What can you do for a family member with psychosis?
Listen and try to understand.
It can help if your loved one feels able to discuss their feelings and options with someone supportive and calm. Listen to their experiences and ask them what would help. Our information can help you understand more about psychosis.
Speak in a calm, quiet voice, not only with the person in crisis but also with others who may be present. Keep instructions or explanations clear and simple. Don't challenge or criticize your loved one's delusions or hallucinations. Focus on their feelings instead.
Different things may help you cope with your voices at different times. Some of these ideas may not be helpful or possible for you right now. ... Here are some different things you could try:
Schizophrenia is more likely to respond and have a good outcome with early diagnosis and treatment. Avoid alcohol and recreational drug use. Alcohol and drug use can make schizophrenia symptoms worse and can lead to other issues.
The first and most important defence you have against nasty voices is antipsychotic medication (also called neuroleptics). Modern antipsychotics are 70 % effective in relieving the voices and will often make them disappear altogether.
The king of leafy greens, spinach is high in folate. (It's called folic acid when it's used in supplements or to fortify foods.) Folate can help ease symptoms of schizophrenia. Along with spinach, you can find it in black-eyed peas, asparagus, and beef liver.
Open and clear communication can help people who have schizophrenia find the support they need as well as understand what's expected of them in the relationship. In addition to individual therapy, couples therapy can help both partners cope with the effects of schizophrenia on the relationship.
Schizophrenia usually involves delusions (false beliefs), hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that don't exist), unusual physical behavior, and disorganized thinking and speech. It is common for people with schizophrenia to have paranoid thoughts or hear voices.
How do you deal with a mentally unstable family member?
Clear, honest communication is crucial for all family members. For example, don't be afraid to ask both your ill and healthy children how they feel about the changes to the family. Keeping a line of communication open will help things go more smoothly—both at the time of a new diagnosis, and well into the future.
What should you not say to a paranoid schizophrenic?
Don't Say Things Like: “Why Are You Acting Crazy?” Crazy, cuckoo, nuts, and basketcase are a few of the many hurtful and flat-out rude names you should avoid saying to someone with schizophrenia.
When should you walk away from someone with mental illness?
When Is It Time to Walk Away? In some cases, the decision to leave is obvious. If physical abuse is present to any degree, and especially if the individual fears for their own life or well-being or that of their children, it's important to leave as soon as possible. Safety is the number one priority.
A schizophrenic episode can last days or weeks, and in rare cases, months, says Dr. D'Souza. Some people may experience only one or two schizophrenic episodes in their lifetime, whereas for others the episodes may come and go in phases.
