Nobody is listening...... Why?

[jaabaar]

Hi

One member of our family suffers from schizophrenia for over 25 years.

She had two episodes in last three days which included threatening to stab her son amongst a lot of other scary and frightening things.

Our problem is: when she gets assessed by doctors she denies all of this and gives all the right answers like she is happy, she cooks, plans her day and hears no voices.

Doctors do not take any of the families feedback into consideration.... And they say she is fine.....

This is now like this for 4 yeArs.

Why is nobody listening? Why? Why?

We took her 3 days ago to hospital when she threatened violence. Doctor asked her questions. She was the happiest person in her answers. Doctor says she is fine.

.....but at the same time tells my husband to sleep at her house in case she stabs her son.

It does not make sense to us. She is fine he says but she might stab someone?

I have no experience in this, but it doesn't sound right.
Are there forums for schizophrenia where you can get advice?
Is her husband doing anything to get the drs to pay attention?

That sounds like a horrible situation to be in. I wonder if it's worth having a look at your primary care trust's (or similar) website to see if there are liaison contacts or numbers for advise. Or even making a complaint that you feel your family member's not being assessed and treated appropriately, and the family's worries not being listened to.

Thank you for your replies. Her husband passed away nearly 20 years ago. Her 4 children and myself have all talked to her doctors and care team.

I was told very clearly yesterday that they are only able to take into consideration how she is when doing assessments and that everything we tell them they cannot take into account as it was not witnessed by them and she swears that it never happens.

The family has taken the decision to "treat" her as per their assessment, meaning that she is perfectly fine and can even plan her days etc. and that she is capable of taking her own decisions.

She had an appointment with the doctor yesterday. We didn't force her to go and left it up to her..... She didn't go. Next week she has appointment for her monthly depo injection. Again we will not push and force her to goo again she will miss it.

Her not taking medication can become dangerous as she will become very ill.

This is our only way after four years of not being listened too to make them see that she is not well....

So very sad.

I told her care worker we will not push her for appointments. I also told her that one day she will have a report on her desk saying that she is fine and she will be in hospital with a suicide attempt or she will have harmed someone else.

I cannot believe that they can let this happen.

There is no other way.

Nobody helps.

All the numbers we got like: emergency care team, 24 hours service, the hospital, her care workers nobody has helped us or believed us.

All they do is assess her for 30 min, she gives the right answers and they say she is fine.

Sadly I see this all the time in my role as a volunteer with the mentally ill - 'care in the community' is a joke, in reality it means people sitting around the town on benches, drinking and taking drugs ............ sometimes the Police 'move people on' but where?. As volunteers we try to do our best but are severely limited, mostly all we can do is offer a hot drink, something to eat and someone to talk to. .

I feel desperately sad for you and your family.

Ragwort: firstly thank you for being a volunteer for the mentally ill. I highly admire people who can give their free time from their heart to try and help and make a difference.

Care in the community are just fancy words to shift responsibility.
How many times they said she would get a home care team after her staying at hospital sometimes for two months.

It meant two visits in two weeks for 10 minutes. That is it.

One person once described to me what it means being in a crisis when you suffer from mental illness. He said it feels like being buried alive in a coffin six feet under.

So painfully sad.

It is so sad.

I once saw the notes of my meeting with a psychiatrist who saw me after being discharged from hospital. Pretty much all they commented on was that I was clean and neatly dressed... Nothing at all about how I was still pretty much unable to talk, for example. So some of them really do take a very shallow approach, it seems.

I really wish I knew what to suggest... Have you looked into any advocacy schemes? (I have no idea if these would actually help in your situation, though). As horrible as it is, maybe what you're doing now is the only way - letting them see (hopefully!) how well or not well she copes without others managing things for her...

She missed her appointment on wednesday for her depo injection as predicted since we didnt push her and took her.

No reaction from her care team...

....as they say she is finr and can takr her own decisions.

Lets see how it all goes downhill...