and at weird times. Need cat naps throughout the day.

 

With my son2 he is doing really well he is down off one of his meds (the one that puts on weight) which is great.  Son2 is just doing really well atm. He will always hear his voices but he is calm and happy 

 

So if you can let me know what 'the placebo' is as I am curious and might be able to shed some light regarding it from my end. I do know personally that medications are hard going and do take a toll on ones body and mind.

 

Love always greenpea xxx

Re: Son with no insight into his mental condition

@greenpea  thanks so much for your extremely quick response! To be clear, the placebo affect I’m referring to here relates to him “thinking” there is a side effect when there in fact is no physical side effects which results in his stopping taking his meds when he “thinks” this and argues to change again which due to the nature of his illness will result in a prolonged hospitalization again. He will then probably just have to go back to the same one you are on, which he’s been on before, with the severe weight gain which he now cannot remember because he was very sick last time with no insight. Trust that’s clear enough. I echo all your thoughts about staying in contact etc and yes, no news is definitely good news!

Re: Son with no insight into his mental condition

@Dadcaringalone  Hi Dadcaringalone good to see you up so early lol. The early bird catches the worm :). I have to say that no I haven't in my experience had anything like what your son has  and neither has son2 (as far as I can tell). Ours has all been physical. Probably because we are both medicated up to the hilt lol ....

 

You are such a good dad. Your son is soooo lucky to have you in his court. Remember to take care of yourself. Love greenpea 🙂 

Re: Son with no insight into his mental condition

@greenpea I’m currently doing a course for carers and our homework is to regularly do some self-care which just involves myself not my son. I have been doing daily long walks alone  (keeping the steps up) and this week I’ve been to the beach 3 or 4 times because I find the sea 🏝calming! Next week I’m taking a week to 10 days break from caring for my son because it’s been pretty full-on recently, long story, but involved him resigning from his work. I found that now I know when I’m getting close to “carers burnout” and take steps to manage that before things get all out of wack! So sorry to hear about you both being medicated up to the hilt, been trying to get my son to rely less on medication and more anger management strategies, not sure I told you about his violent bipolar anger bursts, but this is proving pretty tough because the change of medication options is much easier!

Take care, what are you doing for your self-care?

Re: Son with no insight into his mental condition

@Dadcaringalone  see we are like-minded I have been going for early morning walks all this week around 5am for an hour by the bay where we live. It is beautiful with the lights shining on the water and being alone just with the cars going past and the occassional bird waking up. I am determined to lose the weight . I am tall so can carry it but hate it nonetheless. 

 

I am eating super healthy and drinking loads of water too. Am really trying to improve my health overall. You know what Dadcaringalone I love the fact I have this outlet to talk with people one but still find it sad that when I click with someone like yourself and others that you cannot meet up for walks and coffee. Still this avenue is better than a kick in the head so next time I go for a walk which will be on Monday I will think of you as I pass the bay 🙂

Re: Son with no insight into his mental condition

@greenpea  I’m the same, I’m the type of person who needs personal contact! It feel like its type of unnatural talking to someone like this, but as you say so eloquently, its better than a kick in the head!!! Keep up the walking!! That’s awesome and energizing by the bay! It’s also like walking meditation for me and that’s what I’m doing for my break.

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