Could someone please help me understand dhs mental health issues?

[Swellarella]

Please could anyone help me? Obviously we are going to get proper advice as soon as he can speak to a psychiatrist but we have no idea when that will be .

He is a lovely man. Genuinely kind loving protective sweet funny generous hardworking loyal.
He has major childhood trauma and adhd. He had a breakdown 3 years ago was given 4 months off work. Since then he has been on 150mg of serttaline and he wants to come off so has been on 100mg since last august. He has weekly trauma focused therapy.
Yesterday followibg a trauma trigger he came home kind of white and I was expecting we would get on with jobs cooking then going out to do some nice bits in town. He was monosyllabic I asked what was wrong and he just seemed to morph didn't look like himself and started speaking in what seemed like some kind of wicked wirch / Yoda voice and he started saying terrible things - he didn't seem like himself and I was like oh my god go and rest you don't seem well and I meant this very genuinely I was concerned but he kept raising his voice in this weird way. Hard to describe but I was really scared as it was freaking me out. I was like ok you seem ill I'm going out please rest and the last thing I remember him saying was 'swellas got an ill partner poor swella she's got an ill partner' in this creepy witchy voice.
I left the house for 2 hours cried my eyes out in the supermarket carpark spoke to Samaritans and when I got home he was asleep. I woke him up and asked if he was ok and said if he did the whole devil voice again to me he would have to go to a hotel. Ar which point the devil voice started up again and I was like that's it enough you are terrifying me you need to go. So he drove off. He came back and hour later crying and saying sorry I said if you do that again you go, you are frightening me.
He started a tiny bit I was like that's enough and he stopped. We had people coming over he then cleaned and prepped with me and then was quiet at dinner but not noticeably odd or out of sorts. This morning we have talked I was like what the hell? And he said he has no memory of speaking like that and behaving like that and I asked it it was involuntary to talk like that and he said yes he has no recollection and doesn't know what he was saying. He seems to have some control as when it was the option of the hotel he stopped and he was fine in front of friends.

Is this mental illness like psychosis I've got no idea?
Or is this deliverable behaviour desisnrd to control?

I have no idea how to help and feel I'm at my limit.

The Samaritans advised me to make sure I was safe. Neither of the 2 people I spoke to suggesred 111 or considering psychosis. I don't expect them to they are a listening service and I didn't know I could call 111 for MH help either

It sounds like a dissociative disorder. Sufferers can 'split' personalities and not remember what they did or said in the other state. Your can call 111 and they should have an emergency mental health helpline.

Op this is a 999 situation.

the Samaritans are a listening service they cannot diagnose your dh they are there to listen to you and that is what they will do.

should this happen again he needs urgent medical attention.

111 option 2 will put you through to a clinical access line for mental health triage, or call your local crisis team if you have their direct number. You can self refer or refer on behalf of someone else to ours, so hopefully it’s the same in your area.

Tell them about his mental health history, that he is displaying worrying behaviour, that you believe him to be acutely unwell, and that you are concerned about psychosis.

you need to call 111 and get advice. They cannot do much unless he is a danger to himself or others.
trauma does very strange things to you. Something might have come up in therapy. View any behaviour as a rational response to trauma. He’s disassociating from his brain. There’s clearly some thoughts in there causing him severe distress. Idk his trauma but you do, so you might have more idea the roots of this.
valium and sleep will help if it is psychosis. He could also have used drugs; which can also cause psychosis.
i would contact mind for specialised support.

It does sound like a form of psychosis so you may have been scared but telling him to leave in the car is dangerous. People in psychosis can be a danger to themselves and others.

You should've called the crisis team or an ambulance for him. If really scared then from inside a locked room.

Was he saying he was going to hurt you or himself?

I hope he gets the help he needs. I would say he may need stronger meds. And not to reduce without doctors supervision.

It's also worth pointing out that just because he isn't speaking in the voice you mentioned doesn't mean he's now 'well'. Please do try and get him some help. 111 aren't brilliant if I'm honest, but if they think he needs to be seen by someone out of hours they can sometimes arrange this, or at least make the process quicker for him to be seen by 'regular' services in the week.

Other things to watch for:
lack of interest in hygiene
not eating
thinking you or others are after him
control seeking self soothing repetitive behaviours.

look up prodromal psychosis for more. I agree this is an emergency but an ambulance won’t do much unless he’s being dangerous, which it doesn’t sound like he is.

This must have been very frightening for you OP but PLEASE do not leave your DH on his own when he is so seriously unwell again.

If you really feel unable to stay with him yourself, ring one of his family or a friend to come and be with him. Or get someone else to be there with you if you are frightened. But he is clearly not in his right mind and not safe to be left alone. The consequences could be awful.

Jesus I wouldn't like to be around you in an emergency. A mental health emergency is the same as physical health emergency if he was having a heart attack would you just leave him for a few hours to sit and cry in your car or would you actually call for help

He sounds like he is having a psychotic episode and needs urgent expert help. So bring him to A&E. If he won’t go with you call an ambulance. Explain you are terrified.
definitely do not let him drive off again and don’t sit crying about it, he sounds a danger to himself and others. He needs urgent medical help.

If that happens again you need to call 111, preferably stay with him and don't host people for dinner. He has a really serious mental health problem, I'm more baffled by your behaviour than his. I get it might have been scary, but you describe all his positive traits, talk about trauma and MH problems but then treat it like it was some means of control. It's mind boggling that you hosted guests in that situation too. You went from being scared, telling him to rest and then leaving and being in tears to playing host like nothing happened. That was too much preassure for the both of you and could've gone horribly wrong. People on MH crisis can mask it for short periods but they can quickly lose control of that.

You were terrified and traumatised and didn’t know what to do. That’s really understandable.
Your partner needs urgent help and I would go speak immediately to my gp. If it were me I wouldn't want to be alone with him.
He needs treatment immediately and you need to feel safe.

Thanks for the advice all. I was blindsided and in shock and didn't know what to do. I have a history of trauma which may have explained my reaction. I called 111 and the local mental health team are contacting within the hour. He is in the bath and I am sitting with him. Thanks again all I understand better now.

If anyone could explain to me a bit more about masking serious mental health problems I would be grateful - he said he can stop the voice and the reaction when absolutely necessary but can't always. Ie when he was alone with me

Was it a TIA, I think you should have at least talked to 111 this could have been a medical emergency not just a mental health problem. Does he remember what happened in the day? My brother had a TIA and was talking gibberish, his wife called an ambulance!

Of course.
And no kids, I would be off.

I am a mental health professional (AMHP) you have done the right thing calling 111. Some people have suggested calling 999, that is the number to call if there is an immediate, life threatening emergency. 111 is for urgent mental health support which is suitable in this case. Taking him to A&E yourself for assessment with the ALPS team might also be suitable if this is possible, although I can see you are awaiting triage.

Samaritans are not allowed to give advice, they can only listen and question. When there is need or appropriate we can also sign post to services that may help. We are not allowed to give our opinion as we are not professional Dr's, psychologists, psychiatrists or the such ( we'll im training in psychology but that's not allowed to impede on my listening role)

Please don’t just leave the house next time (or at least phone someone first), anything could have happened. I know its frightening (been there), but you need to support your clearly ill partner. Phone 111, or 999 if he’s at risk, or putting you at risk, or take him to A&E.

I'm glad you have called 111 and they are taking this seriously.

You must have been really scared but hopefully the MH team will attend and assess.

Well he’s suffering with trauma, not stupid. He knows what people will think if he starts doing this, so he’s hiding it. You’re a safe person so it’s coming out with you.
like I said - assume rational (even if maladaptive) response to trauma. Do not take it personally. Liken it to epilepsy- if he had a seizure and accidentally punched you, you would know it’s because he’s lost control of his brain. This is the same with psychosis. He is not in control of his brain. Sometimes he will be more lucid. Sometimes less.

You’re getting such a hard time on here feom the usual mob. I hope you are OK

I hope he gets the help he needs soon, and that you are feeling safe.
It sounds like a frightening experience.
For both of you.
You're arranging help now for him, and that's good.

That would have scared the life out of me. I can understand why you did what you did and now using hindsight you are trying to get him help.
I would try to get him help today. I would be worried he could hurt you during an episode