Im on a high, but I dont know why.

I'm on a high, but I don't know why ....I think it's adrenaline (Emote: confusedpurple)

My brother has finally today accepted that he has a mental health problem, he is being referred to get help.
Even though I have another brother & a sister & my mum close by, he is totally reliant on my sister & I.

I have spent 2 hours tonight hopefully doing the right thing, just getting him to think about tomorrow, I've told him I will ring him from work tomorrow & then see him after work, then I have to pick my son up from school & go & pick my niece up from running.

I think he is paranoid, but not sure what medication he will get (Emote: confusedpurple)

At the moment it's about getting him through each day knowing we are all there for him, I feel a bit emotional as this has been going on since March & it was a bit uncomfortable for me SA wise....so I stayed away. It was only when I was asked to see him that I really got involved.

I have realised alot about myself recently.

Thats great news annie!
All the best for your brother ..xxxx

lucylou..x

you SHOULD feel better in a situation where youre concentrating on someone else rather than your own problems and feeling valued and useful rather than the opposite.
Its always good for SA to try to stop being self centred.
(note self centered is NOT the same as selfish)

Well done Annie, it must've been a stressful few months for you. Maybe the high you feel is the relief from having taken positive action perhaps after some indecison -- SA often makes it hard to take control of difficult situations and what you've done must've taken courage. I hope your bro gets back to good health soon

Philip

That's good news annie. I hope your brother feels better soon.

Thanks evryone (Emote: hugs)

I'm off sick today...not looking after myself - got far too run down. I'm going to see my brother at 1.30, I've had a couple of hours kip, I'm sure that'll do (Emote: pirate) [1 edits; Last edit by annie1 at 11:53:10 Fri Jun 17 2005]

Well done annie, I know how difficult these things are, as my brother is an alcoholic and I've been through a lot of stress through it.

Best wishes to your brother. (Emote: smile)

Thanks introverted_guy (Emote: smile)

He's getting quite bad now so we may have to take him to A & E.

Anyone suffered from severe paranoia? To the point you think/have thought the phone was bugged? [1 edits; Last edit by annie1 at 19:36:47 Fri Jun 17 2005]

Hi Annie, it sounds like you're going through a terrible time lately, I feel very badly for you and your poor brother.

I've never suffered from paranoia myself, but I did meet a guy who did have those symptoms, his were induced by over-use of cannabis though (he was smoking loads on a daily basis). My cousin also had similar symptoms, he's doing absolutely fine now as he is on the right medication (he was originally mis-diagnosed with depression but in fact he was suffering from schizophrenia).

I've had severe paranoid thoughts in the past. Some just seem too strange to tell people about. I told a doctor about them and he said it sounded like severe depression / anxiety, which can lead to other problems unless the depression is dealt with. Depression can do very strange things to people.

Is there something which has triggered his idea of people spying on him? Does he have other ideas / thoughts which seem "strange" ? More than likely he will have other thoughts which he hasn't told anyone about, but if he's paranoid you would have to be careful about dealing with him in case he takes anything the wrong way, and might fuel his paranoia further. There wasn't anything anyone could say to me to get me out of it, (at one point everything everyone said just made me worse) me realising this was the start of me getting over it. To be able to talk to doctors who knew something about it definitely helped me though. And put my mind to rest. To feel like you understand the mind of a schizophrenic is unbelievably scary. You are paranoid but in the back of your mind you also feel like you are losing your mind. I'm still struggling to get over the experience.

Luckily I managed to recognise it myself and made myself go to a doctor. Even then though I was paranoid that the doctor knew something that I didn't and was keeping secrets from me. Taking him to the doctor would be for the best. Getting him to realise himself that he has a problem that he needs to see a doctor about is the main thing. [3 edits; Last edit by darkhorse at 21:38:00 Fri Jun 17 2005]

Thanks scarlet_diva & darkhorse, we took him to A & E this morning, they have kept him on diazepam & also prescribed an anti depressant...he still has an urgent referral going through.

His paranoia I think is linked to his childhood, he needs to get everything out that he is remembering, he says he feels better once he does this...better than he did.

Theres alot of stuff he's said tonight which is linked with my dads death & also the fact he felt responsible for my sister & I. He never felt good enough in my mums eyes. There is great sadness & guilt there.

My sister said I should be a counsellor (Emote: laughing) as I just let him talk without interupting or getting emotional.

It's going to be a tough few months...I also have my son & husband to think about (Emote: sad)

aw - thank goodness your bro has a nice sister like you. You''l get thru it all cock (Emote: thumbpurple) if we didn't have these dips in life we'd never appreciate the happy times.. that's no help I know. You have people who need you and who'd be there for you if u were in trouble , that's a good thing , it's good to be needed. Hope your brother does ok .. sounds like you are doing your very best.. you are ace (Emote: thumbpurple)

Try to stay strong for him annie, because that's what he needs. (Easier said than done I know).

Thanks IRIS & introverted_guy (Emote: hugs)

I think we'll have to take him back to A & E as he's getting worse.

But if we'll just listen to him, everything will be ok....but we have listened, he now thinks the T.V is bugged.

He cried this morning when we tried to get him to go back to A & E, he said just give me 1 more day, I'll be able to work it out.

What's going to happen Annie, has he got a referral yet?

We have taken him back to A & E, I rang tham this morning to find out when the crisis team would be coming - they said toady or tomorrow, turns out the doctor yesterday hadn't referred his notes on. We were told to take him back & the crisis team would see him there. Anyway the crisis team have seen him & diagnosed depression with psychotic tendencies. They wanted to prescribe an anti psychotic drug with the prozac he was prescribed yesterday & the diazepam.
The SHO said to just double his Diazepam until the crisis team see him tomorrow.

He has gone home tonight with my brother...we are on a rota!
Fortunately he has us all...I can understand how people commit suicide after going to the hospital for help (Emote: shake)

Just hoping he gets prescribed the proper medication tomorrow.

Yeah it's scarey how unsupportive the NHS can be sometimes. I guess this is the worst time for you all since it'll be at least 3 weeks before the prozac has any beneficial effect for your brother. Hang in there, I hope the crisis team are of more help than you've had so far.

The cisis team are great - he has the meds now, it's just a matter of time. Fortunately I have another brother & a sister, we are working as a team (Emote: smile)

Sorry to hear about your brother, Annie - but glad to hear that his meds have been sorted out - hope he starts to feel better soon. Good to hear that you have the support of your other brother and sister.

Thanks Sara B, we have a rota system between my sister, bother & I. Seems to be working ok (Emote: smile)
He keeps saying I'm a star - we all are (Emote: smile)

My mum isn't taking it well that she's not seen him - I think it'll make him worse. She'll burst into tears & he'll feel guilty....that was our childhood (Emote: rolleyes)

Glad to hear you've managed to work something out with your brother and sister, Annie. It's difficult to know what to do for the best in these situations isn't it.... hope things start to get better soon.

Take care (Emote: smile) [1 edits; Last edit by Sara_B at 01:04:38 Fri Jun 24 2005]

Things seem to be going ok with my brother. He is staying at my sister's for the time being. He's still mentioning the night my dad died, he obviously needs to talk to a counsellor.

Compared to this time last week, things are so much better.
It has made me realise more that I need to make more time in my life for others (Emote: smile)

Glad things are starting to get better, Annie (Emote: smile)

Quote: Sara_B at 22***58;48***58;05 Sat Jun 25 2005


Glad things are starting to get better, Annie (Emote: smile)

Thanks, Sara B (Emote: hugs)

[annie1]

These last few weeks have been so hard for me emotionally, but I've realised that alot of the way I feel is the way my brother & sister feel. Most of it has to do with our upbringing....no praise, constant criticism & always being bothered by other people's opinions