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A daughter looking for advice on approach for mother's relapse in Schizophrenia

MippyCasual Contributor21 Aug 2025, 2:36 pm AEST

A daughter looking for advice on approach for mother's relapse in Schizophrenia

Hi there,

My mother suffers from Schizophrenia and it has been nearly 20 years since her last episode. She is currently showing signs of relapse and stopped taking her medication over a year ago and our family are looking for ways to get ahead of it but it is challenging given it is nothing something we have ever spoken about at home or with one another.

She was seeing a psychiatrist but has since slipped off the books. To get back in she needs a GP referral, however we can't get a GP referral on her behalf and we don't want to approach it with her in fear that she will not think anything is wrong with her and regress further / lose trust with us.

All the signs are there including paranoia: thinking people are coming into the house/backyard at night and installing surveillance cameras + other sensory hallucinations (sound and smell) and generally confused thoughts and delusions and pulling back on social interaction.

How can we approach this in the most sensitive way without breaking her trust? What other voluntary methods have people used? Or if we do have the conversation with and that is the only way her what are some suggestions to approach this given she is experiencing a episodes more frequently (often continuously) now.

Appreciate your guidance and support here.

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In response to: A daughter looking for advice on approach for mother's relapse in Schizophrenia

RiverSealModerator14 Sept 2025, 4:20 pm AEST

Re: A daughter looking for advice on approach for mother's relapse in Schizophrenia

Hey @Mippy, thanks for the update about your mother and sharing your experiences with the community!

It is get that you have beed to your mothers GP and got a referral to the psychiatrist and that you have had some conversations with your mother. I can understand that you are thinking this is not life threatening and maybe it is not urgent. Psychiatrists support people with mental health not generally life threatening illnesses.

What you have discribed about your mother and her loss of reality, irractice behavour and the impact that she is having on your family is in my mind is more urgent perhaps than you are thinking. Your mother is potentially experiencing something that is very distressing for her and is displaying that through her behaviour. I'm curious what you think it might need to get to for your mothers situation to be considered urgent? Do you think it might be worth exploring with the psychiatists clinic what they consider urgent or whether they might be able to fit her in?

I can understand that your mother does not want to take medications or go into hospital as neither are the greatest of experiences. As your mother engages with more doctors and presents with a severe mental health condition it is not something that you can promise won't happen. But you can do all you can to support your mother at home with the capabilites that you and your family have. I am of the belief that if we do go to hospital then it is the best place for us and we should try to get the most out of it. In the same breathe I work really hard so I don't have to go to hospital again.

I hope these reflections provide some insight and some understanding for you and please do reach out an ask questions whenever you need.

Tale care

RiverSeal

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