Psychosis

[Pippa33]

Is there a difference between schizophrenia and psychosis? My daughter was diagnosed with schizophrenia three years ago but she has never had a time when she wasn't in psychosis. From what i have read about schizophrenia this shouldn't be the case. Any information is greatly appreciated. Many thanks,
Pippa

[Former-Member]

Hello @Pippa33,

There is a group of illnesses which disrupt the functioning of the brain so much, they cause a condition called psychosis. When someone experiences psychosis they are unable to distinguish what is real — there is a loss of contact with reality. Most people are able to recover from an episode of psychosis.

Schizophrenia can be diagnosed after someone has been unwell for six months or more, including at least one month during which they experience active symptoms of psychosis. But not everyone who experiences psychosis will go on to develop schizophrenia. It is possible to experience a single episode of psychosis and never have the experience again.

People can experience on going psychosis, usually when they are not recieving the proper treatment from someone who is specialised or has experience in this area.

Is your daughter receiving support from a Psychiatrist or Psychologist to help with her symptoms?

Lunar

[Appleblossom]

That must be extremely exhausting for you and is debilitating for your daughter. Mostly I have known people who have periods or episodes.  Try and enlist as much support for yourself and daughter as possible to reduce the intensity of the experience for both of you.

[ivana]

By Psychosis do you mean hearing voices cntinually,or delusional thoughts etc?

In addition to Schizophrenia there are many other (often overlooked) illnesses that can cause symptoms of Psychosis such as Thyroid Disorders,Cushings Disease,Insulinoma,Vitamin B 12 deficiency (best tested using Methylmalonic acid levels),TLE,NMDAR antibody Encephalitis,Inborn errors of Metabolism,early onset Dementia etc .

A diffeen cause apart from Schizophrenia is often even more likely if the person has co- occuring physical symptoms.

*Disclaimer*: Im not suggesting this is or isn't the case for your daughter,

[Fancy_Pants]

Hi @ivana and all,

That's a really intersting post, but I just need to jump in here and remind everyone that noone here is medically trained. As such, we won't be able to give medical advice or diagnoses.

Very interesting topic though! Please keep the discussion going.

[Former-Member]

@Pippa33, its my pay understanding that Schizophrenia and psychosis are different (you can have one without the other) It does seem odd though that your daughter has been in 'psychosis' long term (three years).

Is she on treatment?

I have 2 brothers with paranoid schizophrenia (delusions/beliefs mostly) Their antipsychotic medication, while it eases the obvious emotional distress, both still have the odd belief & thoughts (I'm talking about delusions of grandure, gov using neighbours trying to k#ll them, spirit visitors, undetectable lazorbeams targeted at them through smoke detectors etc, x4 raised from the dead, etc etc).

Before my brothers I understood schizophrenia to be more about perception - auditory or visual hallucinations - not interpretation, memories and beliefs based psychoses. Not sure when psychiatry made that shift. But There's other symptoms under the schizophrenia umbrella - psychosis is only one.

I really do hope they checked out physical causes (as Ivana mentioned), before this label on your girl.

With other MI, Even depression, bipolar, and others can have 'psychotic breaks, episodes.

But yes, three years is a long time to not connect properly with your girl. You must miss who she once was and keep hoping she's come back to herself one day soon. Like Apple said, its very exhausting. One conversation with my upset brothers or mum can land me in bed in tears for the rest of the day.
Do try get as much respite you can for yourself. Big hugs for your girl & you, keep researching xox

[Former-Member]

hello @Former-Member

i am going through a nightmare since my son was detained, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, discharged on a CTO. temporarily lived with friends. i visited him and took him out, assisted him with stuff he needed to do, took him some food. he sent me messages not to worry about him he was fine, look after myself because my anxiety levels were high andobviously showing. he has since thursday rapidly declined, sent many paranoid abusive text messages and phone call to his dad and myself. it now appears that he did not have his last injection even though he asked me to ring them and let them know he was running late. they have gone out to the place where he was staying twice with police and now know that he is no longer living there. they are trying to place a missing person report now. i have been on the phone most of yesterday and today with the mental health team and the police - hearing conflicting information. my depression this week has sunk to very low and my anxiety feels as though it is ready to physically jump out of my body.

my son said such horrible horrible stuff in his texts about myself and my husband. he has never done this before. we have always had a gentle relationship. now he hate me as much as he hates his father. i am worried out of my mind.

how on earth do i just put it aside and let them take care of it. i know i cant do anything but how can i just switch off my deep love for him just like that????

[Former-Member]

Hi @Former-Member, I hear your distress with your son having a relapse AND going missing. How can we not love our children regardless of what they do. And it seems to be part of their condition to make even those closest to them enemies. I have two brothers who do this and push everyone away. One did what your saying and his from being taken care n for assessment for weeks, even sleeping under a bridge but it he caught up with him and he's in hospital, still distressed but back in the meds. Its so horrible what drugs can do. I worry, like you, that we'll lose them completely as a they're clearly not thinking straight. We protect & save our children every day as their growing up, of cause we can't switch that off when they need help. My dad is sick of my brothers, Rick be able they've dug themselves in a hole. Mum on the other hand enables them, bails them out when they gamble or dope their money away, she buys them groceries furnishes their house. Its codependent & not helping them take self manage.

You've done all the right now things and just have to sit and wait, and maybe pray or light a candle for him. That he will be safe and found and comply with treatment. Maybe then when he's settled you can start to reconnect, maybe through his MH team. Hope he base a good case manager.

3yrs Back, while living on campus, my son told me he was on suicide watch for months (I had no idea his depression was that bad). Having already lost one teenager to asthma I struggled thinking I might lose him too, and there was little I could do myself, trapped in PTSD and grief and distance between us... I only a ell you that because I guess you are having the same fears. You must be kind to yourself, acknowledge the thoughts and feelings and let them pass, try not to get hooked in and carried away with them, we really do not know how this is going through o play out so try not to get ahead of yourself with frightening thoughts. Do you do meditation or walking to get some of this stress out?

@Appleblossom, would have some insights for you perhaps, but hers were siblings too. Just wondering if it here's any mums on the he forums who can help you.

Sorry this is long, take care, stand strong, xox

[Former-Member]

Hi @mohill, I hear your distress with your son having a relapse AND going missing. We can't switch off, only distract. How can we not love our children regardless of what they do. And it seems to be part of their condition to make even those closest to them enemies.

I have two brothers who do this and push everyone away because we don't do or believe what they want to prove support - so were not supporting them they think. I've been a old I'm brainwashed so will never understand... One of my brothers did what your son is doing and gid from police for weeks, but they got him last week and now he's a MH inpatient again back on meds. Its just horrible what drugs can do.

I worry myself sick, like you, mostly that we'll lose them completely as a they're clearly not thinking straight. We protect & save our children every day as their growing up, of cause we can't switch that off when they need help. My dad has no understanding or tolerance for it. Thinks getting a job will cure them drr. Mum on the other hand enables them, bails them out when they gamble or dope their money away, a codependent thing that hats not helping them self manage.

Mohill, you've done all the right things and now you just have to sit and wait, and maybe pray or light a candle for him. That he will be safe and found and comply with treatment. I will for you.

Maybe then when he's settled backnon his meds he wont attack you so much and you can start to reconnect again. Stay in touch with his MH team ! case manager, they can often give good advise.

3yrs Back, while living on campus, my son told me he was on suicide watch for months (I had no idea his depression was that bad). Having already lost one teenager to asthma I struggled thinking I might lose him too, and felt powerless, talk about 'fight flight' with nowhere to go, there was little I could do myself, but prove to him i can get better, get out of my PTSD and grief a little for him. I only tell you this because I guess you are having the same fears you might lose him.

You must be kind to yourself. Acknowledge the thoughts and feelings and let them pass, try not to get hooked in and get carried away with them. We really do not know how this is going to play out so try not to get ahead of yourself with frightening thoughts. Do you do meditation or walking to get some of this stress out?

@Appleblossom, would have some insights for you too, but her's were siblings too. Just wondering if there's any mums on the forums who can help you.

Sorry this is so long, take care, stand strong, xox

[Former-Member]

hello @Former-Member

thank you so much for responding. it helps me so much to have a connection with someone who has an idea of what it is like.

i have virtually been on the phone most of yesterday and today with mental health team and police.

i have done a bit of sleuth work and found he is out of the state - between myself and a policewoman tonight we now know where he is. An employee who works there identified him over the phone because he remembered he stuttered. she is organising police over there to check on him to see that he is ok. my main concern is that he is going downhill after receiving those horrible text messages and finding out that he didnt have his last injection.

The policewoman has been brilliant and i have stressed that it must not be recorded anywhere that his mum and dad have been in contact. he would then feel that we were against him as well. he already thinks that everyone else is out to get him. he told me that they have threatened him about his family safety too. I have tried to read posts on lived experience page to try and get an idea how frightening it must be for him. to feel that he needs to run away leave all his family behind.

i have to try and distract myself. read a book, meditation doesnt work when i am so wound up. i will just pray for him that he is safe. goodnight tawney and thank you so much.

I will say a prayer for you too and @teej  please be safe - your name (t) means talented (e) means energised (e) exceptional (j) joy - looking forward to hearing from you when you are rested and rejuvenated.

thank you tawney xx