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Member Since Nov 2021
Location: Oregon
Posts: 34
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#1
My friend has schizoaffective disorder. She does not take meds regularly because of side effects, which I can understand because the side effects can be horrific. She's tried a lot of different meds.
She talks a lot about her paranoid symptoms for hours at a time very quickly. It's dizzying. I feel really sad for her. I want so much to help, but listening for hours to her paranoid thoughts is not helping. What can I do? Encouraging her to take her meds, doesn't do any good. |
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Threadtastic Postaholic
Member Since Dec 2018
Location: New Jersey
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#2
Hey @therealstacy:
I am sorry to be blunt but if she isnt taking medication to manage her disease you can not help her. Schizophrenia is one of the mental illnesses that almost always requires medication. For patients that are non-compliant or forgetful there are monthly injectibles of antipsychotics that can be given in a doctors office. Quote:
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Member
Member Since Nov 2021
Location: Oregon
Posts: 34
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#3
I see that there's nothing I can do. And I understand that bipolar and depression are different from schizophrenia. I don't know why that statement was included in this conversation.
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Legendary
Member Since Apr 2012
Location: Earth
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#4
Is she in therapy? Is she willing to do therapy? Would she let you go with her. There's injections that can be given 4x a year. Medicine doesn't have to have horrible side effects. See if she can get genetic testing to see what meds work the best. If she does the injection you may want to drive her. Because it's scary especially when paranoid.
As for the paranoid thoughts ask her what you can do. Validate that it must be scary __________________ Dx: Me- SzA Husband- Bipolar 1 Daughter- mood disorder+ Comfortable broken and happy "So I don't know why I'm tongue tied At the wrong time when I need this."- P!nk My blog |
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Member
Member Since Nov 2021
Location: Oregon
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#5
I've talked to her about the importance of therapy combined with meds. I'll ask her if she's tried injectibles.
Not sure if she can afford genetic testing but that's a good idea. I like that idea too of validating her thoughts. I'll draw a boundary at a certain number of minutes that we can talk over the phone otherwise she'll want to be on the phone for hours. I know she's lonely. I am too but I don't want to listen to her ramblings incessantly when it does no good. |
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Legendary Wise Elder
Member Since Jul 2018
Location: CA
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#6
It's admirable that you want to help your friend. Side effects of meds can be terrible. Plus sometimes when people feel better then they think they don't need their meds anymore which can complicate matters.
I am schizoaffective and I am pretty much med complaint (I sometimes forget a day here or there but mostly I am on top of it) and even then managing the illness and the meds can be a bit of a nightmare and I'm high functioning. I can't imagine what it is like for someone who is more debilitated by the disease than I am. I think it's good to set boundaries for yourself so that you can be protected from some of the paranoia, etc, as it seems to also maybe have a detrimental effect on you? You can only really be there for someone when you take good care of you. I think it is important to not give into the delusions though because that can make them fuel for more. When someone I trusts tells me it is a delusion then I am more likely to see it as a delusion but if that person is trying to placate me and goes along with it, then I am scared that it is real and I get more delusional or paranoid. That is just my experience though so your mileage may vary. Also maybe there is a PHP or IOP program your friend can attend? I was able to do an IOP program which means intensive outpatient program through my insurance at no cost to me. I can also do a PHP (partial hospitalization program) for no cost but I do have pretty good insurance which I pay through the nose for. They might be able to teach your friend some skills in dealing with the illness. I have never been on injectables so I can't speak to them but if your friend is not med compliant that seems like a good way to go but still body integrity is important even to people who are mentally ill so be prepared to hear that she doesn't want to do that. I can understand because it means not having control over yourself. But in an IOP or PHP they might have tools to help her see that she needs to be on meds consistently. Try to take good care of you! HUGS Kit __________________ Dum Spiro Spero IC XC NIKA |
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#7
Good post. I'm wondering if she's in therapy too.
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