[LoveForMyChild]

My daughter (age 17) has 27 voices and has hallucinations. She is taking medication for it and that has helped at least make it manageable. I am in the process of changing her Pdoc, as the one she had can no longer see her. (Our grant went away, and it was against the rules for her to continue seeing her.) I had great difficulty finding a new pdoc for her, but finally found one an hour away that will see her. The problem is, they didn't have an opening until the end of October! Starting yesterday, my daughter's voices started reverting to the way they were before she started her current medication...telling her to hurt herself or someone else. She said they have become louder and I see her struggling with her anger because of it. I am not sure what to do at this point...she definitely needs either a medication adjustment or a medication change, but that can't be done until she can see her new pdoc. (Her primary care doctor has agreed to write her prescriptions until I get her situated with a new pdoc...thankfully!) Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do to help her or to get her the care she needs right now? I feel it's a bit drastic right now to bring her the the hospital, but something has to change before she get suicidal again.
Thank you in advance for your input!

Have you tried to get her some CBT on addressing these voices. Maybe if she can somehow 'normalise' them then they will impact her a little less. It's an , unfortunate circle, fear tends to make these voices worse and less tolerable.

A basic philosophy that may help , When we accept that these voices are as a result of a brain that is firing incorrectly , then she may find some solace in that. Instead of the notion that the voices are being dictated to her via some super natural force.

Who knows eventually she may see these voices as random , rather than seizing on one word or sentence , giving it special significance and then allowing the power of thought and the underlining pathology to focus on it.

I'm sorry that your daughter is struggling LoveForMyChild Could you ring both the old pdoc and the new pdoc and fill them in and see if either will see her soon? I know in an emergency, sometimes my doctor has squeezed me in or had a telephone consult and changed my meds from that.

All the best,

*Willow*

[faerie_moon_x]

Yes, try to get her an emergency appointment. Or maybe the old pdoc can give you suggestions as to what can be done?

Originally Posted by paulycoll

Have you tried to get her some CBT on addressing these voices. Maybe if she can somehow 'normalise' them then they will impact her a little less. It's an , unfortunate circle, fear tends to make these voices worse and less tolerable.

A basic philosophy that may help , When we accept that these voices are as a result of a brain that is firing incorrectly , then she may find some solace in that. Instead of the notion that the voices are being dictated to her via some super natural force.

Who knows eventually she may see these voices as random , rather than seizing on one word or sentence , giving it special significance and then allowing the power of thought and the underlining pathology to focus on it.

Also if you go down the CBT root , make sure you look for someone with specific experience with psychosis and voices. The behavioural therapy should give insight and offer management and response techniques specifically in this area.

Normal CBT dealing with every day problems I doubt will be helpful. Maybe the doctor could help you get a name , you can contact.

[Gr3tta]

I know most people like and have success with the 'understand its not real' approach, but I always have more personal success when I treat voices as if they are real people. I.e.: if a real person told more a very convincing but far fetched and potentially harmful story, I would be free to choose not to believe it, if a real person told me to harm myself or another, I would be free to choose not to, to say no.
This doesn't help at all with making them any less unpleasant, but makes me feel more powerful and in control, and helps me take control over my own responses and reactions.
I hope she will feel better soon. Thanks for posting.

[LoveForMyChild]

Thank you everyone! I have been on the phone today again with no luck, but my daughter said the voices are calming back down. Thank goodness! I am still looking to see if I can get her in somewhere before her apt in Oct...that's just too far away! She sees her T on Thursday, so I will ask her for some help as well. I am also looking into CBT! Thank you for that suggestion!

I'm glad the voices have lessened slightly and that your daughter has both a T and a supportive parent to help her cope. Hopefully you can get in somewhere earlier than October. All the best

Originally Posted by Gr3tta

I know most people like and have success with the 'understand its not real' approach, but I always have more personal success when I treat voices as if they are real people. I.e.: if a real person told more a very convincing but far fetched and potentially harmful story, I would be free to choose not to believe it, if a real person told me to harm myself or another, I would be free to choose not to, to say no.
This doesn't help at all with making them any less unpleasant, but makes me feel more powerful and in control, and helps me take control over my own responses and reactions.

Interestingly Gr3tta, one of the recovery themes in the Romme & Escher Recovery Stories book I'm reading was to accept that the voices are real to you. I think it's important to find whatever works for each of us

*Willow*