I could really do with some advice. My partner has had psychosis for a year now (was sectioned for a month in October). Crisis team and community team help frequently but nothing is changing as my partner won’t accept the diagnosis and won’t get any kind of help. The voices are 24/7 and so are the delusions that there are cameras and recorders in the home, no privacy and constant ringing the police and ambulance for people because voices tell her someone’s being attacked. I do everything possible to care but nothing helps. The only possible way for her to get help is if something bad enough happens to prompt involuntary help. She also disappears for days and doesn’t tell anyone where she is and the police won’t breach human rights to help locate her. She has a lot of physical illnesses too and in the past has not always been believed until things have gotten to near death situation. The fear of hospital is a huge issue and is neglecting to go to appointments for physical problems not just psychiatry. Always says someone is remotely amping up pain levels when she has an appointment to attend. The advice is always ring paramedics or take her to nearest crisis place but she won’t go and when paramedics arrive there is not enough to deem she lacks capacity as she is no immediate danger to herself or anyone else.
I’m sorry there is not much advice I can offer, but you’re not alone. When my son was younger he suffered badly from psychosis.
As you say, there is not much you can do until your partner is considered a danger to herself or others. When my son wandered off I would tell the police anyway, because he was a vulnerable adult, and they would keep an eye out for him and sometimes return him home. He might turn up with scrapes and bruises and usually very hungry, but he did always come back. He seemed to have a kernel of common sense even at his worst. The delusions got more intense when he was stressed and we would try to keep things as calm as possible, and also not challenge his beliefs as that upset him.
My son is in his forties now and his condition has stabilised a lot. He has depot injections of an antipsychotic every 3 weeks. He smokes and drinks too much but when he gave up drinking the withdrawal made his psychosis worse. He no longer wanders as he is sadly physically pretty unfit.
It is such a difficult situation and I do wish you both well.
Thank you for your response, it means a lot. I wasn’t aware of antipsychotic injections, I may ask about this as I can’t always be sure she has taken her meds.
I’m sorry for your experience but so happy for you and him he has stabilised. It’s horrific watching someone you love going through this illness.
I am totally ignorant about this myself but a friend’s daughter is still suffering from post-partum psychosis - the child is now 5. She is currently sectioned after a series of mistakes at a hospital where the mental health team were substituted by other staff. The main problem this time was that she was stabilized and working from home while on injections, then in January a decision was made to let her take tablets instead, and she did not even fill the prescription. While she was well she was never able to accept that she needed medication.
Hi. I’ve not had any experience of this family wise. I have worked for 26 years until I retired in GP surgeries. One that helped support the care in the community accommodation in the area. We had these patients come in regularly. 2 of which I can still remember their names and can picture then clearly. This was in the late 1990’s. They were on the depot injections and it did help they were calmer and would chat to us always asking us if they were ok as in were they behaving. We knew when they had missed an injection as their demeanour was totally different. Please look down this route. If wish we could give you a supportive hug. Have a cyber on
I will definitely look into this and just really hope she will accept it or at least consider it as an option. Given she has to physically attend med reviews I doubt at the moment it’ll materialise but I can at least find out about it. Just not sure at what point is acceptable to be angry at someone refusing help and denying the diagnosis. I know logically she’s unable but I’m starting to get frustrated now that it’s a choice to refuse help.
Yes it’s difficult but the impact for you is big. There are times were the community MH nurse can come to the home. All you want to say is if you have this it will be more than likely you won’t be hospitalised. So sorry it’s this difficult
