I think my mother is experiencing psychosis, not sure where to turn.

[Rubylu]

I think my mom is experiencing psychosis, she thinks that people are following her, she has told me her phone has been hacked and it is guiding her to different places, the pub where she apparently got spiked on the weekend, the cafe where she saw an ex partner. She thinks this is all set up deliberately by my dads brother. She is adamant these things are true, she told me today that Apple Music is telling her she looks nice in her dress and that her friends can’t be trusted.

She has recently decided to leave my dad (very unexpectedly) but also is acting strange in many other ways, not wanting to spend time with any of us, having to be out of the house for a certain time etc.

She told my brother this for the first time on Sunday, I contacted my auntie who convinced her to take herself to the doctors on Monday. she hadn’t slept for 3 days and the doctor gave her sleeping tablets and talking therapy. I thought it was just lack of sleep as she seemed abit better but tonight she has called me telling me it’s all true and that people have ear pieces in watching her. I asked her if she told the doctors she was being followed and she said she didn’t as it was irrelevant. She looks after my 2 year old son 3 days a week while I work and I just can’t give him to her, if anything happened I wouldn’t forgive myself. However she is begging me to still let her look after him because he “cheers her up” ( they have an incredible bond and I don’t think she’d ever intentionally hurt him but she isn’t herself right now) I’m worried how this is also going to make her spiral when I say she can’t have him.

I don’t know who to contact, I tried to go to my gp on Monday and ask to see her doctor to tell him the truth of what is happening but they told me he was too busy. She has a follow up appointment with him Monday.

My mom has never been the easiest person to talk to, she is very high rate and argumentative at the best of times so I have to be really careful how I approach this with her. I don’t want to make her lose trust in me but I also can’t allow her to get worse. She keeps saying you have to trust me I’m your mom I wouldn’t lie about these things. Where do I go from here?

This sounds a lot for you to deal with. Did the doctor not check her blood?

My relative had similar and believe it or not it was low sodium.

I’d say she needs an urgent GP or crisis team appointment don’t wait until Monday. If you google crisis team your area there may be a direct route. Or if she is a risk to herself or others you could call 111 or even 999. In our area they now have mental health responders who would come out to assess her

It could be a UTI. It happened to my mil. It made her paranoid. She didn't complain about any UTI symptoms.

Where is she, is she safe, does she have any.mefical or mental health issues.

Call 111 now and ask for advice there. How old is your mum?

@MissMoneyFairy

she is at home with my dad and brother, they still live together as the separation is very recent.
She has been diagnosed with GAD for years now but I’ve always thought she may have undiagnosed bipolar. She is so up and down constantly and snappy, we all have walked on egg shells our whole lives

Agree with PP that she needs to be checked for a UTI, it really can cause these type of symptoms in the elderly if bedded in

Yeah op, i'd be calling 111

What other adults are there that can be trusted to support her?

So sorry - and how stressful having g to sort childcare for your son as well, but youre making the right decision

Maybe i'd fib that you've got a few days off of work to hold off on telling her? x

I don’t think it’s a medical issue such as a UTI. There is elements to what she’s saying that relate to things that happened years ago, it seems like some of her lies are catching up with her and in her head they’re the reason this is all happening. @ForAzureSeal she is nearly 50

How old is she ? 65+ ? I'd get a urine dipped for UTI

Oh sorry I see I'm late to the table and see your mum is only 50.

Sounds like psychosis in that case yes. I'd insist a GP sees her! To be honest, I'd recommend A&E - psychosis is a reason to attend the emergency department!

Sorry this is happening. I would call the local crisis team and hopefully they can recommend next steps. Also flag to her GP and hopefully they can help too.

I think it's probably best to ring 111 and ask for help. This sounds like a very specific kind of problem and needs to be seen by someone.

I have a relative that gets the UTI hallucinations but they don't include paranoia like your DM is experiencing. I think that is something different.

I think you ought to ring 111. I don't know how you get her to a medic if she is not willing.

I have a really lovely neighbour who gets psychosis and one time when it was bad the medics came out to her and she went away in an ambulance, not entirely willingly. She came back a few days later with her medication adjusted, and fully recovered. She has been fine ever since.

It was a bit of a shock for her and her DH though.

Well done for taking action to help your DM.

@BollyKnickerz She is only 49, nearly 50.

@mumofoneAloneandwell Thankyou, definitely hard to deal with childcare, I am only 25 and my son has never been trusted to be with anyone else apart from my mom and dad😬 I’m also 25 weeks pregnant and alot of added stress and pressure that I do not need right now

I think if you ring 111 option 2 you will get the mental health crisis team.

I think that psychosis is one of the things that is most treatable in mental health. Somebody told me that when I was volunteering on an NHS thing. They said the psychosis services tend to be well funded partly because the treatment works really well.

Good luck

Find the number for your local crisis team. I think they may have 24 hour support

Hi, I wouldn't be afraid of taking her to A&E or calling paramedics in this situation. DB had psychosis, it was many moons ago now, but I was 22 at the time. It was very scary but as others have said its highly treatable with medication.

He was talking nonsense (meant kindly) and really needy (calling c25 times in an hour to check where we were) and unable to make straightforward decisions. He never did anything harmful but was eventually barely able to move, other than stare at the ceiling, or speak. I think these are called 'negative' symptoms e.g. social withdrawal. 'Positive' symptoms are things like voices or hallucinations I think.

Earlier intervention is better in psychosis then services can support too.

GP is your first point of call, or 111 as suggested. You want someone to have eyes on her rather than over the phone. Most crisis teams will want a referral from another medical professional. Start with a call to the GP who can refer to the community mental health team. Lots of people actually experience psychosis over their lifetime, it’s surprisingly common. That said, early help is best. And eliminate all other natural causes I.e. delirium.

Thanks everyone.

Rang her GP this morning who refused to talk to me as I’m not on her records as a third party.

I rang the crisis team who said she needs to go to A&E but they can’t do anything against her will so they can’t assess her without her being willing.

Currently got my brother on the job of trying to convince her to go with him and if she won’t I’ll take over when I finish work. It’s so difficult when she won’t admit there’s a problem as no one will help her

I'm sorry to hear this. We used gentle coaxing and negotiating to take DB to A&E. When we were there after being assessed (he was only able to say one word - his name) he walked straight out. DF went after him and said I need to get my coat, why don't we go back and go home. I wasn't there but apparently that's when the medical team were waiting. I feel like these days thresholds may be higher, I don't know, if you get time have a look at the NICE guidelines on diagnosis, treatment and support of psychosis so you know what you are highlighting.

I know this is stress so only take on what you can deal with.

Someone with first episode psychosis (if that's what it is) doesn't have the insight, it's an illness, and unfortunately family see more than most. After DB had taken some medication and slept, the first thing he said to me was 'I have no idea what I'm doing here' (in hospital).

Is it all linked around the three days when she wasn't sleeping or how long have you been worried?

My mum had psychosis in her fifties. I suspect it was caused by perimenopause. No psychosis before or any other mental health problems. My sister works as a social worker so she got her sectioned. My mum went to hospital and was medicated. After she got home she binned all the meds but has been ok since.