[Hippynoir]

Hello guys! I am new to this site so I do not really know what to expect, but let me get to the poin.
My boyfriend of 15months and best friend of 2years, has a case of schizophrenia , but no one but me and another friend know about it. I kind of diagnosed him , because last summer he showed some randomly strange signs, he wasn't himself, he began hearing voices and then it went away till like December. Ever since then he has been having episodes when he is not himself when we argue or have a disagreement. He is originally from England, and I America but we are both currently staying in The Gambia, West Africa so there is no treatment here. I am 17 and he just turned 18 and he has not told his parents. I do not understand how they have not found out by now but they don't know and he threatens when I say I am going to tell them. I feel like maybe I have caused it since I make him upset a lot . Is there anything I can do to prevent his relapse or any therapy I can try myself to do with him? He wants to get help himself without his parents knowing when he goes back to London this summer, but he has convulsions, when he is not himself and he bangs his head against the wall as well as changing completely. Not to a different person but like talking in a different tone. Sometimes when he changes I cannot touch him if I try to hug him he cries and he doesn't talk. That recently started happening but most times it is just him not remembering dating me thinking he is with his ex or him thinking we are married in England . I just want to know are there things I can do it help him myself it is not as bad as others I read up on but it gets worse as he gets upset. Oh and he also he hears voices . I believe he suffers depression and he is suicidal at times. I am trying to stay strong!

[HazelGirl]

He needs to seek professional help. This is not your fault. Schizophrenia is caused by the brain being out of whack. The only way to treat it is through medication. He absolutely needs to go somewhere so he can be treated. And you need to make sure he isn't abusing you. There is no excuse for threatening you. That is totally wrong behavior and you don't need to put up with that.

Yes, your boyfriend does need treatment. There seems to be a psych hospital near Banjul, called Tanka Tanka, but I know absolutely nothing about it, I just found it by Googling now. In any case you need to make sure that you stay safe.

[growlycat]

He needs to be professionally diagnosed and treated. Maybe once he is safely home you can write him and/or his parents bout your concerns ? But at 18, I believe he is considered an adult? All you can do is urge him to get treatment--if it really is schizophrenia then his prognosis is worse the longer he goes without treatment.

[feralkittymom]

I've never heard of convulsions as a part of schizophrenia. He may very well have a medical condition that needs to be checked out asap. Also, don't know how you come to be in Gambia, but if you're with some sort of program, those in charge need to be made aware of his altered condition.

[Hippynoir]

Hi Hazegirl, but it only occurs when i get him upset sometimes and he never has threatened to hurt me but he has threatened suicide and I told him that we cannot be together if he threatens to hurt himself whenever something goes wrong because I felt that that was some sort of control he was trying to use and I would not tolerate that and he agreed. And yes but my thing is I cannot get him to tell his parents he believes they won't love him anymore. And he is going to England for that around end of July or August but I
Leaving before hand so i worried and he's ashamed he is having these problems do he's sort of at that in denial stage. Thank you for taking the time to read my forum.

[HazelGirl]

Originally Posted by Hippynoir

Hi Hazegirl, but it only occurs when i get him upset sometimes and he never has threatened to hurt me but he has threatened suicide and I told him that we cannot be together if he threatens to hurt himself whenever something goes wrong because I felt that that was some sort of control he was trying to use and I would not tolerate that and he agreed. And yes but my thing is I cannot get him to tell his parents he believes they won't love him anymore. And he is going to England for that around end of July or August but I
Leaving before hand so i worried and he's ashamed he is having these problems do he's sort of at that in denial stage. Thank you for taking the time to read my forum.

Glad to hear he's not directly threatening you. This does sound like a serious problem and he does need treatment for it before July or August. It may not be schizophrenia if it only happens when he's upset. I'm not sure what is going on, but it definitely sounds like he needs to go to a doctor as soon as possible.

[Hippynoir]

Yes it's crazy he was fine this time last year however he was really depressed and suicidal last year before these symptoms started. Now sometimes he changed particularly on the phone when he gets real sad and begins repeating himself. Over and over and when he repeats himself he cannot hear me. Then like three times he suffered tmj where he couldn't open his mouth however it only lasted a few minutes. Sometimes he bangs his head against his wall when he begins repeating himself over and over. Along with his convulsions. This is when he gets really depressed and he hears voices continuously calling his name. At the beginning he would hear. Conversations like he heard two men speaking in Latin then in English saying victory loves preparation . He never heard that phrase before hand. At the beginning when he changed he would hallucinate but only over the phone he would randomly laugh and I'd be like whats wrong and he's be like he's so funny and I am like who? He's like my friend he's little. Then later that day he was panicking saying he is scared he is being chased by the little guy with a red beard and red suit. I thought for sure he was possessed but now he doesn't hallucinate anymore that happened like twice or once though. But he claims now that sometimes he sees small birds or insects? I am really worried he's going to give himself further brain damage due to his banging of the head and recently he's been having symptoms of narcolepsy . My sister was diagnosed with that. Like when he's about to change now he just falls completely asleep I have videos 😞 I don't know what is going on this is all happening so fast and I love him to death and I know we are young but I'd marry him he was perfect now I don't know what's going on. This is just crazy.
Ps. He's fine when he stays depressed but once he's depressed it's hard to get him out of that state. He feels irrelevant.

[Hippynoir]

Originally Posted by Mastodon

Yes, your boyfriend does need treatment. There seems to be a psych hospital near Banjul, called Tanka Tanka, but I know absolutely nothing about it, I just found it by Googling now. In any case you need to make sure that you stay safe.

Yes it's crazy he was fine this time last year however he was really depressed and suicidal last year before these symptoms started. Now sometimes he changed particularly on the phone when he gets real sad and begins repeating himself. Over and over and when he repeats himself he cannot hear me. Then like three times he suffered tmj where he couldn't open his mouth however it only lasted a few minutes. Sometimes he bangs his head against his wall when he begins repeating himself over and over. Along with his convulsions. This is when he gets really depressed and he hears voices continuously calling his name. At the beginning he would hear. Conversations like he heard two men speaking in Latin then in English saying victory loves preparation . He never heard that phrase before hand. At the beginning when he changed he would hallucinate but only over the phone he would randomly laugh and I'd be like whats wrong and he's be like he's so funny and I am like who? He's like my friend he's little. Then later that day he was panicking saying he is scared he is being chased by the little guy with a red beard and red suit. I thought for sure he was possessed but now he doesn't hallucinate anymore that happened like twice or once though. But he claims now that sometimes he sees small birds or insects? I am really worried he's going to give himself further brain damage due to his banging of the head and recently he's been having symptoms of narcolepsy . My sister was diagnosed with that. Like when he's about to change now he just falls completely asleep I have videos 😞 I don't know what is going on this is all happening so fast and I love him to death and I know we are young but I'd marry him he was perfect now I don't know what's going on. This is just crazy.
Ps. He's fine when he stays depressed but once he's depressed it's hard to get him out of that state. He feels irrelevant.

[Hippynoir]

Originally Posted by growlycat

He needs to be professionally diagnosed and treated. Maybe once he is safely home you can write him and/or his parents bout your concerns ? But at 18, I believe he is considered an adult? All you can do is urge him to get treatment--if it really is schizophrenia then his prognosis is worse the longer he goes without treatment.

Yes it's crazy he was fine this time last year however he was really depressed and suicidal last year before these symptoms started. Now sometimes he changed particularly on the phone when he gets real sad and begins repeating himself. Over and over and when he repeats himself he cannot hear me. Then like three times he suffered tmj where he couldn't open his mouth however it only lasted a few minutes. Sometimes he bangs his head against his wall when he begins repeating himself over and over. Along with his convulsions. This is when he gets really depressed and he hears voices continuously calling his name. At the beginning he would hear. Conversations like he heard two men speaking in Latin then in English saying victory loves preparation . He never heard that phrase before hand. At the beginning when he changed he would hallucinate but only over the phone he would randomly laugh and I'd be like whats wrong and he's be like he's so funny and I am like who? He's like my friend he's little. Then later that day he was panicking saying he is scared he is being chased by the little guy with a red beard and red suit. I thought for sure he was possessed but now he doesn't hallucinate anymore that happened like twice or once though. But he claims now that sometimes he sees small birds or insects? I am really worried he's going to give himself further brain damage due to his banging of the head and recently he's been having symptoms of narcolepsy . My sister was diagnosed with that. Like when he's about to change now he just falls completely asleep I have videos 😞 I don't know what is going on this is all happening so fast and I love him to death and I know we are young but I'd marry him he was perfect now I don't know what's going on. This is just crazy.
Ps. He's fine when he stays depressed but once he's depressed it's hard to get him out of that state. He feels irrelevant.