Please help!

[TiredMama]

From a desperate woman trying to help her beautiful partner. Does anyone here have experience of living with (self or others) paranoid schizophrenia. What does it look like? Where do I go for help? The place I am at right now is my partner tends to become paranoid over night, and is mostly completely fine during the day. I mean paranoid cars are following him, neighbors are lending their houses to people who are trying to take his loved things (Me and kids etc), I am apparently sleeping with the whole world! He has not slept, literally in four days. he spends every second trying to figure out what or who is in his phone tracking him, on my phone, on our kids ipads. We're all in on it. I am a tech savvy person who intentionally hides things to make him feel insecure. He sees videos playing at night on the wall and hears things. I am desperate to help, I am exhausted from no sleep, I am mentally and emotionally drained from justifying I am a good person. I present evidence and he talks it down or claims later I never showed him. Or I fabricated it. HELP! I can't keep living like this. Please no negative comments. I am not walking away or simply sending him away, I am asking for experience and where I can go for help. I plan to see a psychologist myself for help. He refuses as he "outsmarts" them and "knows the problem". I am not committing him unless its a last resort. he refuses his medication (anxiety) as he doesn't need it and the doctors are out to get him also. He has some very lucid moments where he apologises, and knows he is unwell. It comes in waves. It begins slowly where we'll have one random night of the paranoia. Then 2, then 5, then it creeps into daytime. then it becomes a constant thing. Am I totally off track with thinking paranoid schizophrenia? Is there something else I should be researching? Drugs are not the issue.Though drug use has been in his early child hood. I have considered this is causing a problem now. Literally as the sun comes up, he switches back to normal. When he is in this paranoid state, it's like he's in a trance. I can talk to him but he just says what i want to hear to shut me up"

[patientpatient]

Hi @TiredMama, suggest calling CATT (crisis assessment and treatment team). They'll visit, make an assessment and offer support. I've had to do that recently with my 28yo son who has schizophrenia. CATT have been visiting us at home for a week now, adjusting meds and deciding if hospital is necessary. Other alternative is GP, then psychiatrist but that takes time and is problematic if, for example, psychiatrist doesn't pick up on the cues. If things get bad, a hospital admission is difficult but does get treatment started. There's some info here.

[JT]

Hi @TiredMama 

Without meaning to come out wrong, I had a fleeting moment wondering if my partner was leading a double life and living with you too.  Cars, special meanings, checking phones, "knowing" computers, people watching.  One minute I'm a shape shifter, the next he convinced I'm going to be kidnapped.  I would most definitely contact your crisis team and ask for help, regardless the diagnosis reached he's really not in a good place and neither are you.  

Prior to meeting my boyfriend I know people with schizophrenia but not closely and it's been an eye opener.  Sometimes the inability to sleep is due to voices which are more intense because the rest of the world is sleeping and quiet.  No sleep can cause anyone to become paranoid, but when there's mental illness involved it multiplies the effects.  Once thing I learned very quickly is that there is no point denying the accusations or trying to apply logic.  It feeds the theory and before you know it you will be part of the conspiracy, sent to confuse and manipulate.  

One question though - the medication for anxiety, is that something he's been on for a while or more recent?  Just a consideration because medication can do some crazy things if it's the wrong one for that person.

[Ali11]

Hi @TiredMama, it's been a while, how are you doing? 

[Shaz51]

hello @TiredMama , @JT , @patientpatient , @Ali11 

love to hear from you , sending you hugs

[Mum_of_MissL]

Hi

Sorry to hear about your challenges. We have experienced similar and made our first hospital visit today after an involuntary treatment order was raised. I completely agree that the CATT Team are a great starting point but if not, the Police can attend and assist with their mental health unit. Ultimately, it is important to get assistance for him for the benefit of him and also you and the rest of the family and I sincerely wish you well.