How can I help my mentally ill mother

My mother suffers from bi polar disorder and schizophrenia. She has her first psychotic break at the age of 30. She drove us to Portland,Or and was stopped by the police and later taken to a psychiatric ward staying for about 2 months. That was about 16 years ago. We were taken from my mother but my grandmother moved in with us and she raised us wonderfully ( even after my grandmother leaving) But i began to notice strange behavior when I invited myself over for dinner. She was trying desperately to finish the food but was so far gone I was shocked/scared. She was obviously responding to internal stimuli. She was crying telling me that she believes that she is under "psychic attack" and that the government is tapping into her mind through a machine and trying to control her thoughts and words. She also thinks my brother and I are under this psychic attack as well. I had her admitted to a psych ward on 10/25/12 and 11/15/12 she is still there and I think I'm developing mental health problems from this. She has been there 20 days including weekends now and is still refusing medication. They have now resorted to shots in her backside. They say this will stabilize her probably sometime next week. My mother is actually a mental health professional currently working at a mental health hospital before being placed into the psych ward. Because of her knowledge in the mental health field the nurses and psychiatrists are having a hard time breaking through to her. She also claims to sue them. They want to help her because they say she is a high functioning schizophrenic ( She has a PHD) Why would my mom abruptly stop taking her meds? She has been on anti psychotics and mood stabilizers for over 16 years. I don't understand. She also said it's more important to her to see her family grow and have a life than be un medicated. My mother also will not let me visit her in the hospital but tells me that the voices want me to come but she herself does not want me around the other "crazy people" She is also not verbally communicating with staff and other patients. She refers to them as psychos and crazy people. Why can't my mom realized she herself is sick? She also had a 3 day notice to pay of vacate but will not give me her PIN number to pay her rent. She does not care if she is evicted. I paid her rent already. I guess my question is how can I help my mother? How long does it take for a person to snap out a psychosis? She I visit her? The voices tell her I can come and the voices are a manifestation of her own mind so should I still go down there every day? What can I do? I am so depressed that my dear mother is suffering like this and I need some insight. Thank you

Why would my mom abruptly stop taking her meds? She has been on anti psychotics and mood stabilizers for over 16 years. I don't understand.
Medication compliance is a big problem for some people (I speak from personal experience as well). Unfortunately there is no cut and dry answer, and quite honestly, the answer is probably not a simple one. In all my years of psychiatrists and therapy, etc., I have never known anyone who has been 100% with their medications, day in and day out, even if it's simply because they forgot to take them once or twice. And speaking from personal (brutally honest) experience, sometimes, when you miss them on accident, and you discover that your world didn't immediately come crashing down, you say "hmmm..I forgot my meds, but nothing happened..."...and then that attitude sets you up to not take them again, and again, and before you know it, the person is non-medicated. In my experience, there is a VERY thin line between "oops, I missed a couple of doses" and "it's been a week now". It takes 110% diligence, which, for me (and maybe your mother as well) finds very hard.
I guess my question is how can I help my mother?
If I were your mother, I want you to help me by doing what YOU feel is in the best interest of your mother, even if she doesn't recognize it right now. She will be medicated again, and at that time she can look back on it and know that you did your best for her.
I am so depressed that my dear mother is suffering like this and I need some insight. Thank you
It would not hurt for you to talk with a therapist or with a non-judgmental friend who is willing to listen or let you vent. The mind is such a powerful thing and you need to keep yours clear to help your mother as much as possible.
I have a mother with severe mental health issues that refuses to take medications, too. I TRULY feel for you. Please let me know if I can be of any help to you. [/quote]

I feel for you, almost brought some tears to my eye.


People stop taking meds for a variety of reasons....

She might have stopped taking her meds because she didn't like the side effects.
She might have thought "I'm cured", so stopped.
Maybe they were too expensive.
Maybe the meds really weren't helping so she figured why bother.
Maybe her illness took over and convinced her she didn't need the meds.


It is probably ESPECIALLY hard for her to realize she is sick because of her experience as a mental health professional. She used to help "those people", and now she is "one of them". Can you imagine how that would be to believe?

Also, mental illness is a CRUSHING diagnosis. You don't WANT to believe it. It's almost like someone telling you that you've got AIDS.

How long will it take for her to snap out of her psychosis? Unfortunately, that is next to impossible to presume. Hopefully not long!

Should you visit her? YES! Even if she doesn't want you there and acts like a jerk to you, it is not good for ANYONE to be isolated, especially those with mental illness. From what you said she is not interacting with the other patients or staff, so she really really needs someone to talk to...again, even if she goes out of her way to let you know she doesn't want you there, she probably really does. Imagine a little girl that lies and says "I don't like you! Go away!" but you know that really she thinks you're cute and she loves you, she just doesn't wanna admit it because boys are icky

How can you help her? Well, you're off to a good start. Study the illness. Don't constantly argue with her and be like "OK mom, that's not happening, the government is not controlling your thoughts with a machine", that will just set her off...but at the same time, don't "buy in" to her delusions...try to ground her in reality about topics she is comfortable with..maybe she likes shopping, talk to her about the new store that opened at the mall...this will help encourage the "normal" side of her. Love her as much as possible, be nice to the staff and the other patients...don't be scared. and PRAY PRAY PRAY!

Hope this helps.

Thank you so much for your replies. I am now beginning to understand how difficult this disease is. My mother is now out of the hospital. They wanted to keep her for 90 days to stabilize her but her boyfriend testifies to the mental health court that she is okay but of course she was still struggling. My mother now is isolating herself. Since getting out of the hospital she has not gone to the grocery store, has not paid her rent, and is not taking her medication. What are some ways that I can get my mother to take her meds or should I try to get her hospitalized again?

I am new to this forum and while reading this I just compared the situation with my mother. When a person is ill then our first duty is to take care of him by spending our time with him (by talking positive aspects of life, as this will help the patient to divert his mind from the voices) and trying to give the medicine (I know this is not easy, but with doc advise, some medicines can be mixed in the food also). My advice is that first considering your own health, try to spend your time with your mother and take care of her.
Thanks, tc
I was looking a good medicine for my bro (suffering from schizophrenia) by reading the comments here in this forum and found that some vitamin deficiency also leads to mental health issues (vitamin b3). So I think that good diet also control the disease to some extent. And my mother is not with us now. So, take care of her as well as yourself & bro.