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Dr. Lynn, Psy.D.
Psychologist

Posts: 914
Joined: Feb 2005
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6/10/05 12:32 AM
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When people have specific questions for me it is best to write me a private message, since I do not get to every topic on the board everyday.
Sarah- This will probably be hard to hear, but if your daughter actually has schizophrenia, there is a good possibility that she may be on medication for the rest of her life. I know this may sound like a death sentence, but it is not. I work with quite a few people diagnosed with schizophrenia who are managed very well on meds, and are married and hold down regular jobs and have normal children. It is possible that your daughter has psychosis that is related to depression or stress- I do not have enough info- in which case her prognosis would be even better. It is good that she is in the hospital, so she can receive treatment and be evaluated, and as always, your support is essential. No doubt, this is a scary time for you and for her, and we are here for you. Usually, the meds take between 2 weeks and 3 months to start seeing a real change in the psychotic symptoms. Sometimes it takes a while to find the right medication and the right dosage, since these are determined by how someone responds.
Keep posting and asking questions. a lynn
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MR
Supporter

Posts: 23
Joined: Jul 2005
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7/24/05 4:11 AM
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Hi Sarah,
It must have been extremely difficult for my parents, but I am not really in a position to understand them, since we both experience this illness from different vewpoints.
In the beginning before they understood what was happening, when my behavior was not at its worst yet but was slowly deteriorating, they responded by punishing alot. The punishments were bizarre, and I was too big to be punished like that. (I was 17) As the situation worsened, the punishments got weirder; they viewed my symptoms as 'bad behavior', and all their anger and helplessness was let out on me. For example, I was messy and left my clothing lying around on the floor in my room, so every time I did that my clothing was taken away until I was left with almost no clothing. I was ignored for about two weeks. They were very sarcastic with me. All these things only fueled my paranoia. I am also a very stubborn person, so my stubborness combined with paranoia combined with my parents' anger... the situation was very bad, and my parents were not managing it.
The important thing is realizing that the person is not in control of their symptoms, and that is something my parents did not acknowledge for a long time. I don't know whether they acknowledge this now, because we never talk about my illness. We talk about practicalities, like about whether I'm sleeping well, about whether I will be going to the clubhouse, etc. But we never talk honestly. By talking honestly, I mean that we don't talk about my having an illness, about what the illness is called, about what it means, about how interacting with people is difficult for me, about my future, about the limitations on my future or about hope and the possibilities for my future. I'm not sure that I am prepared to be honest with them, there is still a lot of resentment.
In any case, the situation is much better now and I know it will continue improving.
MR
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Sarah
Supporter

Posts: 154
Joined: Jun 2005
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7/24/05 9:22 AM
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Dear Dr. Lynn and Malka, I found the most wonderful website called Early Psychosis Intervention. Their website is at http://www.psychosissucks.ca/epi/index.cfm?action=whatispsych This website should be recommended to anyone seeking more information about psychosis. I wish I'd seen it earlier. It explains the stages that a patient goes through and my guess about not supplying more psychotherapy for my daughter is that she is too into herself to benefit from psychotherapy at this point. She has group therapy every day besides weekends. Anyhow I'm going to ask the psychiatrist for individual therapy for myself. This website is very helpful too. There are support groups for family and I went to one where everyone talks about their experiences but the website I mentioned above is all one needs besides the individual therapy that I will try to get for myself. Sarah
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Daven to Hashem - He always listens to you!
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MR
Supporter

Posts: 23
Joined: Jul 2005
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7/24/05 12:37 PM
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Hi Sarah,
It is a good website. It uses very clear language and is comprehensive, covers many important topics. I read with interest the part about prodromal symptoms, something that I only vaguely heard about until now and never knew what it meant. I've read a very comprehensive book about schizophrenia- 'Surviving Schizophrenia' by E. Fuller Torrey, M.D.- I've read it from cover to cover but I don't remember reading about prodromal symptoms. Perhaps I missed it, perhaps it isn't written there. In any case, I see very clearly that I experienced these symptoms for a long while. The social withdrawal, the depressed mood, sleep disturbances, suspiciousness, irritability, and skipping school- I experienced all of these long before I was acutely psychotic. I also like the part about re-building self-esteem, which is so important for me. I am very self-critical, and it is interesting that the site mentions that this is normal for people in the recovery stage. The site also notes the importance of being around people who can point out the positive things about you, but I don't really have anyone to do that for me. My therapist asked me once what I thought my strengths were, but she didn't help me out by making suggestions that were honest and accurate. She just left it up to me and I was not able to find too many positive things about myself. My parents are very patronizing, very condescending, when it comes to trying to find positive things about me. My mother once mentioned in response to a put-down from me-'but you can do computer work well'. I was very insulted. It doesn't take much talent to type things up on the computer. Does she see nothing else positive about me? Does she see only illness?
I want to mention that I find it hard to believe that people who are stubborn are more prone to this illness. Perhaps people who are acutely ill seem stubborn, appear stubborn, because they are so withdrawn and uncommunicative. But I am sure that this illness can happen to all sorts of people with all different types of personalities.
Thank you for the referral, MR
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Sarah
Supporter

Posts: 154
Joined: Jun 2005
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7/24/05 8:17 PM
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Dear Malka
I am happy that you liked the website I recommended. With regards to my daughter, I am hoping that by the end of six months, as the articles suggest, my daughter will be back to her normal self and that her first episode psychosis will resolve itself fully and with the help of Hashem never bother her again in her life. My daughter experienced the death of a classmate when she was in Seminary, away from home a few years ago and it seems that this is one of the main causes of her psychosis. She dedicated a book she had written for the girl and also some music that she had written for her. In my first message I thought that all psychosis was schizophrenia but the Dr's do not put a label on my daughter's illness and from the website I realize that it could just be a first episode psychosis.
I don't know how far back we would have to go for the prodromal symptoms. About a week before she had her psychosis, there were wierd behaviors. My daughter has not been sleeping well for months, if not years. It is difficult for her to pinpoint the time but she has been telling me over the past few weeks that her sleeping patterns were very poor. (One doesn't go to a Dr. because one is not sleeping well!) She did not tell me about the voices but on looking back, they were bothering her for at least a week before the psychosis.
It seems to me that you are well on your way to health for yourself since you are very articulate and co-ordinated. Even if your mother tells you that you are good on the computer, thank her and realize that it is difficult for her to say it in the way you would want her to. Perhaps the next time she will give you a better compliment. What is your history, meaning when were you diagnosed with schizophrenia? I'm sure you read in the website I recommended that criticism causes psychosis as well as setbacks. I am extremely critical, being a perfectionist and have to work hard on myself to eradicate these bad Middos.
I can't be too hard on myself though because I am going through a very rough time. With the help of Hashem we ask Him to grant us a lesser burden. May we have the strength to go on and look back later on and give ourselves a pat on the shoulder for our hardships borne with love.
Kol Tuv
Sarah
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Daven to Hashem - He always listens to you!
Edited: 7/24/05 at 8:19 PM by Sarah
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