Reddit reviews I Am Not Sick, I Don't Need Help! How to Help Someone with Mental Illness Accept Treatment. 10th Anniversary Edition.
We found 13 Reddit comments about I Am Not Sick, I Don't Need Help! How to Help Someone with Mental Illness Accept Treatment. 10th Anniversary Edition.. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Vida Press
This sounds like r/psychosis
In which case your mom has literally gone insane and can no longer make sense of the world.
Depending on the state you may be able to get her committed. In which case just a few weeks would have her sounding normal again. But many states laws make care impossible. So unless she is hurting people you’ll have to treat her yourself.
psychosis is a brain injury and must be healed. She cant be counted on to care or even see anything correctly. So you can’t hold her responsible for anything she does.
get your family to training and support groups: https://www.nami.org/Find-Support
this book helps with communication: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0967718937/
do everything you can to calm her and gain her trust. Apologize for anything and everything. Regulate your own mood so she won’t pick up negative moods from others.
Learn about sleep hygiene and do everything you can to get her as much sleep as possible every night
Assign people to earn her trust and take her out in the day time. Any activity she’ll do that can wear her down for better sleep.
Oh I'm sure it's bad, but at least he's not involuntarily confined. Many ICE facilities are converted jails and prisons.
What does your cousin want ultimately? This could be an opportunity to work with a therapist/attorney to reconcile his goals with what is healthy/realistic.
This is a good book for loved ones of family members who don't/won't accept they have a problem: https://www.amazon.com/Someone-Mental-Illness-Treatment-Anniversary/dp/0967718937
Hang in there. Even when your SO are discharged, it will take months if not years for the brain to heal. Also with meds, it keep those highs at bay and he'd have to adjust to the new normal. Explain to him that the meds are to prevent another relapse and hospitalization, each relapse damages the brain.
Basically if you go to therapy session, they'll say the same thing as these books, so reading them prior will help reinforce the treatment plan and help your SO through recovery.
Caution: There are good therapist and bad therapist , your gut feeling will tell you! Seen a few bad ones which made the situation with SO worse. So if therapist say things that contradicts these books, I'd have serious concerns and will seek 2nd opinion.
Ask your therapist: How many years of experience in Mood Disorder and have he/she handled bipolar patients, what is the general outcome of these patients. If he/she claims 100% success, then they are lying since some cases are untreatable. Sad to say that some will continue seeing you and take your money, despite not knowing how to treat mood disorder.
During therapy session: Do take notes and write everything down. Sometimes your SO may interpret things differently and those notes will clear any confusion. If SO insist otherwise, bring the issue up in next session.
tl;dr: Read those books and shop for suitable therapist, take notes.
Edit: Just read your previous posting. Ya, even with Zyprexa, my SO relapsed into a major episode requiring 6 weeks hospitalization. And with current meds, she still has a few minor episodes yearly!
There's a nice book called "I am not sick, I don't need help! How to help someone with mental illness accept treatment" that would probably be incredibly helpful in this situation. I know dementia and mental illness are not the same, but the situations have enough in common that it should still be plenty helpful.
https://www.amazon.com/Someone-Mental-Illness-Treatment-Anniversary/dp/0967718937/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?hvadid=74285910506630&hvbmt=bb&hvdev=m&hvqmt=b&keywords=im+not+sick+i+dont+need+help&qid=1573526529&sr=8-2
Some books that may help: Surviving Schizophrenia, The Complete Family Guide to Schizophrenia, and, if needed, I Am Not Sick, I Don't Need Help. They can be found on Amazon.
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Don't try to talk him out of his hallucinations or delusions. Only a professional should attempt it. You don't have to indulge his delusions either. You can just empathize. "That sounds very stressful." "I'm sorry you're going through that." Good luck.
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https://smile.amazon.com/Surviving-Schizophrenia-6th-Family-Manual-ebook/dp/B00JOGB22Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1539451361&sr=8-1&keywords=surviving+schizophrenia
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https://smile.amazon.com/Complete-Family-Guide-Schizophrenia-Helping-ebook/dp/B005DB7HA2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1539451411&sr=8-1&keywords=the+complete+family+guide+to+schizophrenia
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https://smile.amazon.com/Someone-Mental-Illness-Treatment-Anniversary/dp/0967718937/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1539451491&sr=8-1&keywords=i%27m+not+sick+i+don%27t+need+help+by+xavier+amador&dpID=51o23eUllGL&preST=_SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch
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Edit: As a family member, you may find this forum to be more helpful: https://family.schizophrenia.com/
Also best you educate yourself about this disease, books that helped me:-
Distraction and breathing techniques didn't help for my bipolar SO. Maybe that's her.
This is called anosognosia and this is unfortunately a common symptom of schizophrenia. It can be extraordinarily frustrating for loved ones and it's easy to feel like it's completely hopeless that she will ever seek treatment.
However there are many symptoms to schizophrenia, and the person with schizophrenia may not have anosognosia for all of them. If your friend has no insight about her delusions and paranoia then approaching her about them is just going to cause her to withdraw more. Talk to her about how worried you are about some of the other symptoms you see like how distant she is becoming, her weight loss and the mood changes you see in her. She is under a lot of stress right now no matter what the source of it is and she needs a good support system.
Encourage her to take good care of herself, which includes seeing a doctor even if it's not for schizophrenia. Talk to her about the goals she has for her future and what motivates her, and see if you can find a starting point for working towards it.
A good model for loved ones and care givers is LEAP: Listen, Empathize, Agree and Partner. The first step is just to listen, non judgmentally. This can be hard for people because they feel like if they don't challenge the delusions then they're 'feeding the beast' so to speak. You can't talk someone into or out of a delusion, they're going to believe it no matter what. But if you demonstrate that you will listen without judgement you can gain this person's trust. The goal of listening to your friend is to understand what she is saying and convey this understanding back to her. Empathize with what she is going through and convey this empathy to her. While you know it isn't real, this is very real to her and if you can show her that you can still align yourself with what she is feeling it will help her feel understood and respected. Agree with her that there is a problem even if you don't agree on the source. I find that agreeing to disagree or saying something like "What I think doesn't matter. What I'm concerned about is what you're going through. That is what is most important right now." can be helpful. If she gets upset over this point (which is likely) apologize for disagreeing but stand firm and be honest. Reiterate that you still respect her point of view, you aren't going to talk her out of it and empathize with what she is going through. Then let her know that you're her partner through this and you're going to be here for her no matter what. See if you can work together to solve agreed upon problems and achieve agreed upon goals.
I'm very sorry that this is happening to your friend, and this is extremely difficult for you as someone who cares about her. A great resource for this is the book 'I'm Not Sick, I Don't Need Help.' by Dr. Xavier Amador. Also feel free to PM me if you have any questions or need support.
Being a parent of someone with a mental illness must be so difficult. You helped develop and nurture this person, and now they're behaving in a way that might cause harm themselves or their relationships with others. And unlike most of the other SOs on this sub, you don't have the luxury of simply calling it quits if the relationship gets too hard.
So, if you haven't already, speak to a therapist about what you're going through. At the very least, a trained professional can give you tools to help you take care of yourself while you deal with this episode. In the best case, a therapist can teach you techniques on how to talk with someone with bipolar that actually might have a positive outcome.
To that end, you should read "I Am Not Sick, I Don't Need Help!": https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0967718937 which outlines how to use the LEAP technique when dealing with someone with a mental illness. Someone else on this sub recommended that book, and I found it very helpful as well.
Finally, if your child does have a significant other, and if you are on good terms, you should speak to them. My wife's parents do not want to accept that she has bipolar - and after she was prescribed medication, they urged her not to take it (they would minimize and explain away her behavior as isolated incidents rather than symptoms of a disease). This undermined her treatment, and has made the process so much more difficult. My point is this: if you want your son/daughter to stay on their meds or see a psychiatrist, it helps to have a strong support network.
Advice: You could bring your bf along to the therapy session. And if he doesn't understand you and isn't supportive after a few sessions, then best you reevaluate your relationship with him.
Normal people's reaction to mental health issues usually escalate the situation. (Read: I am not sick, I don't need help!) He is not professionally trained to help people (ie; you) in distress mode. Knowledge doesn't not mean insight, which only comes with years of experience & training. When in stressful situation, it is too easy to flip back to the automatic thinking (ie: old habits), which doesn't bode well.
I agree with one commenter that being apart for a while is a good, allows you to focus on improving self but I won't go as far as saying that your bf is a contributor to the negativity in your life. What you described is just a snapshot of your life and we don't know the entire story. It is like looking at movie trailers and deciding if the the movie is worth watching. So when taking advice from random strangers, do it with a big grain of salt, including mine :)
There is NO understanding irrational thoughts or behaviour. The only thing we spouses can try is:
That's from the book I am not sick, I don't need help - ask him to read it. Hope it does turn on a few lights bulbs in head as it did for me.
Been there.
https://www.amazon.com/Someone-Mental-Illness-Treatment-Anniversary/dp/0967718937/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486793917&sr=8-1&keywords=i%27m+not+sick
This help me help somebody else. But take it grain of salt and tread carefully. PM me if you want.
I AM NOT SICK, I Don't Need Help! by Xavier Amador. This is an amazing book about helping people with anosognosia accept treatment. The techniques described in here can be used in a lot of different settings, though.
I had just emailed NAMI on a sort of similar issue the replied me with the following:
>Thank you for contacting NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. We’re grateful you’ve reached out to us and hope that the information provided below will guide you to helpful resources and next steps.
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>We’ll highlight a few options for you now, but please consider calling the HelpLine to speak with one of our volunteer Information & Resource Referral Specialists to talk through additional options if we have not been able to fully address your question. Our volunteers have “lived experience” – either living with or caring for a loved one with a mental health condition, so we’re passionate about helping to find the best options for you.
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>Firstly, you may wish to view our Want To Know How To Help A Friend Infographic to begin the conversation.
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>Secondly, often an individual living with a mental health diagnosis – particularly one that involves a serious mental health condition (or one complicated by substance use disorder) – may not actively participate in their own recovery. This is known as Anosognosia [Ah-no-zog-nosha], a co-occurring disorder that can accompany a serious mental health condition and render the individual unable to recognize that they have a mental health condition and/or that they need to seek help.
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>To learn techniques for communicating with your loved one, and to help them agree to partner in their recovery, we would recommend reading I’m Not Sick, I Don’t Need Help!, a book by Dr. Xavier Amador - a psychologist whose experiences with his own family demonstrated how challenging this phenomenon could be. In his book, Dr. Amador discusses the condition of Anosognosia and outlines strategies for communicating with a loved one to help them work toward recovery. The first half of the book is accessible to the public on our website here; the book is available in English and Spanish for purchase at online booksellers.
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>A broader discussion of the strategies of Dr. Amador’s LEAP method, including videos on how to apply the LEAP method, are available for free here.
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>Additionally, an alternative option to consider: Mobile Crisis (MCU) or Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Team is an emergency mental health service offered by many counties to provide on-scene evaluation, treatment and crisis interventions in the community. The teams specialize in providing these services to individuals who are experiencing a mental health emergency and who need, but are unwilling or unable to seek, mental health treatment.
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>While the goal of the MCU is to enlist the individual’s cooperation and develop the least restrictive treatment options, the MCU is authorized to recommend and facilitate involuntary hospitalization and treatment when necessary.
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>The criteria for requesting an MCU varies depending upon the county or city mental health agency. However, a person experiencing a crisis that presents a danger of harm to self or others and is unwilling or unable to accept emergency services would qualify for mobile crisis services. If about you are unsure about the availability of mobile crisis services in your area or when it’s appropriate to call, contact the emergency mental health services in your county for more information by dialing 211.
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>A final note - we would urge you to reach out to the NAMI Affiliate serving your area. Our Affiliates can provide additional information and referrals to local resources in your community. They also offer free support groups, classes and other programs where you can learn more about mental health, how to support recovery, and most importantly - where you can be among peers in your community who face similar challenges living with or caring for a loved one with a mental health condition.
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>Membership is not required to participate. Your local NAMI Affiliate or NAMI State Organization can help you register for NAMI courses and programs. To find your nearest NAMI Affiliate, click on your state through the Find Your Local NAMI menu.
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>We hope this has been helpful. To speak with one of our volunteer Information & Resource Referral Specialists, please call the NAMI Information HelpLine at 800-950-NAMI (6264), available Monday through Friday, between 10:00 am and 6:00 pm EST. Visit our website for more information at www.NAMI.org.
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This is very resourceful and if you live in US then you could even contact the numbers they mention. If you have any more questions then you can just email them.