Friends, Family & Carers Forum

[Madat]

Hi, my 19 yr old daughter was in hospital for 3 weeks due to drug induced psychosis discharged on the 21.10.15 and recovering quite well, on meds still, and the team is quite happy with her progress.

She had to drop out of uni semester and other activities. Now seems to lack motivation which is understandable I suppose, and has some lack of confidence/low esteem to do anything more than meeting friends who I guess she feels comfortable with. I have suggested walks/swimming etc or simple volunteering opportunities rather than a casual job to fill up her days even if just once a week but she has not shown interest.

Perhaps the meds make her slower, also she is still in recovery but I feel sad & worried seeing her like this. Friends are busy with exams, also she needs some activity I feel apart from just socialising. My partner and I took time off work to be with her but have got back to full time work now. I feel sad to see her like this and just want to help her get on with life. She is in care as an outpatient with the hospital and meets them once a week.

I would appreciate any ideas/help from this lovely community who may have faced/or be facing a similar situation. I am finding it hard to keep a balance between being loving and supportive to a recovering young person but also having a desire to help the person move on. Many thanks.

[Appleblossom]

I think your post is very sensitive..  Maybe its the right time for you to move on get back to normal activities for yourself ... but keep an opeining available for her ..  I cant possibly comment on your daughter's timing as it is very individual how quickly a person recovers from a major episode.

Hope you get other good comments

[Mosaic]

Hi @Madat

Firstly just wanted to welcome you to the Forums - I am so glad you have stumbled upon our community 🙂 I do hope you find it to be a helpful and supportive space to connect with likeminded others facing similar circumstances.

It is great to hear the mental health team feel she is doing better and making good progress towards recovery. Echoing what @Appleblossom said, recovery does look different for each person, and it is quite common that it may take some time for her to feel like her old self (patience is a virtue). Indeed certain medication side effects can lead people to feel a little slowed down... and medication can take some time to settle down. However in general, experiencing a lack of motivation to engage in previously enjoyable activities is quite common for people living with mental illness. Given that your daughter was hospitalised for three weeks, it sounds like she has been through a lot. It is so important to just take it day-by-day right now, an remember to celebrate all those little milestones and small victories as well. For many people, just taking a shower can be a great step foward. There are a number of members on here who are caring for an older teenager. From memory, I think @Janna has a son around 16 years old, and @Altogether has an 18 year old son, both who are living with mental illness. I wonder if they might like to share with you some of their own insights or advice, as they have walked a similar journey to yourself.

Please keep us updated with your daughters progress 🙂 Again, welcome to the Forums!

All the best, Mosaic.