Where can I get support?

[TheRedHen2]

Can anyone advise where I could get some support please?

My mother is my only living relative. She has severe mental health problems and a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia. She is classed by the home office as a "danger to society" and has been for most around 40 years. She has spent time in prison and long term mental health institutions. She has been very violent and dangerous. She now lives in her own home (owned) and has done for about 20 years now. She is sectioned and has medication by depot injection every 3 weeks. She has social workers visit and I do have occasional contact with them.

I try and support her the best I can but I find it very difficult. She is very emotionally draining. I find no-one really understands the situation and either think I'm just a "difficult" daughter with a bad relationship or that I'm "mad" too. I don't have a mental health condition apart from feeling a bit overwhelmed!

Society understands anxiety and depression but it doesn't understand severe mental illness, in my opinion.

If anyone has any ideas of who I could contact to just have a chat and let off a bit of steam so I can carry on being supportive, I'd appreciate it.

Hi OP. That sounds really hard. Have you tried somewhere like http://www.sane.org.uk/whatwee_do/support/ . They offer emotional support to families of people with mental health issues. Might help?

Ps you sound like an amazing daughter.

Is there a carers association nearby. I am in lreland and the local carer association has special meeting for those involved in caring for someone with mental health difficulties. People find it a great support. Do any of the mental health support organisations have support meetings for carers. Sorry not much help as the ones l am familiar with are in lreland but hopefully there are similar in the UK

Have you tried action for carers? Last I heard they were doing zoom support sessions.
It sounds like you’re doing a great job with your mum, I know first hand how draining being a carer is and how thankless it is.

www.actionforcarers.org.uk/who-we-help/adult-carers/caring-for-someone-with-mental-health-problems/

Is there are Rethink carers support group near you? They are tailored towards people with severe mental illness. Or does your mums mental health team have carers support?

You are right, severe mental illness is woefully misunderstood

Thank you for all the helpful and kind replies. I will try contacting some agencies.

I don't live with her so I feel a bit reluctant to call myself a "carer".

But I do feel I just want to talk to people who understand how her skewed thinking affects me and our relationship.

If you provide any unpaid support to your mum, you are classed as an “informal carer”. It can be help with shopping, emotional support, practical, support...it all counts. You certainly do not have to live with the person. I hope you find an organisation that can help.

@TheRedHen2 don't know which part of UK or elsewhere you're based in, but in Scotland there's the National Schizophrenia Fellowship - now called/part of Support in Mind Scotland - which has support for people with family members with a schizophrenia diagnosis. Also some of the Hearing Voices Groups may have groups for family/friends.