How can you help somebody with psychosis when they refuse to accept that is what it is?
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unfortunatly unless they are posing a risk them themselves or others there isn't much you can do. just offer support when you can and try to monitor the situation..
if they are a danger to themselves or others you can contact their GP, NHS direct or follow whatever it says in their care plan.. in respect to having them sectioned for assessment or treatment and mainly for protection.
Rethink- formerly the national schizophrenia fellowship.. provides support to carers.. and they might have a support group in your area:
http://www.rethink.org/
you carnt
It's very common for patients with psychosis and other mental illnesses to deny the fact that they are mentally ill. Best thing to do is be patient and try to work with them on their own terms and hope that they will accept it and do what it takes to get better.
Best of Luck.
your question is slightly redundant. a psychotic person is not in touch with reality. they are unable of 'accepting' that they are psychotic. i work with them daily. there is no way to make them 'see the light' or anything. it is difficult, and stressful but all you can do is offer positive reassurance and i hope that if they need medical supervision that they are getting it so that they remain safe. they will have little if no insight to their problem, why they have a problem, IF they have a problem and how to solve it.
Even with insight it is almost impossible to accept because of the difficulty in stepping out of that frame of mind. They are just completely taken up in the psychosis usually.
The simple answer is that as a lay person you can't, apart from seeking professional help for them.
If I were you I would just be the total friend that that person needs. Agree with what they say so that they don't become afraid of you. Meanwhile get them some professional medical help immediately.
First I think the question you need to ask is what do you mean by psychosis and how serious or long-lasting it is. Some people have minor psychotic symptoms or one-off episodes without any real danger of them hurting someone else, or harming/neglecting themselves.
If, however, the person is unwilling to recognise that they are unwell - as is often the case with psychosis - and it is causing big probs for themselves or others, they may need professional intervention. Even very skilled mental health professionals may be unable to get the person to accept that they are ill, and that is where detention under the Mental Health Act ("sectioning") comes in,
It is generally thought to be unhelpful to collude with the person's delusions, but also challenging them directly is not a good idea as they may become upset and angry. You could try calmly stating your view that the person is unwell and that they should seek help. If they don't accept what you're saying and continue to have problems or get worse, you may need to consider whether you should contact their GP and share your concerns.
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