Schizophrenia Support Group
Schizophrenia is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a mental disorder characterized by impairments in the perception of reality and by significant social dysfunction. Untreated schizophrenia is typically characterized by demonstrating disorganized thinking and experiencing delusions or auditory hallucinations.
I have a friend with pretty bad schizoaffective bipolar disorders. (I don't want to quibble over the diagnosis definitions. But the behavior fits.) She has always cycled: Would go off her meds, became manic "up" and highly paranoid. Someone would eventually convince her to go back on medication and she would level out right away and the more rational version of "Ms. X" would be back. And repeat...
I don't know if it has anything to do with the disorder with women, but when she hit menopause things got worse. Her disorders became so bad that she ended up in involuntary after a spree of aggressive behavior - both physical acts like pushing people into traffic and exposing herself in public - that led to arrest, appearances in Court and a two month involuntary with Court ordered medication therapy. When I saw the write up in the newspaper about what happened I was shocked.
Ok, she is going to be "forced" into treatment. That was probably good, right? Well, no. Every other time she has gone back on medication I could tell within a week that it was working. The change in her thought process and lowered paranoia became evident within a week. This time? No change at all. I still don't understand it.. Either she got really, really good at dispatching with the meds while in involuntary, or she hit "the wall" and no matter what they were trying it just wasn't working.
That happened three years ago. I'm pretty much convinced she is getting no treatment and is on no medication since. The few times I have been able to get her on the phone the entire world is one big conspiracy theory. She hardly ever leaves her apartment. And she has stopped answering the phone or replying to e-mails. The only way I know she still has an apartment is her phone is still connected. In so many words, she won't socially engage any more with people who have known her for yeas.
It's really sad to see someone like this. Especially when you know the other side: the bright, funny, intelligent person stuck inside the disorder. On a practical level, I'm concerned that this will eventually lead to losing her apartment. The management company has received complaints about her behavior in the common areas of the building. One time she put up a notice that there would be a nude sit-in protest at her apartment, to protest how the Management company was treating her. Nothing happened - she didn't go through with it, thank god - but she is definitely on their radar. Kids live in the building and you know what will and won't be tolerated these days.
Is the reality that someone with her illness is just left to crash and burn? There is no family involved here. And even if it's by one-way e-mail and voice mail communications I'm at a loss regarding what to say that might reach her. Because of the paranoia I don't know if she trusts anyone any more.
I don't know if it has anything to do with the disorder with women, but when she hit menopause things got worse. Her disorders became so bad that she ended up in involuntary after a spree of aggressive behavior - both physical acts like pushing people into traffic and exposing herself in public - that led to arrest, appearances in Court and a two month involuntary with Court ordered medication therapy. When I saw the write up in the newspaper about what happened I was shocked.
Ok, she is going to be "forced" into treatment. That was probably good, right? Well, no. Every other time she has gone back on medication I could tell within a week that it was working. The change in her thought process and lowered paranoia became evident within a week. This time? No change at all. I still don't understand it.. Either she got really, really good at dispatching with the meds while in involuntary, or she hit "the wall" and no matter what they were trying it just wasn't working.
That happened three years ago. I'm pretty much convinced she is getting no treatment and is on no medication since. The few times I have been able to get her on the phone the entire world is one big conspiracy theory. She hardly ever leaves her apartment. And she has stopped answering the phone or replying to e-mails. The only way I know she still has an apartment is her phone is still connected. In so many words, she won't socially engage any more with people who have known her for yeas.
It's really sad to see someone like this. Especially when you know the other side: the bright, funny, intelligent person stuck inside the disorder. On a practical level, I'm concerned that this will eventually lead to losing her apartment. The management company has received complaints about her behavior in the common areas of the building. One time she put up a notice that there would be a nude sit-in protest at her apartment, to protest how the Management company was treating her. Nothing happened - she didn't go through with it, thank god - but she is definitely on their radar. Kids live in the building and you know what will and won't be tolerated these days.
Is the reality that someone with her illness is just left to crash and burn? There is no family involved here. And even if it's by one-way e-mail and voice mail communications I'm at a loss regarding what to say that might reach her. Because of the paranoia I don't know if she trusts anyone any more.
deleted_user
Best advice I can give anyone is to learn about schizoaffective disorder as much as you can. In this case knowledge is power.
deleted_user
It is hard to say what to do. Is she compliant with meds when they are working? If so call her up everyday and stay on the phone while she takes her meds. If she is not see a pdoc to try a different one. I'd hate to see her kicked out of her apartment. Is there a way she could live in a board-n-care? She might have a room mate but they will make sure she takes her meds and any other medical condition and feed her 3 meals a day. She'd Probably be safer in one. I am so sorry you have to deal with this. I ache when I think about times I put my family through hell. Could she possible live with you? I am 39years old and had to move back home with my parents. Schizoaffective Bipolar is a tough disease. Please remember to take care of yourself too.
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