Friends, Family & Carers Forum

[Acacia]

@bbear thank you for sharing your story. It sounds incredibly hard – seems you have been doing your best in a really difficult situation for a long time. I'm glad to hear that some clinicians are recognising that your son's really not well.

It must be so hard for you to be the target of his paranoia. Have there ever been times when he was doing better when you've been able to talk about how he is feeling?

Do you have support for yourself through all of this? Perhaps through a counsellor or support group?

[Koya]

If it is severe and they or others are at risk, a short hospital stay to stabilise things can be very effective, especially if carers need time and rest to regroup.
If they are functioning reasonably well, I think a shared plan of action is a great idea...maybe the care load needed to be rearranging, even if only short term, and asking for help can really strengthen some family relationships. Some people can't cope ,so no point trying to drag them in, try and build your own support through carer groups etc

[bbear]

The last couple of years would have to be the worst I think as he is deteriorating and still not believing he is sick.  He weaves his own story with clinicians and his current diagnosis is PTSD and Anxiety.  Which I do believe he has but the main issue is his paranoid schizophrenia.  He does not like to talk about feelings and shuts me down.

I have recently joined a support group that I am able to attend.  But otherwise his fears mean he is with me 24/7.  I have had to cut back my work hours and he is then with my elderly mother.  He has attended job interviews with me!!

i feel so bad speaking about him like this.  I just don't know what to do!

[Acacia]

Thank you everyone for your valuable insights.

Before we finish, I'd like to share some resources which have popped up tonight.

@CherryBomb mentioned Hearing Voices. You can find their website, including some great resources on strategies to cope with voices, here: http://hvna.net.au/

This self-help cite has some tips on CBT for psychosis: http://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/psychosis.htm

Here is Dr Xavier Amador's website, which @leitor mentioned (the LEAP method): http://dramador.com/

And I'd also like to share this TED talk from Eleanor Longden who talks about her experience with hearing voices: http://www.ted.com/talks/eleanor_longden_the_voices_in_my_head?language=en

[CherryBomb]

That's a wrap everyone, the session has finished and is now closed.

Thanks for all your contributions tonight. Two hours always flys by. But the conversation does not need to end here. If you feel you still need to talk about the issues raised tonight, please don't hesitate to start another conversation elsewhere on the Forums, or get in contact with the services that @Acacia listed above. 

[Acacia]

@bbear, the Topic Tuesday is finishing up now, but please stick around the forums. There are lots of other wonderful carers here who've all been on their own journeys.