DH working in a paranoid schizophrenics house

[jammidodger1]

I've name changed for this as could potentially be outing.

My DH works in a trade and went to complete a quote for somebody for a large job in their house. They accepted quote and DH started the work 2 weeks ago.

When he came home from completing the quote, we were chatting about his work as I'm now 38 weeks pregnant and this job is expected to take 4 weeks to complete and DH said that there were Nazi flags and symbols all over the house, posters and books on Hitler and the satanic symbol hanging in places. (Also, DH did tell customer that I was due right about when the job was expected to end but he might have to take a week or two out if baby is born a bit early which was fine).

DH came home yesterday to tell me that he was chatting to the customers wife and she told him that he is a paranoid schizophrenic who doesn't like to take his medication.

DH told me last night and then today he came home and said that he was in today whilst DH was working and was following him around watching him work from the door and DH had to do something in their bedroom and there is 2 axes by the side of the bed on the floor.

Am I being unfair to feel a bit uneasy about all of this?

I actually have an uncle who has schizophrenia and he is very unpredictable. He lives in a secure unit because of this.

I said that used to work in acute mental health for over 20 years
please. Show me where I have written that think most people with schizophrenia are violent and are child killers?
you can't because I have never said it you are twisting everything.

You respond to a thread worrying about someone with PS by giving a one off example of how someone with PS killed a child. You can't see how that perpetuates stereotyping and prejudice?

I have 10 years working as a mh professional mainly working with people who have ps this both when they are functioning well and also being very unwell

what I do know is that presented with the situation that the op’s dh is in would raise huge concerns we do not rely on well before he/she has been functioning well with no concerns

unfortunately the nature of the condition usually requires a lot of continuing professional input, lack of insight, not wanting to work with their mh teams (understandable) resistance taking medication often because of the side effects (understandable), many self medicate. While many do function well changes even slight can have a negative impact this makes the condition unpredictable

See @x2boys this is how you might explain it. Rather than an anecdote about how someone with PS killed a child.

"not wanting to work with their mh teams (understandable)"

And this. Honestly, I am not surprised with that type of attitude from someone working in the field. Hope you don't recount similar "examples" to your patients or their relatives.

FWIW, I agree the situation sounds worrying. But that's not because of the PS in itself, rather the entire circumstances. But some of the comments on here are just horrible. Sounds like we have gone a century back in time.

Can you not see that it's a illness that presents very differently in different people ,and jut bbecause it manifests itself they way it does in your relative doesn't mean that it manifests itself that way
in everyone ?

Your dh is a grown-up so I would say what he thinks goes you are not his mother

As I said, that poster was simply highlighting that a small minority of schizophrenics can unfortunately become violent during psychosis, particularly when unmedicated.

If you want to start a thread about stigma around serious mental illness, go right ahead this is not that thread. But if you do I suggest you look up the difference between “Acute Pyschopathy” which apart from being misspelled is not a thing - and psychosis to avoid making a fool of yourself.

The responsibility here is not a general overview of mental illness, but to advise the OP whether an unmedicated schizophrenic with access to weapons is a valid safeguarding issue.

I can. Which is why using an extreme example on a thread like this, when the vast majority of people with this illness are not a danger is not a useful thing to do.

Again you are twisting my words and clearly not comprehending what I'm saying because I have rated several times that I worked in acute mental health for over 20 years and I don't any longer
we all have anecdotes including yourself .

Please stop referring to people suffering from schizophrenia as schizophrenicss. It's offensive, there is more to them than their Mental Illness. Unless you refer to people with cancers as cancers too? Once you have done that you are welcome to come back and correct my spelling (which we of course all know is the MN equivalent of "I know you are, but what am I" 👌).

And no, prejudice and stimgatising people needs to be called out when it's happening. Not on another thread.

I am glad you don't anymore. With your attitude.

I am not talking in anecdotes, you are. I am saying that the vast majority of people with PS are not a danger to others. That is not an anecdote.

Which I have said all along ,however in nobody was a danger to themselves or other ,s than there would be no need for either medication or in patient treatment under the mental health act ,and unfortunately that not the case.

Nordicrain x2boys was clearly giving examples of the experience working with people with ps and how complex the nature of the condition is

x2boys has years of experience and through this is well aware of the unpredictable nature of this condition. It’s not quite as simple if medication is taken all is fine it’s far more complex than this

I use the term ‘schizophrenics’ just as I could use the term ‘anorexics’, ‘bulimics’, ‘diabetics’. You’re not really in a position to whine about terms given your confusion between psychopathy and psychosis.

The real distinction to be made here is the fact that paranoid schizophrenia is not actually a term used in psychiatry any more. It’s still used colloquially to refer to a schizophrenic who suffers from psychosis/psychotic episodes - delusions, hallucinations, paranoia - and anosognosia etc.

Ive worked with schizophrenic people and I’m quite surprised at some of these responses. I get that it makes you appear more inclusive to be so apparently unphased by mental illness, but a patient with schizophrenia that isn’t consistently taking their medication can have absolutely disastrous and potentially fatal consequences.

The nazi thing is repulsive and abhorrent. I wouldn’t do a job for someone like this. I WOULD do a job for someone with schizophrenia, but 💯 NOT if they weren’t taking their medication.

People with paranoid schizophrenia aren't necessarily any more dangerous or aggressive than anyone else, but its important that things are well controlled and managed by the right meds and support. If he's not taking his meds then I would be concerned. The weapons wouldn't outright concern me (offensive as the collection itself may by) because we all have kitchen knives at home, if someone wanted to find and use a weapon they would be able to out of what we keep at home normally anyway.

Is there anyone your dh can bring in on the job so he's not long working and use the excuse of your due date as the reason to do it? I'm a community worker and I wouldn't be seeing this guy alone in his house we'd meet out in public given the history of not taking his medication more than because of the weapons, or I'd bring another worker with me.

You’re not really in a position to whine about terms given your confusion between psychopathy and psychosis.

Oh, I think you will find that I absolutely am.

No I won’t. And you’ve already discredited yourself by not really understanding what psychosis is.

Me too! Regardless of the schizophrenia!

but a patient with schizophrenia that isn’t consistently taking their medication can have absolutely disastrous and potentially fatal consequences.

I agree with this.

But this:

I get that it makes you appear more inclusive to be so apparently unphased by mental illness

So offensive. This isn't a "woke" thing about being inclusive. This is about not defining, stimatising and marginalising people by their MH conditions. As I already explained by brother has PS - it is well managed and he is not even the slightest bit violent, and has never presented that way. As is the case for many/ most - and I am so sad for him that when people hear about his condition what they will think is "well that was that one schizophrenic that killed a child, I'd stay clear". It's ignorant and based on huge amounts of prejudice about the condition. Including, apparently, from those who work with it.

I am not holding myself out to be an expert in MI. So I haven't discredited myself in the slightest. Are only trained medical professionals allowed to comment on these threads? I think that I missed that MNs rule.

.... not all shut at home planning to hit someone with an axe.

Some are though.
I'm glad to hear of PP's who know some well managed, happy healthy people with schizophrenia. Unfortunately, there are some of us who know some poorly managed, very unwell, very unpredictable people with schizophrenia. Not everyone is the same.

Im not criticising wokeness (whatever it really means). I have always strived for mental illness not to be stigmatised or marginalised. I have worked with poeole with schizophrenia, I have a friend with schizophrenia. BUT, what I find intensely irritatating is when people with no reaL knowledge or insight into something like this claim it is “prejudice” to be wary of a situation like the OP describes. One poster even likened it to being wary of someone because of their race? It is these people who I believe are devaluing the real meaning of inclusivity by employing a blanket policy of calling out “prejudice” at any opportunity. I am sorry if you are offended but I am most definitely in agreement with you and your previous comments.

Schizophrenics are usually only a risk to themselves - high suicide risk.
Paranoid schizophrenics are the ones who can occasionally go on to kill other people if they are not medicated.
It needs to be reported that he is not medicated.
I personally would not want to be alone with him.

You’re holding forth nonetheless with an opinion based on a. A poor grasp of the illness and b. Your brother.