I am in "like" with a paranoid schizophrenic. help?
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Answers:
It sounds like it would be helpful for you to learn more about schizophrenia to understand better what you could be getting yourself into by staying in the relationship. Trying to maintain a relationship with someone who is suffering from the symptoms of a serious mental illness is difficult, and you don't want to go into it with your eyes closed. There are a lot of great websites out there that talk about the symptoms of the illness. http://www.schizophrenia.com/ also has support forums for family members and friends of individuals with schizophrenia..those might be helpful for you. Another helpful thing may be to see a counselor on a short term basis yourself. A psychologist or LCSW should be able to talk with you about the illness and help you think about the pros and cons of getting deeper into the relationship. They can also help you explore your own reasons for starting this relationship and help you start thinking about whether or not it's a good choice for you. Best of luck to you!
Other Answers:
just make sure he's taking his medication.
Make sure he takes his meds and keeps his follow up care appointments. I would suggest if you do further your relationship to the next level, make sure that he has open communication with you.
Its all up to what you think htat you can handle. Schizophrenia is a dynamic disorder. Treatment is tough and these people need lots of support. If you can be there for this person through thick and thin then kudos to you. If youre scared of him for any reason at any time then you need to walk away and try not to complicate his life any further
Yes, no, yes, no, who?, no, where? Just think of it likethe weather in Cleveland.If you dont like it.wait a half an hour
Here are a few tips that would help you deal with him: Life will not be easy and it may turn out to be a challenge to your love and patience, but nothjing is worth than giving it a try:
Recognizing That Something Isn't Right
Family members commonly reported that they knew at an early stage that something wasn't right with their relative. They sensed that their son or daughter, brother or sister, husband or wife was not merely going through a phase, was not in a temporary bad mood, was not reacting to the overuse of drugs or alcohol. Some, however, said they were taken completely by surprise. They assumed that whatever unusual behaviour they had observed was due either to normal adjustment or to some degree of delinquency. All urge that people reading this Handbook trust their instincts and seek help immediately if they become concerned. Remember that you know your relative best.
Early Warning Signs - a list compiled from the focus group discussions
inability to sleep, unusual waking hours, day and night mixed up
social withdrawal, isolation, indifference
deterioration in social relationships
hyperactivity, or inactivity, or periods of alternation between the two
inability to concentrate, noticeable difficulty in making decisions
unusual preoccupation with religion or the occult
hostility, suspicion, fearfulness
over-reaction to peer or family disapproval
deterioration in personal hygiene
frequent hitch-hiking trips for unclear reasons
excessive writing or childlike printing without clear meaning
unusual emotional reactions
flat, expressionless gaze
staring, not blinking, or blinking incessantly
unusual sensitivity to stimuli (noise, light)
smelling and tasting things differently
peculiar use of words or language structure
bizarre behaviour: refusal to touch people, constant wearing of gloves, shaving head or body hair, cutting oneself, threats of self-mutilation
None of these signs by themselves indicate the presence of mental illness. Few of those who helped compile this list said that they had acted on these early warning signs. With the knowledge of hindsight, these family members urge you to seek medical advice if several of the behaviours listed above are present, or constitute a marked change from previous behaviour and persist over a few weeks.
Many families noticed that there was no logical flow of ideas during conversation. Others noticed that their relative began speaking out loud to no one, and did not seem to hear other people speaking to him or her. One young man began researching all religions and cults. Another young man began turning off all radios because he believed that he was receiving messages through this medium. In some families, their relative destroyed his or her bank book, birth certificate, and photographs. Signs of paranoia became apparent in many cases. A relative would begin talking about plots against him or her and had "evidence" that he or she was being poisoned. One man said that his wife assumed that whenever she saw people talking, they were talking about her
Guidelines that May Help You In Crisis
DO'S - Try to remain as calm as possible. Decrease other distractions; turn off the television, radio, etc. If other people are present, ask them to leave the room. Talk one at a time. Try saying, "let's sit down and talk," or "let's sit down and be quiet." Speak slowly and clearly in a normal voice. Make statements about the behaviour you are observing: "You are afraid/angry/confused. Please tell me what is making you afraid, etc." Avoid patronizing, authoritative statements such as "you are acting like a child," or "you'll do as I say, young lady." Repeat questions or statements when necessary, using the same words each time. Don't rephrase the question in the hope that this will make it clearer. Allow your relative to have personal "space" in the room. Don't stand over him or her or get too close. Understand that too much emotion on your part can upset your relative further.
DON'TS - Don't shout. If your relative appears not to be listening to you, it may be because other "voices" are louder. Don't criticize. Your relative cannot be reasoned with at this point. Don't challenge your relative into acting out. Avoid continuous eye contact. Don't block the doorway. Don't argue with other people about what to do.
It is far better, if possible, to have your relative go to the hospital voluntarily. If you do not think your relative will listen to you, see if a friend can talk the person into doing so. Some have found that presenting their relative with a choice seemed to work. "Will you go to the hospital with me, or would you prefer that John take you?" Such an approach may serve to reduce the person's feeling of helplessness. Offering choice, no matter how small, provides some sense of being in control of the horrible situation in which they find themselves.
Families warn that sometimes a psychotic episode will involve violence. In such situations, there will be no time to talk calmly to your relative, or to phone the doctor or psychiatrist to ask for advice. Because your relative is in an altered state of reality, he or she may try to act out the hallucination - for example, shatter a window. Your relative may threaten to harm him or herself, to hurt you, or to damage property. One mother said that her son kept yelling that God was ordering him to kill her. In such situations, you must do whatever is necessary to protect yourself and others (including the ill person) from physical harm. It may be that the wisest course is to leave the premises. The alternative might be to secure your relative in a room while you phone or go for help. Such an action, however, would be advisable only under extreme circumstances. In such charged situations, probably your only choice is to phone the police. It may be unwise to drive your relative to the hospital by yourself: do so only if someone else can go with you
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