'Perfect Storm'
Patients often resist treatment when symptoms begin to appear or when they have the full-blown psychosis associated with schizophrenia. It's the perfect storm. Young people are becoming more independent, experiencing symptoms, and people are becoming more reluctant to label and develop serious mental health conditions.
This is a very difficult situation for parents and carers. They are 18-year-old adults and can make decisions about whether to go to the hospital or take medication. As a parent, you lose the power to make your child do these things.
listen and empathize
When inviting someone to participate in treatment, it is a good idea to talk to the family. Don't just listen; listen what is their experience? Their reality is different from most people's reality. If that's a delusion, I don't think you should agree with what they say. But I can empathize.
If they think someone is trying to get them, you can say: You must be very worried. ”
That is their reality. Imagine if that was true. That's what your loved one believes.
Next, ask if there is anything that might motivate you to seek treatment. Many people with schizophrenia have trouble sleeping. Treatment can help regulate your sleep cycle.
Maybe they want to go back to college. You can say, „I know you really want to go back to college, and I want that too.“ Let's see what we can do to get back there. ”
Work with them to achieve their goals. It's not what you want, it's what they want.
Ideally, after listening and empathizing, you will agree to therapy. At that point, you become what I call a recovery partner, working with your loved one to find solutions and seek help.
At first, treatment was trial and error.
Honestly, the medications available for schizophrenia are not always effective, which is why many people discontinue treatment. Horrible side effects can occur and people lose hope and quit.
One of the side effects is obesity. If a young woman were told she needed to take this drug and gained 30 pounds in three months, she would want to get off the drug. The voices stopped. However, within a week or two the voice returns and the cycle begins again.
It is common to try different drugs at the beginning of treatment. So was my son. He tried his four or he five antipsychotic drugs that targeted the more active part of schizophrenia: hallucinations. But when I found something that worked, it was like a light switch turned on in my brain.
Matthew has obesity and other unpleasant side effects. But he also recognizes that he needs the medication and that the side effects are not as bad as the mental illness itself. It's a very mature place.
I give people hope to keep searching and not compromise. Always work with your psychiatrist. And have the schizophrenia patient sign a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) consent form so the psychiatrist can collaborate with other mental health professionals. If you are persistent and continue to search for treatment options, it is very likely that you will find an effective treatment over time.
explain the action of the drug
People with schizophrenia need to be aware and informed about what they put into their bodies. Part of their participation in treatment is understanding the pros and cons of all kinds of medications and how they want it to affect them.
positive reinforcement
Once the medication is working and your symptoms subside, you can discuss it. „Remember last month when you couldn't sleep because you heard voices? Remember how horrifyingly bad that was? Now that the medication is working, you're fine. It's a really important step.“
It's positive reinforcement. You're communicating on an intellectual level what they're doing and what results they're getting. They can think through cause and effect. „I like the effect, so I'm going to keep doing this.“
Tapering treatment if ineffective
It is never a good idea to suddenly stop treatment for schizophrenia. Impress the importance of working with a psychiatrist if you are dissatisfied with side effects or if the medication is not effective.
These are powerful drugs that change the chemical balance in the brain. You may need to reduce the dose of one drug and prescribe another to ensure blood levels are sufficient. I don't want to go to extremes and I don't want to be completely devastated.
Respectfully listen to why they want to quit and look for alternatives. There are many combinations of options. Finding something that works requires patience with the process. It doesn't take effect immediately; it takes several weeks. Discuss what will have the least impact on their lives.