[HopeForChange]

Just curious...for a period of a few weeks, I was hallucinating and my delusions were worse. I couldn't sleep due to the hallucinations. For the past week, I have been doing better. It would have been so much easier if I could have called my pdoc about a med change, but I didn't because I was afraid he would hospitalize me. I am a relatively new patient of his, and I'm not sure how he would react. I think some treatment providers have an extreme reaction to psychosis even though I live with it to some extent daily. I know I could just ask him when I see him next, but I'm curious how it is for you guys...can you bring up psychosis with your psychiatrist or therapist without being hospitalized? I've been blessed with good insight, so I usually recognize when I'm in trouble--but rarely have the courage to ask for help because I hate being hospitalized so much. I've never once had a good experience with hospitals...

[SorryShaped]

I have had good hospital experiences and bad ones. My docs have always met with me first and only if I'm a danger to myself or others(never) was I hospitalized. Most of the time we just changed meds and waited another few days and usually made the adjustments even without going to the office via the phone

[Victoria'smom]

It depends on your pdoc. I've had ones that made med adjustment with the promise from my husband that if I refuse to take it to take me to the hospital. Others that I say I want to harm myself and hospitalized me on the spot. Usually the longer the psychiatrist and therapist knows me and knows I struggle with psychosis the less likely I was to get hospitalize. I run on the feeling always tell the truth because when things are really bad they're the ones to save your life.

[bizi]

I am sorry you are not sleeping....bad sign.
You know about meds call your pdoc for guidance.
((((HUGS))))
bizi

[HopeForChange]

Thanks guys! The thing that makes this hard is that I was with my previous pdoc for over ten years. She knew me and would try her best to keep me out of the hospital. With this new doctor, I'm not so sure. He seems nice and helpful, but sometimes well-meaning people think the hospital is the best solution when it's just not helpful for me. I am sleeping okay now, but for a few weeks, things were pretty dicey. I wish we could talk about psychosis with other people without freaking them out. Like maybe if we could address it just as other people would say they're worried about money or a relationship, it wouldn't grow to be so unmanageable.

Thanks again for the replies--you guys are great

[Victoria'smom]

Do you have a therapist you can talk to?

[HopeForChange]

Originally Posted by Miguel'smom

Do you have a therapist you can talk to?

I do have a wonderful therapist, and she knows me very well. Maybe I could ask her to talk to my pdoc if need be?

[bizi]

Originally Posted by HopeForChange

I do have a wonderful therapist, and she knows me very well. Maybe I could ask her to talk to my pdoc if need be?

This is an excellent idea!
bizi

[HopeForChange]

Thanks bizi! Just accepted your friend request

[captaineo]

Hi Guys, l live very far away where access to good therapists is not that available. Could you let me know if online therapy is good?. I am recently trying BetterHelp but somehow my therapist just writes me emails and I was hoping for a Skype or Audio call or chat. Me T writes good things but doesn’t reach in -and try to help and I don’t like that.

Originally Posted by captaineo

Hi Guys, l live very far away where access to good therapists is not that available. Could you let me know if online therapy is good?. I am recently trying BetterHelp but somehow my therapist just writes me emails and I was hoping for a Skype or Audio call or chat. Me T writes good things but doesn’t reach in -and try to help and I don’t like that.

You can switch therapists on BetterHelp. I’ve been looking at them, but they haven’t assigned anyone with the specialties and demographics I’m looking for.

You should definitely mention any hallucinations or the like with your doctor. Hiding them won't do you any good. I can't know what he'll do in response, but I'm sure what he does will be done with helping you in mind.

I have been hospitalized with psychosis, but in my case I was also so manic, mixed, or depressed that I was unable to function properly in public or at least alone.

[captaineo]

The fact that you know these are hallucinations is very good because you are still sane. And any person will tell you that the person that does not believe there is anything wrong with him or her and this hallucinations are real then requires hospitalization

[captaineo]

Originally Posted by key tones

You can switch therapists on BetterHelp. I’ve been looking at them, but they haven’t assigned anyone with the specialties and demographics I’m looking for.

Thanks KEY tones I wish for someone to save me, but that is hard. I am losing the appetite for life in every way.

[Blueberrybook]

It depends on your pdoc. I've had good hospitalizations and bad ones. I narrowly missed being hospitalized while manic and barely sleeping even though I don't get hallucinations or psychosis when manic. It was just that I was SO manic. Both my husband and I had to talk her out of hospitalization on that one, and once I got enough sleep, I started to come out of it.

[Shazerac]

I vote for telling the truth. However if you can’t do for the fear thats OK. Perhaps later on when you feel a little more stable talk to your doc about his/her criteria for hospitalization. Tell them what you told us...your old doc knew you and tried to help you stay out of the hospital. It’s normal to have fears when dealing with a new Pdoc.

My previous doc for 8 years retired and it sent me into a tail spin. She was about my age and we got along well. In a social setting we could have been friends. She was pretty lenient about allowing me to make small changes in my med doses as needed. A little less Seroquel for a while if I was having restless legs. A little more when I was feeling manic....and so on.

This new doc I just kind of don’t like her. She’s very cold and clinical. She freaks out if I mess with my Meds without her permission so I just don’t tell her and that’s not good. I probably need to take the leap and find a new Pdoc.

I digressed and I apologize. I hope you manage to settle in with your new doctor. I strongly urge to tell them about your fear about being hospitalized. It’s a valid concern.

[*Laurie*]

For me, both times I was IP the pdoc (different ones) asked me if I felt like I would like a rest for a few days. Also, for the second IP the pdoc wanted to assess me more quickly to change my meds.

Both times I was exhausted and very much wanted a rest. Needed to be away from the demands of adult life for a few days. And I did want my medication plan expedited.

My first IP was fairly pleasant; the second one, more unpleasant (for example, another patient stole my bra...that was really annoying, as it was never recovered). Mostly, IP was incredibly boring. But, the relaxation did feel helpful.

[Unrigged64072835]

There are three occasions where I would be sent: 1) Plans to hurt myself 2) Plans to hurt someone else 3) Not capable of doing anything functional. Anything else is adjusting meds or using coping skills.

[HALLIEBETH87]

I just had a week long bout of psychosis myself. My therapist wanted me to go to the hospital but I kept refusing and since I wasn't in any danger to me or others he couldn't make me. So he asked permission to call my dr with me there. My dr increased my haldol and said to come in the next day. He assessed me the next day and said to keep taking the same dose of haldol and come back in two weeks. He did say if I got suicidal
I needed to go to the hospital. See the thing is I wasn't manic OR depressed-just in psychosis.
Ive gotten better now and I hope you feel better soon. It's been my experience if you're not harm to you or anyone else then usually you can work
With your pdoc outside the hospital.

[HopeForChange]

Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences! I'm feeling much better now; I'm just trying to figure out what I'd do if this were to happen again. I have so much trouble reaching out for help. I like to feel like I can manage everything on my own, so it's hard to acknowledge that sometimes I can't. And I HATE hospitals, and found it very traumatic being taken there involuntarily in the past, so I'm skittish now. I wish it were more accepted to talk about psychosis. I feel like it scares people so much, and I wish it were a more accepted thing to bring up.

Anyway, thanks so much for your replies!!!