Schizophrenia and Parenting: Step In or Let Go?

My son is schitzophrinic , and is 22 years old. He just bought a plane ticket to Alaska, and has not been on meds for more than a month. How can I stop him?

We need a mental health change my 31 year old daughter has bipolar disorder and last year they told her she's schizophrenia but don't except the schizophrenia and refuse the meds in the past 2yrs she's been admitted in the hospital like 10 times and she will continue to she throws everything food detergents etc. And repeats buying cause she says they poison, staff poison her stuff in her apt she wipe out her apt she's almost in debt she calls me every to wks or more to see if I could put money in her account she stay broke from her ssi like a gambleler but am disabled to and I get ssi to she wants my money constantly I pay her phone so I could hear her voice but when I can't help her am a bad mother to her that I don't care not realizing what she's doing she's not managing her money well am afraid she loses her supporting housing she's out of control and right now she's admitted again I don't understand why if she's in danger and don't except her schizophrenia and refuse meds why they don't put her in a long term residential before she hurts some one or somebody will kill her cause she's very aggressive what about my quality of life am disabled to am desperate can some help me she's has the ACT TEAM and the AOT somebody is not doing there freakin job.

I have been reading several books about this problem: no one cares about crazy people, by ron powers; out of the shadows by torey fuller; i'm not sick, I don't need help by Xavier Amador. also there's a movie : healing voices but I haven't seen it yet. there's a lot of good books; the day the voices stopped by ken steele... he is an excellent writer about what it was like in the 1950s going in and out of psyche hospitals... he writes about self... he writes about several gay experiences though and that might upset some but that was his story.

I have a 33 year old Granddaughter that is schizophrenic and bi-polar, and is exactly like how Julie and Ruby describes their. I'm worried for my daughter and great grandson with her being this way. It seems like no one cares. She's been put into the psyche ward at the hospital several times but they will only keep them for 3 days, and most of the time she walks out before time is up because she wants a cigarette and can't smoke at the hospital. Once or twice a month she finds meth and drinks, then she sees snakes all over herself. She hears voices constantly. She is so disruptive to my daughter's household they don't get any sleep because she keeps them all up all night. She has threatened my daughter and has told her: "You don't know how much I want to kill you". Cops and ambulance has been there so so many times. It seems as if they just don't care. When the cops get there she turns on a switch in her head and lies to them saying everything is fine, don't know what the fuss is" and so they just tell her to go back to her room and they leave. She refuses to admit she needs help, she takes meds for awhile then goes off of them, she doesn't take them long enough to see if they'll even help.
My daughter's health isn't good either, her blood pressure is so high I'm afraid for her having to deal with her daughter on a daily basis. My granddaughter needs to be in a long-term, in-house psychiatric facility, but they have no money. Granddaughter and daughter's boyfriend each get SSI and my daughter has been fighting for 10 years trying to get hers. So if they lose granddaughters income, they'll be on the street. I don't know where to turn. But we have got to get her out of that household before she harms herself or my daughter or her son. Can my daughter to to court and have her declared incompetent and sent to the state mental hospital?

Our son was 21 years old. He had just graduated from college in only 3 years with a degree in philosophy; he had just moved out on his own and gotten a second job while he applied to begin his Master’s program. Then the wheels fell off. He believed a girl he had known was sending him messages on Facebook and the computer. Ultimately his delusion was that he was being filmed for a TV show – that cameras where everywhere he went, and that mom and dad had signed a contracted to allow it to happen so we’d be rich. 6 months after getting his degree he was arrested for felony stalking. A year in jail later – with 4 weeks at a state mental hospital – and he was a converted felony on probation. His diagnosis from the hospital was “mood disorder otherwise not specified”. His diagnosis now that we have him in treatment is “paranoid schizophrenia”.
We have successfully gotten him to take his meds – but only after an incident would happen at the house and I gave him the option of taking his meds or leaving. We’ve set boundaries on what behavior we expect for him to live with us – and he has fought us the whole way but ultimately knows his option is life on the streets or follow the rules and live at the only home he has even known. We worry every day like everyone else about a phone call from the police; or coming home to a hole in the wall because he got pissed off at something he saw on the TV or Computer he thinks is intended for him. Mental Illness is a horrible, horrible thing to deal with for anyone – but especially for parents to see their promising child reduced to this state and behaviors.
We’ve spent thousands when he was in jail to care for him; we’ve ensure he takes his meds which has helped significantly; taken NAMI classes – which were outstanding. We have given everything we have…and the first thing he’ll say when he has an episode is that we don’t support him. It’s so frustrating. Now he wants control over his meds – not to go off them but to take something different as his current one makes him gain weight.
Now, with the med change, his behaviors are deteriorating again. My biggest question now is – At what point do we say “It’s time for you to leave”?? We are not equipped to handle this situation long-term…and I’m honestly at a point of letting him go and telling him to never come back. We plan to take NAMI support classes to learn about housing options – so that when the time comes and I tell him to leave I can give him options. His response is always that if we kick him out then he’ll hurt himself and it will be on our hands. It won’t be as we’re good parents who have fought for him and survived a situation most relationships would not – but it worries me some. It seems no matter what we do – it will be wrong – but we have to live our lives too, and we have a right to some happiness…don’t we?

I saw the sad stories and they are similar to mine but I am looking for a solution and answers. Is there any hope?

My son has paranoia and mental health issues extremely bad time and fights every day to stay alive he lives on the streets or anywhere he can stay he cannot focus on one thing he has been trying We need help and not sure where to go he has been toCMHA and they place him in places he cannot stay due to his paranoia he has a worker who helps people on sthe streets but he does not keep in touch due to his illness and misses all kinds of apts what can I do Mom desperately seeking help for my son ..

Shannon stowell, I'm praying for you! This message probably won't get posted, I don't know why but everything I try to do gets thwarted. My heart goes out to you, and I'm also drinking lot because I know I'll bury my son... and the worst thing is, I almost want to. I'm so tired of the mayhem and nightmare of worrying and trying to keep things from spiraling out of control. As it is, when the police come to our house, I know them by name. I'm actually glad my sweet parents died in 2008 and 2009, because they don't have to know about this. I love all the families of the mentally ill, because we're in this struggle together, as corny as that sounds. God bless you. Read the Psalms, they do help. And I fervently believe that beyond this life, we'll see our kids again and they won't be mentally ill.

My sixteen years old has aspergers but also at 14 showed signs of scitzophrenia thinking he had a microphone on his head. He only mentioned that once. Medication has helped but it seems his disordered thinking is hindering him to be able to do his homework.
How much are you supposed to push him. He is so smart. Now he is 16 and I worry about his future. Do they hide what they are thinking because they worry about us thinking they are crazy? Not sure how to help him.

I want help live in eastern pa by scranton. My Son has had skitsofrenic long time. Started when he was 13 niw37 all have deserted him my ex his father and family. All he has is me and my new husband of 4 months never felt with mental illness.NAMI WANTED MONEY. MY HEART ACHES FOR HIM. HE JUST WANTS TO KILL HIMSELF. MY MOM HAD ScizOFRENIA ALSO I DID NOT KNOW THEM AT 10 now I am in my 60 it is a horrible mental illness.

my son was 22 when he began exhibiting signs of schizophrenia. he was far from home- and i heard tales of some kind of cult that stole his soul and follow him everywhere. he beleives this to this day and his doctors say he may just live with it and do the best he can. even with his meds he will sometimes be very afraid of the computor or cable receiver. in addition after he spent two months in the state hospital-he came down with spinal meningitus-and was found to have full blown aids. in addition he has colon cancer-w 3 surgeries scheduled- and hepatitis c. hes very young and was excited about taking the world by the tail. now-hes given up- and i dont know what to tell him. he takes his anger out on me in the most hurtful ways. i cant completely talk to his doctors-they have to break a few rules just so i can keep a schedule. im so very grateful to have found this site. its good to know im not alone.its good to know WE'RE not alone. let's keep talking.

my son began exhibiting signs when he was 22. i heard stories of how a satanic group took his soul-and followed him everywhere-through the telephone and media lines- cable and tv. he also has full blown aids-because he wasn't lucid when they offered the medicine. he thought they were trying to poison him-and he was an adult! what a nightmare-i could do nothing. i had to bend rules and make friends just to keep him alive. now he resents me-im overprotective-i dont even recognize him as the child i raised-its like watching your loved one die. he sees a psyche and is on meds-but not the right combination. any input i try to give is not acceptable-hes an adult. meanwhile i have to pick up all the pieces when things go wrong- and he tells me to stay the **** out of his business. i dont know how to tell him life is worthwhile. now he has colon cancer and hepatitis c. his days are numbered. lately i just drink-because i know i will bury him- and i remember when he was so sharp and full of life-ready to take the world by its tail. i have two other boys and-honestly this has taken away from them what i couldve given. i feel like nothing i do will be right...and its very hard to keep plugging-every day. every hour. every minute. im so glad i found you guys. its such a relief to know im not alone. thank you so very much.

Thank you everyone for what you write. It is so helpful. Our younger sister, age 59, is diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, and had been living the last 2 years with our mother who just died. She refuses to takes her Meds -- we've found unfinished bottles going back 3 months- and gets bitchy and needs coaxing to wash and eat and sits talking to herself, gesticulating and laughing sporadically. She sleeps with 2 radios on, maybe doesn't sleep. Unfortunately she has lost her housing with mother dead and the house locked and in probate. Our biggest problem is finding her a place to live. She receives SSI And SSDi, keeping the total secret and frittering the money on clothes and makeup, and has no savings and since I got her forbearance on a $28k debt she basically has no responsibilities, and not even paying toward housing costs as mother got tired of arguing with her to pay her share and would just cave in and clear her bills for her. She has a psychotherapist and psyciatrist who she lies to that "everything is fine" and tells them she takes her meds and makes up healthy-sounding plans likes she is going to take classes, or get a bike (to lose weight as she's 265 pounds) or is learning to take the para transit bus, (which i signed her up for so our elderly mother wouldn't have to drive her) but does none of these things for real. I am sick of hearing these lies when going with her to her appointments and now my enabling mother isn't there to cosset and cover for her she is very angry that she has no place to live as none of us 3 siblings can take in this "cuckoo." I'm afraid to answer the phone from the local sheriffs office Asking me to call them as they probably think I will pick her up. We tried to get her into a psych unit but the hearing magistrate said the unit psychiatrist said she was capable of self-care (she was under an Emergency order for 3 days only and acted fine for them). Of course she agreed! I believe I've done as much as I can do and feel very uncomfortable letting her go "homeless." However,, Could this get her into a path to a shelter or group home? I'm encouraged by what errant sky's said above but I think I'm going to have to get nerves of steel to really let go.....

I am glad I came across this website. I am not alone in this awful situation. I have a sister who is turning 50 this year, its been 30 years of hell for my parents. Her latest episode consists of her moving into her boyfriends home who has served jail time for attempted murder , vicious assault etc etc. He found out if he became her carer he could get her pension. They back-paid her $5000 and he spent it on alcohol, drugs and the family who came calling. The $1300 they get a fortnight he takes and she never sees it. He threatened her that if she tried to leave he would come after her. She just got out of hospital again after being put in involuntary. She goes back to him again and again. She told my mother that he would let her have a haircut and buy a dress. This is her money. Last time my parents met her she was asking for money she had not showered for god knows how long, she was filthy dirty and had lost a lot of weight you could also smell pot. I want her to stay away from my parents especially because of that person she is with. She is abusive and aggressive and I fear for my parents who are getting older. I don't speak to her because despite her illness she is manipulative and nasty. I wish we could put her in a home so she could be taken care of and protected from evil people that take advantage of mentally ill people but there is nothing that can be done.

When my son was 12 I had to send him away to live with his Dad because he was physically and verbally abusing my youngest son. He also thought that I was trying to poison him and became very paranoid of most everything. When he started living with his Dad he started doing the same thing to the brother there. We admitted him and he was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. He did pretty well being on the meds and getting therapy. He lived with his Dad for 4 years and our home was peaceful. Last year he stopped taking his meds and began to be very disruptive, so they kicked him out and flew him back home to us. For the last year my youngest son and I have lived in hell. I finally got him to start taking his meds under my supervision, but he is still very paranoid, hateful, verbally abusive etc... My question is how do you discipline him when he acts this way? It seems that he doesn't remember things he does, and therefore it wouldn't do any good. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

My daughter has this terrible disease also she hides it from the family we had no clue until she landed in the monash physciatric ward we were so devastated we didnt know what to do shes clever she told them she had ice and they released her ten days later..she has my 7 yr old grandson fools them all then at night I get all night on the phone you whore u crack whore Im 65 shes 41 yrs old there are things in my wall stop doing this to me hacm,king my phone net ect it is so tiring we do not know what to do as she is 41 she has banned us from her medical records ect we help with grandson driving to school groceries anything we can what can we do her dr wont help us she has him conned as well cheers

Hi Christine,
I am right there with you and most of the people on this blog. I am a Registered Nurse with 25 yrs of ER experience, so I am well versed in mental illness. Although, it is a totally different thing when your own child has it!
My daughter, now almost 28, was diagnosed with Borderline Personality at age 17, after running away at age 16, then overdosing on Risperdal at age 17. Another very bright student. She went to private schools all of her life. She began cutting at age 16, hence the BPD diagnosis. When she turned 18, she refused to go to Italy with us, got tattoos, and started working in a strip dance joint. All of the things we wouldn't allow her to do. Plus smoking, which I believe started earlier. At age 19, she ran off to Las Vegas to marry a guy she met in the strip joint! I found out by the certificate that came in the mail. Since then, she has lived in many places, growing 'medicinal' pot, getting arrested in TX at age 21. She has been estranged from her husband for almost 5 yrs because he couldn't deal with her anymore. I blame him for getting her into the pot world because it's been an even worse nightmare for me to get her out of it.
She has been going downhill since their split up. I recall on Father's Day in 2011, getting a phone call from him saying that she had a gun in her mouth and he was afraid that it might go off accidentally. They were 500 miles away, so nothing we could do but worry.
She has lived with me off and on, and has couch surfed since then. She has been arrested for DUI, driving without a DL or car registration, and has never gone to court. She believes she has presidential pardons. When she had money a few years ago, she went to Egypt! It only lasted 3 days. She said she needed to read their hieroglyphics for them. We talked to the US and egyptian consulates, who kept an eye on her. Prior to this trip, I called to have her passport reported as stolen, but she was able to go anyway. The next year, she went to Israel, to fix their borders! She went on the same passport that I reported as stolen!! She was also able to take her dog as a service dog, without any service papers! She is quite cunning. She has been to Canada and Mexico to fix their borders also. She has been kicked out of Federal buildings for trying to talk to someone in charge. I wish she could've been arrested; what a sad thing to wish for your beautiful daughter.
I have had her committed twice to no avail. She is cunning and lies her way out in short order, without treatment. This last commitment lasted a week and she allowed my husband, her step father, to get info from the doctor, who told him that she is schizophrenic. We were not surprised and happy that she finally got a diagnosis, although she may have had it before and we were just not privy to that info. The psychiatrist wanted her to receive treatment because she was so delusional, but the laws allowed her to get out! Now, 6 wks later, she does not have contact with me because she doesn't trust me anymore. She is somewhere in Northern Calif. without a home, car, or job. We tried to tell them that she is 'gravely disabled' which is one of the criteria for keeping her committed, but she conned them again. She has lost almost 15% of her weight this year, and she was thin to begin with. She is very pale.
I am so angry with our system for me losing my daughter!!! I cry every day, and am trying hard not to drink alcohol, because it only worsens my mental anguish. I have, and am, going to NAMI support groups and have an appt with a psychologist next week.
All of this, and I also have a husband (24 yrs now) who is bipolar and has been on meds for over 10 yrs because I threatened to leave him (he was losing jobs every 2-3 months!) His meds don't seem to be working and he has been yelling at me and everyone else lately. Really, a person can only handle so much! He does have an appt next week also, to get his meds checked (I made the appt), so we'll see how that helps. He has had this job for over 6 yrs and I don't think I could handle him losing it. I am usually the rock that holds everything together in this family, but I don't feel so strong anymore. I put on a good face to all who know me, but inside, I am dying!
My question to this group is: Can I get my daughter on disability now that she has a diagnosis? I want to set up some sort of way for her to have a weekly allowance so I won't be so worried about her not getting food and shelter. I even thought of paying for a motel 6 for her to live in. She suffers from anosognosia, as do most people with schizo or bipolar, so she wouldn't dare want to apply. Thank you!
PS, Kristin, I am so sorry for your loss! My prayers are with you and all in this mental illness merry-go-round!

I have been studying the subject for 10 years now. My mum was diagnosed at age 55 but must have suffered symptoms for years before that (depression and being a bit weird). From that moment on my life has changed since I can not stop thinking about her. My personal life and my mental health is deeply compromised by that. I really struggle to enjoy my life in any way while she is suffering....I feel I have to do somehting but can not do anything. How can you get that thought out of your mind? She is now living in a psychiatric ward - after the last 20 years have been like a movie/nightmare.....but you all here can relate to that. People there are total Zombies, the meds are just Killing them slowly. I got my mum off all meds - but it is just a matter of time when she will worsen again and be forced to take the meds again. And that transforms her into a Zombie in 4 weeks - we had gone through all of that twice now already.
My research for the last years has brought about one fact: IT IS THE FOOD!!!! Many people got better on raw food or at least on a diet that is vegan and gluten-free. No animal products and - so so so crucially important - no grains of any kind. No grains. Not even so-called-gluten-free-grains as NO grain on earth is actually really gluten-free. The gluten-substances in other grains have just different names. Research THE GLUTEN FREE LIE. Also please please research Dr. Peter Osborne of the GLUTENFREESOCIETY and also Dr. Kelly Brogan a N.Y. based Psychiatrist who gets people immediately off all Meds (because they are deadly) and then gets people immediately off all DAIRY and GRAINS. The successes of those people are overwhelming. I have no control over my mums eating in that ward of course and I have no money to get her out of there and let her live with us - so I can not do anything about that. BUT if any of you can change the diet of your loved one suffering from Schizophrenia then please do it now. People report incredible miraculous changes in the matter of 2 days! Google Victoria Everett and Google Schizophrenia on 30BananasADay. I know - it seems crazy . but in fact IT IS THE TRUTH. Change the food and the illness will disappear. Many have experienced it. Again: Dr. Kelly Brogan and Dr. Peter Osborne. There is hope!!

Randye I am so happy I found this website. I have a 37 yr old son who was diagnosed with bipolar in 8th grade and has struggled most of his adult life but managed to finish college with honors and worked in pharmacutical but has had set backs and episodes in between. My 30 yr old on the other hand was diagnosed around the same age with major depression, (which his father has) but started getting bought a of psycosis at age 16 and struggled to finish school dropped out of college 2twice and has gotten progressively worse over the years with drugs that have made h worse and has been in and out of hospitals With a diagnosis of schizoeffective or schizophrenia ir major depression with psychosis depending on what doctor he is seeing at the time. Last year after being on countless meds that gave him horrific side affects and did not work a dr started him on a new Ned called fanapt. Despite some nasty side affects within a few months I felt I had my beautiful son back! With the help of a local organization he has been living in his own apartment for over a year, but of course with mental illness nothing lasts and he stopped meds due to gaining a lot of weight, causing high blood pressure as well as other physical problems and now he has been in and out of short term facilities, in and out of psycosis and was recently put I. A state hospital for refusing meds and saying there is nothing wrong with him. Life for my family and myself has been like an up and down roller coaster and has taken a toll on all of us! I did go to a nami family to family last year in my area which was helpful and met parents going thru the same things as me and my family and I still keep in touch with 3 gals from the group unfortunately there is still no relief from such a devastating illness

My 25 year old son with schizophrenia passed away 20 days ago. We have been through pretty much everything you all have mentioned. At the end he lost his life to what I believe, he digested meth. He had been clean but slipped every 5-6 months. This time apparent he googled digesting meth. I was a helicopter Mom, doing everything in my power to keep him safe while running a company. I am 49 years old and had to go to rehab for alcohol due to the stress. I now have 28 months sober which I'm proud of. He developed spasms the last 8 weeks of his life to what they told me was mylocolumus. He was in so much pain and I think he self medicated. Kaiser blew me off so many times saying it was withdrawl from depakote. Kept saying it was a mental issue and we kept telling him it was a physical issue. Due to his chart every time the evaluated him for a hold. They never even looked at his spasms. 2 weeks before he passed I took him to ER. He said he felt like his insides were dropping and had no impulse control. I begged them to admit him saying I couldn't keep him safe. They refused and told me to call his GP on Monday. He was so upset as I was. They scheduled him for an MRI two weeks later and he died 5 hours before the MRI. I'm not sure until we get toxicology report what happened but I think he seemed relief. They gave him flexeril and klonopin for the pain. This went on me calling, begging etc for 8 weeks.
Now my beautiful son is in a box next to my TV room in his bedroom. I never got answers on anything. Never could find who his case worker was. He was on SSI which meant he had state healthcare. I finally decided to pay 400 per month plus I added him to my Atena at work. Everywhere we had to fight just for help. They over medicated him and he was so sweet he would just do what they said as far as meds. I believe the meds may have caused him MS. His spasms came on fast and from what I read Zyprexa and depakote can cause it. I'm devastated but wonder my God how much more could we handle if they tell us he has MS. He went from a popular handsome straight A student to a sad, depressed, no friends young man trying to find his way in this world. We never gave up. All I can say is mental health laws or help needs to change for young bright men and women. If I do when a settlement for his case, which I'm pursuing, I'm going to set up a foundation called Shiloh's Foundation that will bring help to families and young adults help under one roof.
Don't give up, We never did but God had his own plan

Hi Randye, I am really speechless, while reading everyone's sad stories, I think you are the bravest people I know. I'm 40, never thought that this illness were this bad, I started dating a man for over a year now, his son is 28 and still living with him. He asked me and my daughter to move in with him, which we did, I really like this man, his son is everything you mentioned but I was told that he only have depression because of his mother's passing, but the last 6 months became unbearable to live in the same house as he is. He attacked his dad the other day just for nothing, his dad were shouting for me to help, and when I got there he was busy strangling his dad, if I weren't at home it could be worse, I lost my cool and for the first time I shouted at him because I could not believe that a child can even swear at his own parents, what about strangling them, so ever since his " true colours" is showing 10 times a day, He don't want to work, watching tv, and having druggies over and partying during the night and during the day he sleeps, one morning we got up, and 2 of our tv's were missing, my daughter's room windows can look onto the street and she saw him and someone else carrying the tv's, but thought its his own tv and went back to sleep, it wasn't, he pond the tv's for drug money and cut all our other tv's courts, I couldn't believe it and when his dad confronted him he just denying stealing it, he also took a lot of other stuff during that week. I don't want to live like this, he hates me and my daughter and he lives like a pig, he is calling us horrible swear words 3 -5 times a day, just without any reason, it doesn't help if his dad tell him not to speak like that, I have to clean after him, I have to hide my laptop and take all my expensive gadgets to bed with me at night, my daughter has to lock her door every night and in the afternoons when she got home from school. He told my daughter 17, that she is clever to lock her door otherwise he would've been killed her long ago.. can you believe, we all walking with pepperspray in our hands in the house, just for incase. My daughters matric exam is starting soon, and I'm so worried. Although me and his dad love each other and get along so well, I don't think I can put up with this, don't think he will ever accept us, or know how too? Do you think he will ever get his own place? His dad told him he will get him a flat but he refuse to go, and to make matters worse he asked a stripper married girl with a 4 year old boy to move in with him in his room, she is living here for 3 weeks already, not working. We told her that she can't stay here but she just ignoring us, we are too scared to force her to leave, he will probably kill us. What would you suggest I do? We do? This is really not the life I want, I don't like conflict even. This is abusement. We told him once that we going to send him to rehab, he got beserk, throwing stuff, breaking stuff etc. Can't even describe everything he did. Please I need advice, oh and he also on meds but only when he wants, don't listen to anyone, and drinking alkohol and using drugs, talking to himself and also telling my daughter that his late mother is in the house and the devil is his friend and is also in the house etc. Help pls. Maybe me and my daughter should rather move out. But what if he strangle his dad again? So scared....

Hi Christine,
yes , Ben is almost 34 now. We are lucky - is a good phase right now. After years of baby steps, our Ben is employed, on his meds (reluctantly, but we supervise) and is getting his life back. This did not seem possible to me years ago. It still can all go away in 2 days if treatment stops. This is why we work so hard to advocate for our rights as family members.
My hear goes out to you. I have been where you are -and know we might be again, if Ben decides to stop treatment. We live life with fingers crossed. This is why I wrote our book ,"Ben Behind His Voices" --- to show what the family goes through, and how to find support and education...and hope, against all odds. Have you taken NAMI's family-to-family course? it was so helpful to us....
i know it is so hard.
Randye

Dear Randye,
Thank you for your article. Your son must be 34 or 35 by now, as you wrote in 2011. I hope he is still doing well.
Thank you for giving some practical advice and a place to write our story. It is a relief to be reminded that NAMI is a support group. I'll add that in my area (Northern Virginia), they also have information meetings. Reading about other people's comments helps me feel less alone, too.
My ex-husband was abusive to the kids and me, so we separated and were divorced by 2011. My son stopped attending school just after my ex coerced me into signing a document that my son be required to attend counseling with his father (my son completely refused to attend visitation with his father on weekends or Wednesday nights). I should have gone to court and faced charges that I "was not supplying our son for visitation". Would a judge have really expected me to pick up my 14-year old boy and somehow drag him to my car and drop him off at his fathers' apartment? The social worker told my son he was a jerk and that he should behave and attend visits with his Dad. My son shut down. I took him to a child psychologist whose reputation for really helping kids preceded him. My son was diagnosed with early onset Schizoaffective Disorder or Schizophrenia at age 14, in 2012.
My son was having trouble coping with life. He began staying up all night and skipping school to stay home and sleep. If I took his computer, he'd complain he couldn't do homework. When I gave it back, he didn't do homework. When I took his computer, he'd find other electronics to amuse himself. I'd take those when I discovered, but he still stayed up, then home the next day. Finally, after meetings with school officials, a truancy officer, lots of therapy, refusal of suggested medication, diagnosis by a child psychologist and a child psychiatrist of Schizoaffective Disorder or Schizophrenia, hundreds (thousands) of dollars later, and a visible decrease in overall functioning, I took my son to a mental hospital. We (his father and I) were told he had an undifferentiated mental illness after a week of inpatient and several months of daily outpatient treatment. My son was given some reprieve from contact with his father and the psychiatrist prescribed Abilify. My son took it very reluctantly for three days. During the three days, my son lost his sarcasm, wasn't out of control angry or breaking things or hurting anyone physically, wasn't talking to himself or pacing non-stop. He even slept at a decent hour and was able to attend school. He refused to take more medication, saying his stomach hurt and saying, "I've been besmirched by having to take these" and eventually his psychologist said my son stopped talking altogether after months of grandiosity, sarcasm, obvuscation and denial that there was anything wrong with him.
I could find no other reasons for my sons' behavior. I found no drugs ever and there were no visible signs. My son was eating everything. I chalked it up to being a teenager. I sought and got an IEP (Individual education plan) for school. It severely reduced his classes difficulty. His classes were team taught in the special ed department. My brilliant son highly resented his father and my intrusion into his education plan. He finished his freshman year in high school. A school psychologist also tested and diagnosed him with schizophrenia shortly after his hospital release. I had my son tested apart from the school and the child psychologist and psychiatrist who diagnosed him through cognitive interaction. Both the school psychologist and a separate psychologist evaluated him by a series of tests, both resulting in a diagnosis of Schizoaffective Disorder or Schizophrenia.
My son successfully completed his freshman, sophomore and junior year. His father and I signed off on his IEP, allowing my son to take whatever classes he likes. My son convinced us to let him take 4 advanced placement and three honors classes. He explained that each year he'd had to take lower level classes, he felt cheated of a good education. He is extremely intelligent, so he was really resentful and frustrated. We said yes. He got 5 A's and 2 B pluses first quarter. He worked so hard. He got little sleep. I tried to convince him to drop back some of his levels, but he kept refused. A week or so into November, he stopped attending school. I went to Senior Parent meeting and looked for scholarships he could apply to. I encouraged him, suggested he talk to his school counselor, the college/career counselor, or someone else. He kept skipping. Soon there were school meetings, accusations and emails to All about my not getting him to school, calls to the local emergency mobile crisis unit, truancy threats, meetings with his counselor, the school social worker, the vice principal, meetings at my apartment with the mobile crisis unit, a coouple meetings with a probation officer, and now a probation counselor, letters and emails, follow-up calls from to to all outside mental health help I could find. I was turned away repeatedly after describing his symptoms. CR2: "We don't take teens with schizophrenia. We deal with truancy, anxiety, depression, really serious issues. Call Mobile Crisis." "We can't take him because he is not a danger to himself or others. Try First Response" "We can't enter him into our program because his first onset was longer than 2 years ago. The grant limits the study to 2 years. You need to try CR2. Have you taken him to the hospital to be evaluated?" "We don't think he has schizophrenia. We don't like labels. Be very careful of labels. They follow you your whole life. We think he had bipolar with psychotic features. Call us if he becomes dangerous to himself or others. We can take him then."
My son is mostly non-communicative, angry, rude, arrogant, delusional (he's skipped all of second quarter and half of third quarter and insists "It was a conscience decision. I already told you." And he maintains that, "I've never been worried about graduating!" and, "I can catch up if I choose to!") His classes are reduced to the two he absolutely needs for graduation and two more that he insists on keeping to "Make it worth my time." (to attend school). He refuses to attend most days and has done no work in or out of school since 1st quarter. The vice principal wrote to All, suggesting he drop back further to just the English and History class he needs for a general diploma and forgo the Advanced diploma requirement of the one elective (my son insisted instead on Advanced Calculus and Advanced Physics to replace the one required elective for the advanced diploma.)
My son won't attend. His father is now blanket emailing 'All' that the school counselor talks with my son about community college classes to encourage him that he can transition to a 4 year college. I have already done this many times. Many questions, lectures, walks, drives, silent waiting (hours of listeningand waiting), encouraging words, stories of his wonderfulness to him...and my extended family has included him and treated him like normal, trying to love, guide, urge, hope for, support him towards movement, forward motion....
My son won't attend. He has Schizophrenia. He paces. He's 6'4" and handsome. He eats everything. He cares about no one, but the guinea pig I bought to hopefully draw him out of his room. He isolates. He talks to himself in his room and in the shower. He showers until the hot water is gone, and only when he smells badly. He does not help in any way around the house. While he rarely physically scares or hurts his younger sisters or me anymore, he is rude, abrasive, arrogant, insulting, selfish, stays up all night, sleeps most of the day, only leaves the house to visit his grandparents or older sister with me, refuses access to the truancy officer or probation officer to our home, leaves dishes in his room or in the sink, dirty clothes on his floor, refuses to take out trash or recycling, refuses to talk about his plans, commit to attending school, refuses to drop down to the two required classes to graduate, insists he won't attend community college, insists he will attend a 4-year colleg next year, won't attend any visitation (I can't blame him for that one as his older sister refuses all contact with her father) though his younger sisters go. There's more. His thoughts and arguments are circular or non-sensual altogether. Several of his teachers emailed me regarding their concerns. They said he asked many long questions that made it clear he did not understand his Calculus AP BC class or that he was a great contributor in class to discussions, but that they missed him. Many offered extra help, tutoring, to disregard old work, making up only essentials. Others said the class required all work be done, as in math or language.
We are way part that. I'm a single mom of a 20 year old community college student coming home to live in 2 months, and attend a nearby 4-year college to finish her degree in 2 years. My son is stuck in limbo. My younger girls have their own issues that include scoliosis, asthma, anxiety, depression, warts, the need for braces. In spite of my sons' issues seeming to supercede their needs, they keep working hard and getting As and Bs in school. I know I'm really blessed with great resilient kids. While I balance a full-time low income job, little child support, applications for medicaid, bill paying, house chores, my son's 18th birthday arrives in less than one month.
After reading your article and the comments, I know I need to go back to NAMI for support. I need to seek SSD for my son. I need to insist on family rules. I'm exhausted most days. Lately feeling defeated. I can't quit because they need me. I promised myself and God years ago I'd not give up by committing suicide, so that's not an option. I'd use humor in this, but it's just too serious. I include it in life, listen to great music, notice things like the smell of the air after the rain and the changing sky and seasons. I see the beauty in my children and feel appreciation, gratitude and deep love for them, other family and friends. But this: Schizophrenia. This convoluted, irrational, illogical, mean, destructive destroyer of my wonderful son's life...I can't wrap my head around it. After watching him from birth to now: seeing his lifetime of eccentric, creative, behavior, knowing this man-boy is the one who picked one of every flower and carried them all home for me (bouquet held in his teeth at age 10) while riding around our neighborhood on his bike, the bullying he took because he was different, the hundreds of walks he and I took alone after dinner so he could talk and talk, the poem about fishing he recited and acted out and the poem for me that he wrote and recited before his class and their mothers, the time he taught me chess and all the matches I've watched him win, the time he surprised the entire school (and us) with the most amazing and dynamic surprise performance of Ray Charles at the 6th grade end of the year talent show, the painting he did of himself standing alone in the snow that I have framed and hanging in my dining room, the many times I watched him play gently with animals, his extreme kindness to younger children, his volunteer tutoring kids in STEM summer school, his respectful intelligent conversations with people a generation or two older than he...is reduced to someone who prefers wearing shorts and a holy tee-shirt in winter, who stops mid-sentence searching for a simple word, and seems fragile in mind and heart. I see him curling in on himself, false braggadocia, or does he really believe he is ok and that, "There is nothing wrong with me. I'll let you know when I need something."?
Will he come back from this psychotic break again, as he did eventually with the first? I've researched Schizophrenia. He needs meds, cognitive behavioral therapy, structure, care, reinforced rules, positive people. He isn't acceptin help. I feel like a helpless victim of this mental illness. It is continuing. There is no reversal of the brain damage done already by this progressive illness. I know that the twin studies in the UK showed success with medication, and the loving and supportive co-habitation of the twin. But, the illness frequently has anosognosia in 50% of those with schizophrenia (or bipolar) with psychotic features. I know so much, and so very little.
I want my son back.
How do loved ones keep going? Really?
Christine

My adult stepson (28yo) was diagnosed schizo-affective, bipolar along with a couple of other things 7 years ago. He has been hospitalized three times over that time span the most recent about two months ago. My wife and I have a difficult time with him taking meds as he is non compliant and is in denial about his condition. He sometimes gets verbally abusive towards my wife and I . It unnerves my wife and I tell him that his behavior won't be tolerated but there is no negotiating with someone who isn't all there. It has made our lives hellish. I have and do go through a wide range of emotions and pray that my wife and I do not fall victim to my stepson behavior. I have spoken to my wife numerous times about group homes for him but she is resistant. I understand this is her flesh and blood and I have been in his life since he was 6 yo. I am not dismissive of my stepson because of his illness but the older he gets the harder it gets dealing with him.

hi,TR.
my name is Tuya. i have son who is diagnosed schizophrenia a year ago. My son was best son I ever have,but now he can't concentrate for anything,he changed all . i am glad your son find right medicine, my son is now 7-th medicine. i am not sure it's right for him. he is talking ziprexa 10 mile grade.I wish is there any hope that makes ky son back. i am so emotional today, sorry, thank you for listening to me.

My son is 30 years old he was always very active in over the top kid when he was around 17 I started seeing differences so I guess maybe I was in denial in high school we started getting in trouble and drinking and using drugs started getting arrested it going to juvenile detention center he was stealing he want of going to prison at the age of 18 he was very defiant they kept them in isolation most of the time they would not let me visit him when he came out he was a totally different person he was in there for 3 years he was in there for punching a boy in the nose. I was a single mom and didn't have a lot of money to hire a lawyer we really got railroaded it is been very very hard as you all know have done everything I possibly can he has terrorized my home and my daughter I got to the point where I was terrified of him and even me having him home he wouldn't take his meds or he would take his meds and abuses meds are abused drugs she did end up getting on disability so it gets a small amount of money every month even when he lived at home he just would regret I would try to get him to get involved in things Boley is a program here in my area for the mentally ill I had them set up in an apartment and he didn't want to go he would smoke cigarettes and drink sodas all day isolate sometimes not eat stay up all night scream scream at the neighbors scream at people on the streets he also ran out into cars when he first came home from prison I tried to talk to the Mental Health math straight to having committed I've done so many different things I've called mommy I don't have a lot of money and they wanted money for bridges stration and different things most of the meetings and things don't coincide with my schedule as I work I have a support system for a minute 12 step recovery group I also went to Al Anon meetings which helped but after all these years and seeing the struggle that me and my daughter has been through I feel it's time to save our lives I got a restraining order against him because it became unbearable because of my couch and throw my things away I was afraid he would get physical with me or my daughter my dog who is a 90 pound chocolate lab is terrified of him I know it's not really him because his true self is a beautiful soul he always was and always will be but in this life he has this illness but I had to let him go and he is now taking a bus somewhere he does have a cell phone any calls me that can't let him back in my house not after all the opportunities he's had to go into housing and different things and he refused I know how terrible this can be but I do believe you have to take care of yourself first I will not feel guilty because I didn't cause this I can't cure it and I can't control it but I can live my life I can pray for him it's hard to let go but today me and my daughter have peace in our life we know that he is in Gods hands and whatever happens is way out of our control I guess having faith has helped a whole lot it is too bad our country doesn't have more help for the mentally ill it is really deplorable my prayers to all of you and know that you're not alone but I do believe that you need to take care of yourself if everyone suffering then if you don't have to suffer what is the best what's the best for the overall good I had to get to that point I'm so sad this disease has happened to my son but I know that he would want me to live a peaceful and happy life his true self thank you

The right medication and treatment can most certainly make a difference! I'm so glad you seem to have found the right combination.
Randye

I have a 21 year old son who was diagnosed 1 year ago with schizophrenia and bipolar. The journey has not been an easy one, watching him go through manic episodes and calling the medical screeners and police to calm him down. Eventually he just ends up in the hospital for 2 weeks and comes home to repeat the behavior. He has been admitted to group homes, only to be kicked out and also shelters which he bass left on his own a d walked back home. The dark circles under my eyes from crying and lack of sleep are proof of how tormenting this is.
The last outburst or episode my son had was the worst in which he began yelling at the neighbors and walking around town paranoid that someone was after him. He told the screeners that 100 people were in his room and wouldn't leave. The 1st time he referred to three imaginary people!e who were not so nice and dominating his life.............horrific.
The medications didn't seem to be working, but I think there may finally be a light at the end of the tunnel. He is now receiving the injection Invega Sustana and taking resperidone and lithium. Unbelievable difference and now I can talk to him like nothing is wrong. hallucinations are gone, still some paranoia but not as severe, anger is gone and he spends less time baracaded in his room. I truly hope these meds are the answer to helping him in his long journey to coping with his disorder.

Hi Michelle,
I don't know if you will get this 2 years later. Please have your son tested for Lyme's just to be sure. It can attack the brain, joints, heart, anything. There are also co-infections such as Erlichia. A kid this young seems to me at least the possiblity of infection should be considered. I had good luck with Cowden's Protocol, a group of rain forest remedies. It shoud be overseen by a praticioner. Lyme's is well-understood on the East coast but elsewhere in the country doctors seem to discount it

I am 28 and started becoming "schizophrenic" near the end of 2012. I was diagnosed with ADHD as a child, then depression, then anxiety, on multiple medications, which all stopped at 18 when I started smoking marijuana and nothing else. I have used hallucinogens, acid, mushrooms. I tried heroin and meth once. Curiosity, nothing more. I smoke pot daily as my means of medication, no other drugs, very little use of alcohol. My issue is, I think schizophrenia is misunderstood, maybe it even exists on a spectrum, as does autism. The voices I hear in my head sound like they are thoughts of me coming from other people. Mostly negative, sometimes positive ... I live with my dog in a tent...Schizophrenia is misdiagnosed. All wounds of the spirit and mind can be healed with love and understanding. Walk up to your afflicted and tell them you love them and together you will beat whatever is hurting them. Send them good thoughts and emotions, hug them with your mind. You would be amazed.

ErrantSkye- Thank you so much for your honesty. It's very helpful to me since I'm currently dealing with my 28 year old son who refuses help. I've had to crush his pills and make him drink them, just to make sure he takes his medication. When he doesn't, he goes off the deep end and is destructive and aggressive.
He's been arrested several times due to vandalism and intoxication in public. He often self-medicates with drugs, alcohol, cough medicine, or anything he can get his hands on. We let him move back home about 7 months ago and it's getting worse everyday.
He's emotionally and mentally abusive to me, not to anyone else. I believed for so long that since I'm his mother he felt that my love would continue, in spite of his abuse. And, he's right, I will always love him. But, at this point, I think it's best for my safety and for him if he leaves.
I worry about him because he has nowhere else to go. The rest of the family has tired of helping him and have basically abandoned him. I worry that, as a homeless person, he will be hurt or killed. I don't know how to reconcile that in my mind. I don't know how to let him go and live with myself if something happens to him. At the same time, I'm worried I won't live much longer if he stays. He started threatening my life and threatening me with bodily harm. There has not been a situation yet in which he's harmed me, but he breaks my things, punches my car, cuts my clothes, etc.
After reading about your struggle and how your family made you do it on your own, gives me some comfort in knowing that I'm not a crappy mother for making my son responsible for himself.
Thanks again for sharing with us. You have no idea what that means to me. I have no reference w/this illness, I'm so lost.
Best wishes- Melissa

I feel for everyone. My son is like so many at 17 he tryed crack. That was the begining of it all. He was hospitalized in out of jail ect, then Progress . Made it through college, he beagan to party with his fraternity. Not good...fast forward he had a hard time finding a job after college. He stayed with us, trying to help him not to become depressed. At first it was so nice we set ground rules..we had a son we enjoyed back. Well short lived he decided to self medicate he said for sleep. He is 31 by the way the youngest of our four. He got a job and a apartment after a stress full time in our home. We have no idea the trigger now I am sure drugs, daily life. He has threaten to kill me and then his father he states we took everything from him, his wife, kids, nice house etc None of such things he has ever had. He now is ranting on social media crazy things also stating soon he will destroy anthing we care about then us. Many of you have seen a paranoid schizophrenic on drugs in full rage mode, its amazing how strong they are and nothing nor can any one reason with them. My son is over 6'2 fit and studied marshal arts.. we never have been a target . I can not get anyone to intervention I called all the police in our county. No help. People say from his post he is not sleeing or really eating but smoking and drinking isolated. We belive the threat, we feel like sitting ducks.. what can we do. I am so lost I feel, I lost a son, I hurt seeing him suffer, but then terrified. I do not see how this can end good. Ideas any one. The police said they can not act on text or social media rants. They said it will do no good to get a restrating oder. We are so lost what do we do.?

My son had early onset Schizophrenia diagnosed by 14, he is now 49 years old. I feel like I tormented myself for years, with is there a better treatment, if only if only. He is in a state nursing home for mentally ill. I am only now getting to a point that I can say this is how it is, I am thankful he has a place to stay and medication. It changes your life and your family's life. The only people who come close to understanding are members of NAMI support group.