Hearing voices

[comatheart]

Well, my son has been to two different hospitals and 3 different treatment centers since July. It's been CRAZY!!!

Saturday we went and got him out of a treatment center that was very laid back and he was abusing drugs while there, including his own prescriptions. (They allow higher level clients to pass out medications there. Crazy right?) We took him back to a treatment center he's spent a lot of time at already in the previous 2 yrs. We know thry care for him there and he's safe.

The Psychiatrist called and said he admit to hearing voices today. Said he has been for a long time. I am just devastated. My boy is still so sick, he seems he gets sicker as he gets older. :-( I don't know what we're supposed to do with him. He needs long term mental health treatment, but who can afford it!?

 

[InsaneCdn]

The gaps in mental health care are as big as the Grand Canyon. Sorry - wish I had answers for both of us.

 

[Copabanana]

he admit to hearing voices today

he was abusing drugs while there

The voices are as likely to have resulted from drug use, as the other way around.

Depending upon the drug he uses, the voices can continue for a long time after cessation of drug use.

Until he is clean for a while, it will be hard to really come up with a valid diagnosis.

If you are talking about your 19 year old, he can receive all of the treatment he needs through the community mental health system. I think after 18 years old he is considered to be independent of your income.

He needs to apply for SSI for mental illness, through Social Security and healthcare through the County.

My son is in the same situation. He has been in a variety of inpatient treatment settings including long-term residential treatment, and it is all paid for. There is no other way anybody could afford it.

He got SSI the first time he applied.

You are not alone.

 

[BusynMember]

There are commu ity run mental health centers for medicaid patients. We have one here and this is small town area. Some live there. Some get released then end up back there if they stop taking medications. At this time your son is psychotic. It may or may not be drugs or he could have a form of schizophrenia or schizoaffective. You cant know unless he is clean.
Do what you must to keep him safe. Use state run favilities and rehabs. I hope he is willing to comply. Hearing voicesis a scary symptom. Did he mrntion voices to you before the drugs? Any psychosis on the family tree on both sides?
If he is mentally ill often they take drugs on their own to try to blot out the voices they hear. So sad.
Please keep us updated.

 

[comatheart]

Thank you. He is already approved for SSDI, that was my last update here a couple weeks ago. Though the checks aren't coming yet, he has been approved.

He is diagnosed Schizoaffective disorder, but it is based on delusions and visual symptoms. Never told anyone of voices, so it seems to be a progression.

The Community Mental Health system here is a joke. In our experience, the hospital keeps them just long enough to stabilize them. Generally less than 2 weeks. Then sends them out the revolving door. I don't know of any long term programs.

 

[BusynMember]

Did you look into any group homes? I know we have one.

I'm so very sorry. So sorry.

 

[PatriotsGirl]

Coma, what drugs is he using? M was absolutely crazy when she was using meth. She SWORE people were after her trying to kill her. She heard voices, too. You could not convince her that it wasn't real. Once she got clean for a while, those went away and she realizes now how bad she was. But he HAS to get clean before any true diagnosis can be made...

 

[in a daze]

Coma, what drugs is he using? M was absolutely crazy when she was using meth. She SWORE people were after her trying to kill her. She heard voices, too. You could not convince her that it wasn't real. Once she got clean for a while, those went away and she realizes now how bad she was. But he HAS to get clean before any true diagnosis can be made...

I agree. My son was hospitalized a couple years ago for Adderal induced psychosis, and the delusions took months to dissipate even after he was completely off the stuff (he was abusing his own prescription).

 

[toughlovin]

My son overdosed on benedryl which caused psychosis...strange hallucinations which he did not realize we're hallucinations. It was scary....they did wear off once the drug was out of his system.

 

[Copabanana]

The Community Mental Health system here is a joke.

Here too. What about a neighboring metropolitan area?

My son utilizes services in a large City a couple of hours from us. He was homeless there and he has his Medicaid there. I do not know how it works but it does. It is two years since he resided there at all...and as recently as six weeks ago he was in a treatment facility.

 

[comatheart]

He abuses anything, but is drawn to DXM, Synthetics and Benzos.

His diagnosis came from a psychiatrist who worked with him a cummulative of 8 months, inpatient. (3 different stays. Two 90 days and one 60 day) At this point we just arent sure if he is maybe truly schizophrenia or if it's schizoaffective disorder.

 

[toughlovin]

And until he stops using drugs it's unclear.....it is so darn hard. Hugs to you!

 

[Kathy813]

{{{Hugs}}}

 

[haunter]

*hugs tightly*