Schizophrenia Support Group

Recently, he quit his "day job" to start a business and encountered significant stresses. He was clearly angry and agitated about what transpired (someone falsely accused him of not sending merchandise, then attempted to get him to give their money back or they would post a bad review of him).

In the week after this, he began talking about the universe, space/time, his superior intelligence, and his ability to see into the future. He began calling us and talking non-stop for hours. He only rarely became angry, and would immediately apologize. Most of the time he told us how important we were to him and how much he loves us and how relationships are the most important thing during our time on earth.

In the past two days he revealed he had "met" someone (a famous person) but is cagey about how he "communicates" with her. He asks us if she has called us. We have gently challenged him, but haven't pushed as he is now absolutely certain they will spend the rest of their lives together.

I tried calling his Dr on Friday (office closed) and had him paged twice, but he never called back so I wrote a letter to his office.

What should I do about my son's continued and escalating assertions about this famous person's interest in him.

Please tell me what to do.

Almost certianly, a labs will be taken because viral infections and some physical ailments can cause delusions and hallusinations. After the physical tests are taken, if it's found out nothing physically is wrong with him, they will see what they can do for him mentally.

Almost certianly they will set him up with a therapist. That will say alot, even if he doesn't talk. The mixture between the therapist and the psyciatrist will give them a clearer vision of what he's got.

Theses are some of my experience dealing with the mental health facilities.

Good luck to you. Encourage and get him to talk as gently as possible. I can say what I think it sounds like. But I don't know him or all the stuff that's going on with him.

Another peice of advice, knowledge is power. Study about the different things that you believe it sounds like. After obtaining a diagnosis, study about the diagnosis. Find out all the information you can. Read, read, read.

Again, Good Luck!

Regardless of what is true in the world, his relationship and interactions with the famous people are real to him in his mind. Hopefully his doctor has gotten your message regarding your son's recent change in condition. perhaps you could contact his receptionist during the week and ask what is the best method for contacting the doc (phone, text, email?) should you happen to notice changes in your son's condition that you'd like the doc to be aware of.

As the loved one of someone who suffers schizophrenia, bipolar, or psychosis, the best we can do is to keep the lines of communications with them wide open. Directly challenging his beliefs usually won't help him "get over his thoughts" and it might just drive a wedge between the two of you and his willingness to share with you in the future.

Asking why he believes such and such, or how he feels about so and so allows you and your son discuss his feelings and his reality without having to agree or disagree whether it is true. If, for instance, your son believes that a famous person on TV is communicating to him directly through the TV (something my son used to think) you could ask him what he thinks about that person. You could say something like "oh yes, I've seen that star on TV. To me, she seems like a nice lady/good actress/intelligent, but I've never met her in person..."

My thoughts are with you on this journey.

Lisa

Neither of my communications with the Drs office went well. The Dr wouldn't talk to my husband or me, but we were told to email our concerns.

After we first emailed and expressly told the Dr that if our son knew we were writing, it would cause him great distress, the psychiatrist told my son exactly what his father and I said, and even told him that his father had forwarded portions of our son's emails (we did this only to help the Dr see the way our son was thinking about things). Our son felt betrayed and furious at us for this.

His condition continued to deteriorate over the next few days, so I drove 600 miles to where he lives, thinking somehow I could help him-get him to come home with me or get him to go back to the psychiatrist, or into a hospital, or?

He was initially very glad to see me, but I found him in a financial crisis-which I spent a whole day attempting to resolve (tickets, fines, expired license tag, license suspended, phone bill not paid) but he became hostile and resistant and more entrenched in his delusions (Lisa, I did exactly what you said to say about the famous singer) and in the end he told me to get out of his house or he would call the police. I ended our visit telling him I loved him.

I went back home and immediately emailed the Drs office with some information that I thought was pertinent (my son told me he had never informed his Dr about his alcohol/drug abuse history and his heart murmur) as the medication the Dr has him on has a contraindication against this. I also mentioned my son not sleeping at all (he napped a few minutes here and there but didn't sleep over the 36 hours I was there), and about the delusions about the singer.

Well, again, the Drs office called my son and told him about my email which drove a further wedge between us. He called me with pure hate toward me, calling me foul names, and debasing me to the extreme. I tried to continue to assure him of my love and concern. The only good that came of it is he said the Dr told him he needed to get a 2nd opinion, and he said he agreed to do this.

I know now even less what to do.

Sorry to hear your son is experiencing some form of mental illness. All I know is the things I've experienced. When your mind is sending your brain delusional thoughts even if you you find them hard to believe ... you usually go along with them until they start to hurt you or your loved ones or they impair your ability to work, socialize , evento do the most basics tasks of daily life. I'm so happy to hear your son believes that relationships are the most important things in life ... gosh I completely agree. Family support is so so important. I have a friend who's Bi-polar and when he gets real manic he always believes he John F. Kennedy. Then after such episodes he has such clarity of mind that you would never know he is mentally impaired. I ask others to point out to me if I become delusional or paranoid just GENTLE reminders of reality. If my loved ones allow me to continue and even myself to believe delusional thoughts I'd never know that I do need help. Like meds,a doctor and counseling. I've learned that I can pick and choose what thoughts I want to believe. So, I try to forget the negative ones or ones that are "harmful" and read books or pray thinking things that are uplifting yet are based in "reality". Mental illness makes a person have to struggle internally with his own self. A daily battle to stay rooted in truth and peace. Blessing ...