please help.

[RedTulipMom]

My son had a psychotic episode Saturday night, Threw a brick at the windshield of his fathers jeep while hid dad was in it, and then went after his dad with a butcher knife threatening to kill him and the police requested a Psych eval on him. He got brought to the hospitall in ambulance. After they drug tested him and found out he wasnt on any drugs they admitted him into the pediatric psych ward. The psychiatrist told me today that he is bipolar, they are putting him on Depakote. Also he is having hallucinations and paranoia. He thinks that he is at a crack house. He thinks they have drugged his food and water. He is refusing to take the meds and keeps telling me they put ecstacy in it. They got to the point tonight where they said he had to have an anti-psychotic because of his hallucinations. They had him talk to me on the phone and he was begging me to get him out of the crack house and when i told him that he had to take the pills he told me that he was examining them and was afraid to take them because they have ecstasy. I told him the pills were fine and that he needed to take them so that they wouldnt be forced to give him a shot. Then he started saying that the shot had opium in it. Also he has been talking to himself. He keeps looking up and saying stuff to someone that isnt there. Is this normal for bipolar? WHy is he paranoid and hallucinating? When i was up there earlier he yelled at me to stop shaking, which i wasnt. He kept asking me over and over why i was drinking so much water ( i had one glass). He has been yelling and swearing at me and everyone else at the hospital. (up till saturday night he had never sworn at me in his life). I am very concerned for him right now. I can see that he must have been in a very depressive state because he has barely left the house in 2 weeks and practically locked himself in his room. Any time i would say anything to him he would scream at me and say he was in a bad mood and to leave him alone. I am in shock right now over everything that has gone on. I dont know what to expect. Will the medication bring him back to reality? Will he start acting normal again soon? Please let me know your experiences. Thanks.
karen

 

[Zita123]

Unfourtunatetly his med problem is also the whole families now. I am 43 and I have been where he is now only mine was all evil stuff like the grim reaper but recently I am in a manic episode and keep trying to fight everyone. They up your meds when you get that way and you calm down. Just be sure to tell the doc when his mood changes.
Yes this is very normal.
We here will pray for you and your family
GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!

Zita

My son had a psychotic episode Saturday night, Threw a brick at the windshield of his fathers jeep while hid dad was in it, and then went after his dad with a butcher knife threatening to kill him and the police requested a Psych eval on him. He got brought to the hospitall in ambulance. After they drug tested him and found out he wasnt on any drugs they admitted him into the pediatric psych ward. The psychiatrist told me today that he is bipolar, they are putting him on Depakote. Also he is having hallucinations and paranoia. He thinks that he is at a crack house. He thinks they have drugged his food and water. He is refusing to take the meds and keeps telling me they put ecstacy in it. They got to the point tonight where they said he had to have an anti-psychotic because of his hallucinations. They had him talk to me on the phone and he was begging me to get him out of the crack house and when i told him that he had to take the pills he told me that he was examining them and was afraid to take them because they have ecstasy. I told him the pills were fine and that he needed to take them so that they wouldnt be forced to give him a shot. Then he started saying that the shot had opium in it. Also he has been talking to himself. He keeps looking up and saying stuff to someone that isnt there. Is this normal for bipolar? WHy is he paranoid and hallucinating? When i was up there earlier he yelled at me to stop shaking, which i wasnt. He kept asking me over and over why i was drinking so much water ( i had one glass). He has been yelling and swearing at me and everyone else at the hospital. (up till saturday night he had never sworn at me in his life). I am very concerned for him right now. I can see that he must have been in a very depressive state because he has barely left the house in 2 weeks and practically locked himself in his room. Any time i would say anything to him he would scream at me and say he was in a bad mood and to leave him alone. I am in shock right now over everything that has gone on. I dont know what to expect. Will the medication bring him back to reality? Will he start acting normal again soon? Please let me know your experiences. Thanks.
karen

 

[vibrant]

first,

he was diagnosed as bipolar? it's so tricky to diagnose. consider the diagnosis a good thing cause at least you know where to turn for help.

you asked a lot of why questions, and this won't explain it fully, but when you're severely manic, and it sounds like he's just that, your thoughts are racing, not just fast, racing. they are jumbled together, tumbling out, jumping around. life's in fast forward, out of your control. your thinking becomes irrational and illogical, although you still think you're thinking clearly. that's one reason why mania is dangerous!

you've a lot of energy, so you lose your inhibitions, and combined with your mental prowess, you start thinking grandiosely, about yourself and your actions. mania usually feels good, but a sufferer can become irritated and upset.

all of this can escalate so that he loses contact with space, time, reality in general, literally not knowing where he is, attacking others (if he feels threatened), paranoia, hearing things that aren't there, seeing things. the latter two can also happen because he's become really sensitive to stimulation, overly sensitive. when i say acutely sensitive, i mean it differently than how others take it, because i could be listening to rapper kanye west and think it was Jesus rapping to me. i was so into the songs, they meant more to me than they were supposed to. one thing his doctors might do is keep him away from over stimulation, as my doctors did with mine.

this by no means is a comprehensive explanation, but what i've learned through experiencing and studying it.

episodes of bipolar will end, with or without treatment, but be forewarned, the pendulum swings to the other extreme. if he's manic, he'll experience a bout with depression, and vice versa. hence the mood swing nature of this illness.

meds and time may eventually bring him back to normal, then he's going to have to learn how to monitor and help himself if he ever relapses. that's how it was/is with me. people with bipolar can learn to function wonderfully once again so don't lose heart and keep praying.

 

[vibrant]

about "episodes of bipolar will end, with or without treatment", what i mean is that you won't spend your life completely manic or depressed. like an episode of a tv show, it starts, climaxes, and ends.

 

[Zita123]

You are so right about that!
I am starting to get out of my manic state now..( just a little ) but, I do know GOD forgives and loves me because of HIS son JESUS!!!
I just wish everyone knew that!!!
Zita

about "episodes of bipolar will end, with or without treatment", what i mean is that you won't spend your life completely manic or depressed. like an episode of a tv show, it starts, climaxes, and ends.

 

[vibrant]

I am starting to get out of my manic state now..( just a little )

recovery takes a while. even when you find the right meds to balance your mood, you're still going to have to recovery in both body and mind. in the hospital, one thing my doctors noticed was that bp patients were always sleeping. we pointed out that we probably hadn't slept or eaten in days, so our bodies needed time to recover. even when i was discharged, i still had a lot of mental recovery to do... so group hug

but, I do know GOD forgives and loves me because of HIS son JESUS!!!
I just wish everyone knew that!!!

me too.

 

[RedTulipMom]

THanks for all the info and advice. My son is still in the psych hospital. His anti-psychotic meds are working good and have gotten rid of alot of the hallucinations. He is still very delusional though. His reality is very distorted. he doesnt understand what happened over the weekend. The story is all mixed up in his head. Due to his delusions he now hates me, his father and his step father. He still thinks i am a crack addict. He still thinks his father was coming after him to kill him. He still thinks i locked him outside to let "the killer" get him. He doesnt want to have anything to do with any of us. He never wants to see us again. he has to move into my parents house due to his delusions because he won't come back home. Will these delusions end? How long will it take? He wont always think these things about me will he?

 

[Alive again]

DEar KarenMArie, I have been gone and had not seen your post until this am. I am praying for you and your son!!! Yes, it should get better, but it will take time. You son has had what is termed a psychotic break. It can happen with many types of mental illness. It is most known about with schizophrenia, but cna happen with bipolar, depression, etc. What that fancy word means is that they lose contact with reality. It takes time for the meds to stabilize that brain again, and your son will never have accurate memories about that weekend. You did all the right things in getting him help. With the help of a gopod counselor and your family he will learn about his illnes and what happened and that you did not do those things, but did everything that was needed to get him help. Please know there is light at the end of the tunnel. If he stays on his meds, things will continue to look up. Pm me anytime, my son has bp. I can share a mother's heartache and hopes for her young beloved son who is battling a very challenging illness. Blessings and prayers!!!

 

[citypastor]

HI
I don't have time to read all the stuff sent to you right now. But I suffered from manic depression all my life until I came to Christ. Both my boys need treatment, and I know of a nephew in Scotland who is suffering. All I can say gently now is that Jesus can set any one free. I have been 'delivered' for 23yrs. Its more difficult when other people are involved, as you can't always talk to them. But I want to encourage you. Jesus loves your family, the smart and the hurt.
Contact me if you want to talk.
Denis

 

[CottonBall]

Will he always think these things about you? Probably not.

I hope that they don't let him leave the hospital any time soon, but I know that they try to discharge their patients as soon as possible (because most hospitals run out of beds ).

I think that it's so important for you to know that you're doing the right thing with him, and that his opinions of you right now ARE delusional, so don't begin to feel guilty because of what your son says because then you're being sucked into the delusion and it's important that you keep yourself collected right now.

 

[gremlinsluvr]

i know what your son is going through... i was diagnosed as being bipolar after having all kinds of violent episodes... i.e. breaking doors down, shattering windows. i felt like evryone was out to get me, that everyone wanted me dead. i myself am not on any medication (personal conviction), but maybe in your case that would be best for him right now. he won't always think you're out to get him, sometimes he'll feel the opposite (too trusting). i am always one or the other, so i don't ever really experience a 'happy medium'. i'm not saying your son won't, i'm just saying that i don't. all cases have their differences.

 

[RedTulipMom]

Just wanted to update everyone. My sons diagnosis is now Bipolar with Psychosis. He stayed in the psych hospital for 12 days..then they released him to the day program. He was in the day program from 9-3pm mon-friday for 2 weeks. Today was his last day in the day program. They upped his meds a couple times, then 3 days ago lowered his meds because he ended up over medicated. Right now they have him on 1250 mg of depakote and 20 mg of zyprexa every night. He is a very different person on the meds. He is much happier and much calmer and even tempered. Alot of the delusions have gone away and he is talking to me now and to his dad and step dad. he is living at my parents for awhile though. Things are going well. He is taking his meds like he is told. he still doesnt really GET that he needs them, but is taking them anyway. He still seems to be creating new delusional ideas, even on the meds and i dont know why. He told my dad the other day he is going to buy and airplane. he told me 2 nights ago that he is going to buy a ton of beatmakers and sell them and make millions of dollars. Alot of his delusions seem to be about money. Anyone understand this?

 

[goldenviolet]

My son had a psychotic episode Saturday night, Threw a brick at the windshield of his fathers jeep while hid dad was in it, and then went after his dad with a butcher knife threatening to kill him and the police requested a Psych eval on him. He got brought to the hospitall in ambulance. After they drug tested him and found out he wasnt on any drugs they admitted him into the pediatric psych ward. The psychiatrist told me today that he is bipolar, they are putting him on Depakote. Also he is having hallucinations and paranoia. He thinks that he is at a crack house. He thinks they have drugged his food and water. He is refusing to take the meds and keeps telling me they put ecstacy in it. They got to the point tonight where they said he had to have an anti-psychotic because of his hallucinations. They had him talk to me on the phone and he was begging me to get him out of the crack house and when i told him that he had to take the pills he told me that he was examining them and was afraid to take them because they have ecstasy. I told him the pills were fine and that he needed to take them so that they wouldnt be forced to give him a shot. Then he started saying that the shot had opium in it. Also he has been talking to himself. He keeps looking up and saying stuff to someone that isnt there. Is this normal for bipolar? WHy is he paranoid and hallucinating? When i was up there earlier he yelled at me to stop shaking, which i wasnt. He kept asking me over and over why i was drinking so much water ( i had one glass). He has been yelling and swearing at me and everyone else at the hospital. (up till saturday night he had never sworn at me in his life). I am very concerned for him right now. I can see that he must have been in a very depressive state because he has barely left the house in 2 weeks and practically locked himself in his room. Any time i would say anything to him he would scream at me and say he was in a bad mood and to leave him alone. I am in shock right now over everything that has gone on. I dont know what to expect. Will the medication bring him back to reality? Will he start acting normal again soon? Please let me know your experiences. Thanks.
karen

i'm bipolar with scitzo too. this sounds like my old break through episodes. meds and maturity have helped alot. both phyical and mental/spiritual growth have helped. loving family really helps.

 

[stanneberg]

Read this very carefully.

You need 3 GODLY people to pray for him in a very specific manner. God will show you who they are and what to pray. They are to pray silently until each of them are carrying your son's burden. This will be very exhausting! Then, in God's timing, all of you will get together at the hospital and visit him. In an attitude of prayer, listen to what he has to say. Suddenly, there will be a moment of clarity in your minds -- not his, and God will show you what to do. Do not do anything until you know your direction is from the LORD!

What your son is experiencing is not just an illness. I know the disease! I know the enemy!

This war you are fighting needs more than putting his name on a prayer list. If the wrong people are praying -- tho their hearts and intentions are pure -- the enemy will take him farther down the road than you want him to go. Trust me. I know what I'm talking about.

If you knew me, you would know that I'm not a psycho-holy-roller. You would know that I don't talk openly about spiritual warfare and meta-physical occurances. You would find out, that I have lived with the enemy for most of my life. At the same time, was a child of God. I have been healed from this whole mess and am now equiped to fight this unseen war.

When you see the drastic change in your boy, don't think that the battle is over! This change will be a window of opportunity to uncover past trauma, hurts and other things that have been buried in his mind. It will be a time of healing for you as well. Every stone in your life will be overturned, and the dirt beneath it examined.

Dont do anything more or anything less than I have told you. If you do this exactly as I say, you will experience a miracle. All of you will never be the same again!

My prayers for you have already started!

Stephen Tanneberg

 

[ddbagley]

DEar KarenMArie, I have been gone and had not seen your post until this am. I am praying for you and your son!!! Yes, it should get better, but it will take time. You son has had what is termed a psychotic break. It can happen with many types of mental illness. It is most known about with schizophrenia, but cna happen with bipolar, depression, etc. What that fancy word means is that they lose contact with reality. It takes time for the meds to stabilize that brain again, and your son will never have accurate memories about that weekend. You did all the right things in getting him help. With the help of a gopod counselor and your family he will learn about his illnes and what happened and that you did not do those things, but did everything that was needed to get him help. Please know there is light at the end of the tunnel. If he stays on his meds, things will continue to look up. Pm me anytime, my son has bp. I can share a mother's heartache and hopes for her young beloved son who is battling a very challenging illness. Blessings and prayers!!!

so, do you think with my 8 year olds rages he may might now remember much. Just a note he hasn't been in the hopital yet, but rants on how no one loves him and how he hates me and his dad and hates himself. wishes he was dead, etc.?

 

[CottonBall]

It's good to know that your son is doing better and is taking his meds. I'm not a doctor, so I can't make any guesses as to how this will all play out, but I have faith that God has allowed this to happen to strengthen your faith, your relationship with Him. I pray that God will comfort you all during this time, and that He will give the doctors divine wisdom as to how to help your son.

 

[ddbagley]

about "episodes of bipolar will end, with or without treatment", what i mean is that you won't spend your life completely manic or depressed. like an episode of a tv show, it starts, climaxes, and ends.

I needed to be reminded of this. Enjoy the good times and be prepared for the bad times. I still get caught off gaurd when my or my sons' moods get extreme. Then I dispare forgetting things will get better again. God has been faithful thorough all ours moods. I forget so easily, sigh.