Let's Talk Life: Parenting a child who has psychosis

Yvonnie Bailey- Davidson, Gleaner Writer

Dear Counsellor:

My adolescent daughter has been acting strangely over the past two weeks. She speaks foolishly and talks to herself. She keeps on pointing to invisible people and laughs to herself a lot.

Her grades have fallen and she has become quiet and withdrawn. Last week, she started eating garbage. I have taken her to the doctor on several occasions with minimal improvement.

- Arlene

Dear Arlene:

One per cent of the population will get schizophrenia, and 30 per cent will not get better. There are several types of medication which can be tried before doctors conclude that the person is a non-responder.

Take your daughter to a psychiatrist if you haven't yet done so. Your daughter seems to have developed a psychotic disorder. Schizophrenia usually starts during adolescence, and usually there is gradual deterioration in functionality, evidenced by falling grades and changed behaviour.

Medical assessment needed

Assessment of the situation is a detailed process. You need to reflect on the exact time the grades started falling and when the changes became noticeable. At this point, it would seem that she needs to be hospitalised and large doses of medication be considered. She will need to be assessed for a physical problem. Nowadays, medication to treat individuals with mental illness is quite expensive.

I think we need a public education programme about psychotic conditions. Usually, at the beginning, relatives find it hard to believe that their relatives are mentally ill, leading them to go into a state of denial. It is when the individual becomes severely ill that the situation is considered serious.

Denial of illness is not unique to mental illness. Oftentimes, it's only when individuals develop severe complications that they take their illnesses seriously.

You will need to watch your daughter closely when she is discharged from hospital. She ought to be educated about her health and encouraged to take her medication. She must be taught stress-management techniques, as stress can sometimes trigger the illness. Take her to her appointments and give her plenty tender, loving care. Keep building her confidence.

How can I manage stress?

Dear Counsellor:

I read your column regularly and have decided to write to you. I would like some information on stress management.

- Errol

Dear Errol:

Stress management is critical to healthy survival. Also of importance are anger management and time management.

We need to manage our resources properly. We should expend every effort on rewarding activities and carefully consider before making commitments that may cause you to extend yourself.

It may seem that everyone is pushing or pulling you this way and that. Before agreeing to tasks, you should be sure that you can finish within an agreeable time frame. There are many things that need to be done, but you don't have to be the one to do them all. Choose widely and assess risks carefully.

Decide what is an emergency and what is routine. Give yourself enough time to complete a task. As you practise daily, you will be able to multitask.

Learn to prioritise your daily tasks and ask God for help.

Got questions or comments for Dr Yvonnie Bailey-Davidson? Email feedback to yvonniebd@hotmail.com or call her at 978-8602.