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• Thursday, February 8, 2007 01:19 PM

  There's hope

  Situations like this require some clear thinking.

  First: Your mom needs help. If it is possible to get her to a gp or reputable psychiatrist, do so. Is there's anyone she trusts? Maybe see if she'll talk to them or have that person take her to an appt.

  Someone recommended NAMI, which is a great resource. Call the chapter in your area and they can give you names of good people to help. NAMI people know their way around.

  If you can't get your mom to go voluntarily, then see

  if you can't get her help involuntarily. This isn't a lifetime sentence, but may serve to get her evaluated.

  Her reactions could be any number of things. If she is

  psychotic, then she may not have the insight necessary

  to receive help, that is, in layman's terms, the part of her brain that is affected by the psychosis is the

  same part that is in charge of reasoning. The book,

  I'm Not Sick, I Don't Need Help, by Xavier Amador

  is extremely useful, more so than a number of those

  on the link. Also, Surviving Schizophrenia, which

  is useful beyond that diagnosis.

  Your letter never mentions you know that your mother has gone off the Paxil. Do you know this for sure?Medications are tricky. Sometimes people on antidepressants develop medication

  related mania, sometimes people have strange withdrawal/rebound reactions. This may not be a permanent condition is what I'm trying to say.

  Second: Get yourself help. NAMI offers a wonderful resource called Family to Family, which is the best thing out there for navigating the complex and fractured

  private and public mental health care system. It will

  also serve to help you set boundaries and be most useful to yourself and to her.

  Good luck with this.

  —virginia holman
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