Delusions

Written by

Sun, August 16, 2009

Can anyone tell me about delusions? This seems to my son's biggest issue right now. What's it like? What works best? How do I talk to him about it? Why if he's having these, does he do so well in school? He is in a RTC right now and is very very quiet is that because of the delusions? He feels that he is doing okay until somebody else does something that bothers him and then he can't "get back there." I am trying to better understand him and what this must be like. Can he learn to recognize them and stop them? Please if you have experienced them, can you share with me and what helps you to cope? He is just 17 and had his break in May 08.

Thanks,

Kathy

Comments (7) | Add comment

Notify me when there are new comments

David Robbins

8/16/09 4:31pm

Hi Kathy, to answer some questions I will talk about my two severe eras of delusions.

The first was when I was 17. I started hearing voices. Eventually I thought I was Edgar Cayce reincarnated. In health class at school I had every condition we learned about. I had everything from an STD to emphysma. When my folks finally took me to a hospital, I told the doctor that I switched places with a retarded boy. I was now him and he didn't have to suffer any longer. I was admitted to a psych unit for 28 days. The meds stopped my delusions, but not the voices.

Several years later I had my second and lowest "break". That sharepost is called "The lowest point.

What helps is the meds. They are what got me out my delusions and back into life.

It is that simple. If a med didn't work I would try another. Seeing my way through to the other side is key. I had some good people push me even when I didn't want them to.

Having delusions is awful. When I was in them I thought there wasn't anything wrong. I spoke of the people that pushed me, They laid it on the line, either I believe my delusions or take the advice of others.

Meds are the main reason I survived all these years. And my willingness to do whatever it takes to maintain balance.

I hope you can find peace in your heart. You are doing the best for Adam. Support him and tell him how much you love him, even if he doesn't seem to listen. Support, especially from family works miracles.

Dave

8/17/09 11:17am

Thank you for sharing your insights. My son is struggling as well. He is at home with us and we struggle daily to try and understand what he must be going through!

Christina Bruni

8/16/09 10:40pm

Hi Kathy,

I must echo Dave's response because the medication took my delusions away. I have an atypical experience in that the first drug I was placed on [Stelazine] took away the paranoia and delusions within three weeks. I had believed that the government was after me because as a disc jockey I'd started a revolution through music. I called my father on the emergency room phone and told him I was in a $700-a-day detox unit, which of course was simply not true.

Please read my SharePost entitled Understanding Delusions: Implications for Treatment.

A subtle paranoia returned five years ago and grips me on and off at random, it doesn't always happen. In April, 2007 I shut down and scheduled an emergency meeting with my psychiatrist who promptly instituted a cross-titer from the Stelazine to a newer atypical. It is still touch-and-go at times.

It is possible for someone who has symptoms to do extremely well in school. He may be relying on coping mechanisms he doesn't even realize that he is using. They might work for him to help him do well academically. It is a good thing that he is doing so well in school.

Like any young person starting out in life [he is on the cusp of independence] navigating relationships outside of the family is a new thing. Relating to people outside of a drug environment is also something he will need to relearn and as he does this he will have self-doubts and worry just like anyone, even those of us without a mental illness go through this as young people, regardless of whether drugs used to be involved.

It cannot be overstated to tell your son often that you love him and also to show this love by your actions that are consistent with your words.

When he has been out of the hospital a year you might want to celebrate by taking him out to dinner. When I was released from the hospital the first time my parents took me to Pizza Hut.

Well, writing this down about the trip to the Pizza Hut really means something to me. I can remember that night like it was only yesterday. It was a big treat to go there because at the time there was only one Pizza Hut, and it was in New Jersey along a highway. I can see the red-buckled booth in my mind right now.

Your son will remember and cherish things like this too.

You might want to tell him, "You are going to get through this, let's work together to help you get through this."

I hope this helps.

Regards,

Christina

8/17/09 11:47am

I hear what your saying about meds being the key to recovery. Our son has "awakened" since changing meds a month or so ago. It is much like the "peeling of an onion" though. It seems that without the delusional thoughts keeping him busy he's bored, depressed and sleeps most the day away. He's scared and unwilling to move forward with his life. Don't know what to do to help. Pushing him to do even a simple chore each day angers him. Yesterday, we woke him up at 11am and asked him to clean the pool. He immediately got upset with us stating he felt like "blowing his brains out" and didn't want to live with us anymore. Within a half hour he calmed down , asked for the pool stuff, finished the chore and went back to bed. Some family member think we are simply being manipulated by him. I'm so scared and frustated in not knowing the right way to handle him. Thank you for reminder though ... we shall keep hugs coming and try to tell him often he is loved.

Christina Bruni

8/18/09 8:59am

Hello ms,

Sure, it can be hard to know definitely if he is manipulating you. I also want to suggest he might be angry at the illness, he might be angry he got sick or was diagnosed with schizophrenia, and he may be expressing this anger towards you. Sometimes a person can hurt the ones he loves and that isn't fair, right or helpful. He may also feel helpless about his situation. I would reinforce that he is a competent and capable person and that you support him in his goals, even if it seems he doesn't have any right now or it will take longer to achieve. Because he can have a good life living with the schizophrenia. At some point if he seems open to it you might want to show him this website. We have regular contributors whose posts are always inspiring. Your son will find his way.

One thing: Take anything he says seriously. A suggestion: to say something along the lines "I understand you may be in pain however there are things you can do to get through it and you can feel better. I want to help you."

Recovery takes time as I always tell people. It isn't quick and it isn't easy. Yet it's some of the most rewarding work you'll ever do.

I want the best for your son.

Regards,

Christina

Daleri

8/19/09 12:37am

There are so many things that contribute to how a person acts. There is the age, the accomplishments or lack of them, there is being accustomed to doing very little, there is being accustomed to sleeping a lot, the effects of the drugs etc. There are a lot of things that affect behavior besides sz and yes it can be frustrating for the both of you. We can't blame everything on sz but we do have to have consideration of it's effects. I know someone who thought that he was one of the greatest people at one moment and possibly one of the worst people the next (like some kind of fate of being some kind of anti-Christ or something). There are extreme highs and lows. It is important for Adam to have friends that he can trust. Try your best not to betray that trust. I liked Christina's suggestion of taking him out to eat or for something special. He needs some good times.

Donna-1

8/19/09 11:59am

The road to recovery is not often fast or easy. It is a time of a lot of introspection and reflection, which most teenagers suffer through. And it is hard enough with the normal angst of beeing a teenager, much less introducing schizophrenia to the mix. Encourage him to open up and explain to you what it is like. At that age, I wanted more than anything for anyone -- family, school counselor, pastor, doctors -- to really understand what I was feeling. Everyone seemed afraid to ask, so I felt very much on my own to deal with depression and the prodromal phase of schizophrenia.

There is nothing wrong with expecting Adam to help with chores, nor with his going back to his room to be alone after the chores are finished. I think people with sz feel they are in "survival mode", especially the first few years. Even the things he excelled at before and things he enjoyed are likely to be interrupted which is frustrating for you and him. Give him his space, praise him when he "does good." Don't push him to socialize even with family if he doesn't want to. If he is like I was, he is overwhelmed by hallucinations, delusions, fatigue, med side effects, and a distorted self-image. And he is struggling to climb out of what seems like a deep hole back to as normal a life as possible.

I guess I should stop rambling. But my best advice is that you just give it time. If he keeps taking his meds as prescribed there is every reason he will recover enough to achieve independence, be able to hold down a job, go to college, develop friendships, and who knows at this point how far he will go.

Carolyn

Delusions

Ask a Question