Seeing things?

[DeepWaterSwimmer]

NC. I'm supporting a teen boy (17) at the moment. He has disclosed that, for a year or two, possibly linked to difficult times at school, he has been feeling very down and struggling with a number of issues including distressing intrusive thoughts, suicidal feelings, (but not intentions), and outbursts of anger. Sometimes he copes with this by hurting himself. There is no suggestion of drug or alcohol use. Perhaps the most distressing and disturbing thing to him is that he has started to see demon-like images at home - for example coming out of a wall or sitting in a room when he walks in - and this is accompanied with deep feelings of fear and dread. I would be grateful for advice on the aspect of him seeing things in particular.

Hi,
Completely agree with above posters re seeking help from a gp. Also wanted to sign post you to a charity called voice collective who offer support to young people who have experiences like the boy you've mentioned and their carers. I had some training from then through work.
Good luck to you both

Please don't try to manage this yourself without professional help.

OP, your son needs mental health support from professionals. As quickly as possible. If your child had just one symptom of cancer but otherwise seemed well, would you not absolutely insist he got medical attention? Of course you would. It is so unlikely that what you are describing will simply resolve itself. Your son needs you to step up here. His insight is a great sign but this can quickly be lost. Treating someone who has become floridly psychotic is a damn sight tricker and more distressing all round than treating it now, at its onset.

OP, can I ask, is there any particular time of day he is more likely to see things? Just wanting to rule out sleep paralysis. I see things that aren’t there when I get this. Obviously if it’s in the middle of the day it’s not that.

Hi op, assuming you are in some kind of voluntary position to the YP, do you not have a duty to report concerns that are a risk of harm e.g. suicidal thoughts.

The best thing in response to hallucinations is to neither confirm or deny the validity of them. To the person experiencing hallucinations, they and the fear around them can seem very real, so saying 'that must feel very frightening for you' etc. In terms of the cause, there are multiple factors in psychosis, its likely a combination of stress, chemical imbalance in the brain, genetics etc.

There are support groups for hearing voices etc. but that is further down the line, at this point getting professional help is the best bet.

OP I'm not an expert, but through my son's own MH struggles I have discovered that although confidentiality is incredibly important throughout the medical and other sectors, there are circumstances where the correct course of action is to break this confidentiality.

This includes situations where a person is a danger to themselves. This seems to be what is happening here.

I can see your dilemma, but I think the matter of breaking confidentiality for the right reasons is relevant here.

Thank you pps for all these helpful responses. It's been my first chance to get back today. I'm going to read through them all more thoroughly now, but firstly I just want to reassure everyone that I didn't think I could talk or reason him out of this. He isn't on any medication at the moment and never has been - he hasn't had any medical or other professional or voluntary contact about mental health before. The couple of things I mentioned from early childhood he hid. I don't think he realised at the time everyone didn't feel that way and in every other way he was a happy boy. Later, everything could be and was put down to fairly usual teenage boy changes in behaviour. It is only quite recently that things have seemed to be more than that, that his behaviour has started to be quite worrying at times and he has begun to open up about the severity of his difficulties. It's a bit of a shock, to be honest.

Sincere thanks in particular to those who have shared their personal experiences or professional expertise.

I also agree about the necessary limits on confidentiality.

As well as my concern for him, I am also concerned for his mum. He obviously loves her dearly but in his dark times he is taking how he feels out on her and she is taking the brunt of it all.

There isn't any family history of significant mental health difficulties, as far as I am - and he is - aware.

As someone who suffered psychosis from a early age and kept it hidden please take him to the gp.

I am on a lot more medication that I would have been if it was addressed earlier and this not only has a impact on my quality of life but also on my life expectancy.

I also lost everything and hit drugs as it wasn't diagnosed and I had no family history yet mine is severe you don't have to have family history.

OP I’ve been thinking about this young man, have you managed to get him to see someone yet? Does your area have direct/self referral for urgent EIP assessment?

OP please ensure that he sees someone straight away. Ideally get him to his GP for a referral to MH services urgently.

I suffer from psychosis and its only with lots of drugs and years of therapy that I can understand what is happening to me. When I have a break I have to have help, for my safety and that of other people. You CANNOT leave him with no help. If he acts out, can you live with yourself?

Don't just try and understand it, and take a view on it by asking people on a website. FFS help him!

I am currently experiencing psychotic thoughts and saw my psychiatrist yesterday, I am now being monitored in case I need to be hospitalised and my meds have been upped. The first time I was committed it was involuntary and I couldn't understand what was happening to me. Its better he gets the help he needs in case he needs to be hospitalised.

Thank you everyone. He has since agreed to me contacting the Early Intervention team on his behalf. I have been very preoccupied with doing my best for him. I'm sorry not to have got back with that update before now. Information from pps about that service and the reason for it was a great help.

My thoughts are also with everyone who is or has been in this incredibly difficult situation and those helping them

Glad to read your last post feel free to keep posting for support as it may be a very long journey to getting diagnosis and meds and figuring out treatment plans amd how to manage at home, on the other hand it may not with any luck.

I found the first few years of getting the right medication and treatment hard so always here if needed and as I don't sleep usually here to listen most of the night too.

Do let us know how you get on. And my thoughts are with you & him. X

Well done OP.

Brilliant news. Well done OP