Dealing with someone who has paranoid schitzophrenia ? Posted: 04-23-08 06:18am
My mother in law I believe has paranoid
schitzophrenia. I was told she was
diagnosed with it years before I came into
the picture. I did some research on it
and it describes her to a "T". Obviously
as it describes her to a "T" she is in
denial of it as that is common. How do
you get someone to go to the doctor, admit
to this, get the medicine, and take the
medicine. She makes my life a living
hell!!! She thinks everyone is plotting
against her including me. She thinks
everyone is planting seeds into her head.
She thinks numerous people are capable of
homicide and I know these people aren't.
Its crazy. I don't know how much more of
her I can take. I have to put her mental
disorder into consideration. What do I
do??? I'm tired of assumtions being made
on me. She literally sent my husband (her
son) numerous emails and they were
outrageously long, with nothing but lies
about me. This is before I knew her
disorder, I couldn't imagine someone being
able to think of some of the things she
said about me with their imagination.
Didn't know someone would have that much
time on their hands. So whats a person to
do? Oh and she denies now after
confronting her of them that she ever
wrote them, even though they are in front
of her! I feel for her but its making my
life hell, I need to know what to do or if
I as a daughter in law have any way of
dealing with this.
|
antigone
Moderator
Joined: 27 Jan 2008 Posts: 852 Location: IL
Thanks: 40
Thanked:15
Posted: 04-23-08 09:55am
Yikes, I've been there. My ex mother in
law was mentally ill. She was paraniod,
delusional, experiencing hallucinations.
We were living with her so I bore the
brunt of her paranoia and rage. We did an
intervention and had her committed. This
was over 20 yrs ago so I don't know how
relevant that is today. The outcome was
not as we had hoped. It created
resentment, anger and further rage. I
insisted that we move out. Things were
never good with her.
I don't know that there is anything you
can do to force her into treatment. She
needs to do this voluntarily unless she is
a danger to herself or others.
Have a discussion with your husband. Be
honest with him and tell him how her
behavior is effecting you. Tell him you
know she was diagnosed with schizophrenia
years ago. This disorder does not go away.
It may lay latent and then resurface with
new episodes. Left untreated the disorder
will only worsen. See if you can appeal to
him. You both need to set limits with her.
Don't allow her to be in your lives so
intimately. He needs to be aware of her
paranoia and recognize that his mother is
ill. In this illness she will sabotage
your marriage. She may feel threatened by
you. This will cause her to target you.
Your husband needs to have an awareness of
how this illness works and how to deal
with the behaviors that result from the
illness. A good therapist that has
experience with schizophrenia can offer
support, insight and advice. Both of you
should see someone.
I hope this helps. My situation was not
good and the ending was not good and we
did not live happily ever after - together
at least. Self preservation kicks in and
you need to take care of you. Hugs to you.
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Georgia59
Moderator
Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 5321 Location: Along the Mississippi, USA
Thanks: 64
Thanked:28
Posted: 04-23-08 18:20pm
I think antigone about covered it. It can
be a tricky situation though...
make sure you don't step on any of the
family member's toes along the way, that
can get sticky (I've been there)
|
Philo
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 12 Mar 2007 Posts: 331 Location: Montreal
Thanks: 4
Thanked:0
Posted: 04-23-08 20:55pm
In spite of being pretty sick, I never had
a period where I was not aware of it.
Being sick and not even knowing it must be
pretty harsh for everyone around you as
well as yourself.
|
elijah
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 18 May 2008 Posts: 1
schizophrenia Posted: 05-18-08 11:32am
Yes i understand what you're going
through. Paranoid schizophrenia is one of
the most difficult things to deal with. I
reckon it could be even more emotionally
draining than a physical illness itself.
My sister is diagnosed with schizophrenia
8 years ago, but she had a relapse after
her divorce and refusing to continue
medication about a year ago. She thinks
that a couple of family members are out to
harm her, especially me. She has called
the police to arrest me 2 weeks back, and
has filed a court order against an 84 year
old aunt last month. The court hearing is
this week. She has recently been warded
for professional treatment, but we still
have lots to deal with, and hopefully get
the case dismissed. My mum just passed on,
and she is accusing me of killing her now.
It's very sad because we love her very
much, and we have never been nasty towards
her.
We have to understand that her perceptions
aren't really coming from the person
suffering from it. I realise that the more
we try to correct her perceptions about
things, the more anger is built up against
us. It is hard but we have to try not to
disagree with them but to try see it from
their point of view. Conversations are
best kept to an abstract level, without
exactly agreeing or disagreeing with the
person. Cheeriness helps too, as they are
often sensitive and would interpret any
signs otherwise as negative.
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