Hi Holly Hope,

Yes, Holly, like Robin said, there is hope, so stay hopeful.

What kinds of hallucinations does your sister have?  Command hallucinations, where voices tell her to kill herself, are undeniably the most troublesome.

Some people have done things like listen to the radio at a loud volume, or distract themselves by keeping busy, maybe cleaning the house or talking on the phone with a trusted friend.

Once she has some coping skills under her belt, I suggest she consider doing volunteer work or finding some kind of a job she likes, to occupy her time and give her a good feeling.

Right now, I believe she could benefit from attending a day program, where people with psychiatric conditions meet during the day for therapy and support.

The NAMI hot line, (800) 950-NAMI (6264) has trained staff that could give you the name and phone number of their local affiliate in your area, which you could call for information about services for your sister.  Alternately, the local hospital with a psych ward could give you the name of a good day program in your city or town.

I wish your sister all the best.

Regards,

cb