How to support a young person best with schizophrenia in an acute episode

Hello and welcome @Tooka,

Thank you for sharing some of your experiences, I'm glad you've found the forum community as it sounds like you are dealing with a lot right now.

Being in a caring role can be very impactful. I'm hearing that at the moment the stress is so intense that even the small things are feeling difficult.

Self-care can be incredibly important whilst in a caring role, and focusing on small steps to look after yourself can help to manage when everything externally is feeling chaotic.

I'm curious, what is in your control right now? Is there something small you might be able to do to prioritise your own wellbeing and to feel more grounded?

I'm looking forward to hearing some of the insights and perspectives from our other forum members.

Forest_Fairy

@Tooka I'm so sorry to hear this, that sounds like a lot to deal with on your own. Being a long weekend, it's going to be tough to find immediate support, unless your son becomes physically violent or suicidal. You could take him to the ER or call the Crisis Asssement Team if things get really bad, but the long wait times could be overwhelming and exhausting for both of you.

You could try and make an appointment with your GP for Tuesday (make one that is as long as the online system will allow). Your GP may be able to refer your son to a respite service or a recovery service that has a bed available. Seeing a GP on your own is a good way to find someone who will listen and should have some understanding of schizophrenia, in any case.

I hope the acute episode is over soon. It usually takes about 2 weeks after starting oral anti-psychotic medication before things stop being acute (the injections work quicker than 2 weeks). The timeline can vary but most people do end up fully recovering from acute episodes of psychosis.

@Tooka a little handy tip, when you reply to someone you can tag them by putting an @ symbol and then typing their name, it will then pop up in blue and the member will get a notification so they can see you replied, this is a great way to ensure the other member can see your reply easily.

Carer Gateway are a great starting point https://www.carergateway.gov.au/

You can call them Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm and ask about available options for support based on your area.

You've been really brave in reaching out and opening up, and you deserve to feel supported on your journey. I'm hoping you continue to connect with this incredible community.

Forest_Fairy

@Forest_Fairy thanks for the tip I didnt know.

And again thankyou for the support it means the world to me.

I will check them out and see what they offer. Id love to be able to go to a group or something so I get some physical support and see how others do it so im going to look for that too. Maybe they have it on their website hopefully

Take excellent care of yourself

-M

@Tooka that's no worries at all, we want you to get the most out of your forum experience.

You are most welcome. Being in a caring role can be quite isolating. So staying connected is really important to ensure you have safe spaces to share your experience and to feel truly heard and validated by others.

Here's a bit more information about the group support from carer gateway https://www.carergateway.gov.au/help-and-support/caring-me/talk-and-connect/peer-support-groups

And here are some options that might be useful for you:

https://tandemcarers.org.au/p/p/Contents/Find-Support/Carer_Groups.aspx

https://arafmi.com.au/carer-family-support/

I hope you can do something nice for yourself today, even if it's something small. The little moments where we slow down can make a real difference over time.

Forest_Fairy