*Ping* Mental health experts please *ping*

[bonj2]

Go ahead Bonjy, it's all good.

Well, basically - what do GPs / psychiatrists know? They don't know laughing gas, as they've probably never taken it, and they don't know your stepson either. They only know what they've been taught at uni. I didn't think laughing gas could do that, I thought it only lasted about a couple of minutes, but I've never taken it myself and perhaps it can react differently with some people leaving after effects. The best thing you can do is to be pragmatic about it. He's not got some complex illness that only boffins understand, he's just had a bit of a weird experience and isn't always sure "where this leaves him".
What helped me when I was 'a bit funny', was: comfortable, safe, friendly environment, routine, people talking in simple terms and not sarcasm and metaphors, but most of all "keeping it real" - i.e. doing everyday things , like, going to the dentist, doing a bit of DIY maybe - whatever 'normal' people do. The best thing you can do if he talks about delusions is again just be pragmatic, tell him that 'they' aren't watching him but don't feel the need to drill it into him till you're sure he understands. Just tell him once, in a reassuring way. He'll believe you, but he'll forget again. So just tell him again, not impatiently like 'oh for god's sake how many times do I have to keep telling you' but just the same way.
And lastly, I'm more guessing on the following than speaking from knowledge/experience, but be careful with accepting the term 'schizophrenia', because I get the impression the term is bandied about far too freely to mean anything under the broad umbrella of mental instability, when what it actually means is split personality - i.e. someone who thinks they're one person some of the time and a different person the rest of the time. Not that many people actually are this.

Anyhow all the best and i hope he pulls through ok, i'm sure he will. perhaps, in fact possibly the best thing for him could be good physical exercise, cycling maybe? or swimming, say, or gym, if he prefers something a bit 'safer'.

 

[mickle]

Thanks for your contribution Bonj, I agree with much of that.

 

[mickle]

So... phew. A calmer day today, he's tucked up in bed, had three square meals and we've got the local mental health crisis team on board. We're going to be ok. Thanks everyone.

 

[trio25]

Glad you have got some help. I don't have any advice to add but you have done the right thing getting professionals involved.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

Well, basically - what do GPs / psychiatrists know? They don't know laughing gas, as they've probably never taken it, and they don't know your stepson either. They only know what they've been taught at uni. I didn't think laughing gas could do that, I thought it only lasted about a couple of minutes, but I've never taken it myself and perhaps it can react differently with some people leaving after effects. The best thing you can do is to be pragmatic about it. He's not got some complex illness that only boffins understand, he's just had a bit of a weird experience and isn't always sure "where this leaves him".
What helped me when I was 'a bit funny', was: comfortable, safe, friendly environment, routine, people talking in simple terms and not sarcasm and metaphors, but most of all "keeping it real" - i.e. doing everyday things , like, going to the dentist, doing a bit of DIY maybe - whatever 'normal' people do. The best thing you can do if he talks about delusions is again just be pragmatic, tell him that 'they' aren't watching him but don't feel the need to drill it into him till you're sure he understands. Just tell him once, in a reassuring way. He'll believe you, but he'll forget again. So just tell him again, not impatiently like 'oh for god's sake how many times do I have to keep telling you' but just the same way.
And lastly, I'm more guessing on the following than speaking from knowledge/experience, but be careful with accepting the term 'schizophrenia', because I get the impression the term is bandied about far too freely to mean anything under the broad umbrella of mental instability, when what it actually means is split personality - i.e. someone who thinks they're one person some of the time and a different person the rest of the time. Not that many people actually are this.

Anyhow all the best and i hope he pulls through ok, i'm sure he will. perhaps, in fact possibly the best thing for him could be good physical exercise, cycling maybe? or swimming, say, or gym, if he prefers something a bit 'safer'.

if this was qi there'd be a dirty great klaxon going off right now. schizophrenia is commonly (and mistakenly) assumed to be a split personality. wrong, wrong, wrong.

 

[Landslide]

What answer would Mr Fry be looking for then?

 

[TheDoctor]

Glad things are looking better Mickle.

 

[Riverman]

Hi,

I just wondered what the outcome was to this whole thing?

Your son had a textbook psychotic episode. The GP should have referred him to a psychiratrist immediately and he would have been prescribed anti-psychotic drugs, probably quite a high dose initially depending on the medication. If this was never done, it concerns me, as the psychotic episode may be a sign of an underlying serious psychiatric condition such as manic depression or schizophrenia.

Regarding drugs. Some drugs can cause psychosis, the main culprits are the short term use of cocaine, amphetamine and sometimes alcohol. It's also worth considering hallucinogens. LSD itself can in rare cases cause quite nasty psychosis but given the short duration of your sons experience this is unlikely.

Drugs like NOS and cannabis do not cause psychosis (try to ignore some of the newspapers). Cannabis is known to cause some 'psychotic symptoms', such as anxiety (sometimes severe) and paranoia in otherwise healthy people, however your son experienced something far removed from this - a full blown psychotic episode.

And don't worry yourself about brain damage.

Anyway now that a year has passed I hope he is much better ad nothing has happened since.

in fact possibly the best thing for him could be good physical exercise, cycling maybe?

pfft cycling. Nobody does that.

(edit to add: I'm not suggesting any of those drugs were mixed with the NOS just that he may have used them without you knowing, although in the case of LSD it would be hard not to notice.)

For your reference, I will quote wikipedia.

Delusions

Psychosis may involve delusional beliefs, some of which are paranoid in nature. Karl Jaspers has classified psychotic delusions into primary and secondary types. Primary delusions are defined as arising suddenly and not being comprehensible in terms of normal mental processes, whereas secondary delusions may be understood as being influenced by the person's background or current situation (e.g., ethnic or sexual orientation, religious beliefs, superstitious belief).[6]

[edit] Thought disorder

Thought disorder describes an underlying disturbance to conscious thought and is classified largely by its effects on speech and writing. Affected persons show loosening of associations, that is, a disconnection and disorganisation of the semantic content of speech and writing. In the severe form speech becomes incomprehensible and it is known as "word-salad".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychotic_episode

cannot comprehend simple statements like for example 'please move your car'. He imagines that 'they' are tracking his movements through his wristwatch and are watching him through his TV. He babbles incoherent gibberish.

And for reference

Psychotic states may occur after ingesting a variety of substances both legal and illegal and both prescription and non-prescription. Drugs whose use, abuse or withdrawal are implicated include:

• alcohol[72][73][74]
• Fluoroquinolone drugs, fluoroquinolone use has been linked to serious cases of toxic psychosis that have been reported to be irreversible and permanent, see Fluoroquinolone toxicity [75][76][77][78][79][80][81][82] The related quinoline derivative mefloquine (Lariam) has also been associated with psychosis.[83][84]
• some over-the-counter drugs, including:
  • Dextromethorphan
  • Certain antihistamines at high doses.[85][86][87][88]
  • Cold Medications[89] (ie. containing Phenylpropanolamine, or PPA)
• prescription drugs:
  • barbiturates[90][91]
  • benzodiazepines[92][93][94]
  • Isotretinoin
  • Caffeine when severely abused for long periods of time.
  • Anticholinergic drugs
    • atropine[95][96]
    • scopolamine[97]
    • Jimson weed[98]
  • antidepressants
  • L-dopa
  • antiepileptics[99]
  • amphetamines[100]
  • methamphetamine[100]
  • methylphenidate[100]

• Illegal drugs, including:
  • Stimulants
    • cocaine[101]
    • amphetamines[100]
    • methamphetamine[100]
    • MDMA (ecstasy)

So going by wikipedia it could have been caused by any of those but note NOS is not in the list.

If he hasn't ingested any of those drugs then it's likely it could have been caused by an underlying psychiatric disorder.

 

[mickle]

Thanks Riverman.

Gawd, was that really a year??

He is very very much better, the Mental Health Crisis Intervention Team were fantastic, still see him regularly and he has had extra support at college. His exams went well (he thinks! :cross fingers smiley: ) this time around. His mum wishes he would get out more, hopefully he will now that the exams are over. I went to a couple of support group meetings with his mum which were real eye openers, there are some very ill young men out there whose families are going through hell. It really put things into perspective for us, S's illness could have been so much worse. We got off lightly.

Thanks for all your support people.