Need advice - psychosis prodromal phase

Hi Concerned-mumma,

Firstly, welcome to the forums. It's very brave to reach out in a new space. I hope you find it a really supportive and welcoming community.

I also encourage you to continue liaising with your son's mental health support team, so you receive the best professional advice, to compliment the member support here on the forum.

Kind Regards,

TonyTunes (Moderator)

Thank you @TonyTunes for the welcome.

Hi @Concerned-mumma

Im sorry to hear about what is going on for you and your son. Have you asked him ‘How can I help you?’ Those words may make a difference but maybe not either. It’s worth a try.

Who did the adhd assessment? Was it a psychiatrist? Maybe you can speak to them in regards to what you are seeing in him or his GP.

I see you want to help but unsure if you are strong enough. Do you have support? You need to care for yourself first to be able to support your son in the way he needs. Could you talk to your GP to gain your own support as well. I’m not a carer but I have seen on here many people that are and they need to look after themselves as well as they say it takes a toll on themselves and their mental health.

Thank you @Captain24 for reaching out its much appreciated.

My son has been seeing his regular gp for the past year, he also sees a psychologist monthly. He is currently on meds to help with depression and bad sleeping patterns and now has just started another med to hopefully help lift his moods. His assessment was done via telehealth with a psychiatrist which gave us some good insight to what could be going on with him.

I have started reading and researching and looking at what postive steps i can do to try and motivate him. At the same time making sure that I am OK. Ive downloaded some apps that I think could help him and myself aswell. Im feeling a better today now that ive "processed" the report a bit more.

Hello Concerned-mumma

You sound like you are already supporting your son so much. He is lucky to have you in his village.

My understanding is the prodromal phase of psychosis can only be diagnosed once the person is in a second, acute phase. I only learnt about this when my child was being admitted to hospital the second time. It helped us understand the behaviours leading up to the time which were so concerning: withdrawal from real life interactions, increased, excessive online involvement, poor sleep and diminishing living skills. (The last being so bad I wondered if my child was developing early onset dementia) My child's prodromal phase was not picked up by a neuropsychologist and may have been for a period of up to two years.

I want to give you hope: after a scary time, my child has made steady steps to recover, with the psychosis being deemed to be first episode still.

It's really important you remain calm and look after your own health so you can support your son.

Caring takes a toll.

Mothers stay strong for their children and you already are doing this.

Thank you for reaching out and sharing your experience

My sons behavioural changes started durning covid and got to the point he had basically withdrawn from everything in life, friends, us, work, studys, personal hygiene to genral heath. Days in his room in the dark playing online gaming or watching you tube. Limited conversation, hes memory is shocking, forgetting conversation we had the day before. Sleeping all day, up all night, moody or worst no emotions at all.

Hes currently on a new medication which we have seen a improvement which I hope is a postive step in the right direction.

I've seen this a fair bit with young people @Concerned-mumma You are certianly not alone in experiencing this.

I think what has helped with my work with these young people is to have an external person talk to them about what they ideally want out of life. What do they want their future to look like? I wonder if these conversations will help your son see more than the 4 walls of his room?

I guess it's also a positive step that you've been able to see to his medication etc.

Perhaps there are people outside who he can game with, but he sees them face to face? I don't know where these groups would be, but I'm sure they exist

I tried to get him.out more, take up hobbies, join a local group to make new friends up till now it has been a struggle just to get him to eat at the table with us. This week has had some good outcomes, hes seems more comfortable to engage in conversation, came out to dinner with us, let me take him to get a haircut. Its just little things to some but huge steps for him.

Im sure there will be setbacks but I take every little win as it comes. I started some online therapy for myself which has really helped me too.

Congrats! It's progress over perfection. Any win (big or small) is a step forward. Well done for sticking in there @Concerned-mumma It's not an easy road, but believe me, when I say you are not alone.

How old is your son?

Thank you ❤️

He recently turned 20