Imagine finding out your mom has schizophrenia at age 55

She's kept it from me my entire life. I knew she was a really crummy mom in multiple ways & I knew something was wrong with her but I always made excuses for her in my mind. I can't help but feel very resentful that she never told me she has a serious mental illness. I found out by taking care of her in another state for 3 weeks thinking she had dementia, & she let a "metformin prescribed by a psychiatrist" statement slip. I researched this & know it runs on her dad's side of the family & is prescribed for psychosis/schizophrenia.

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Human1000 · M

Must be a mild case.

Myocite · F

@Human1000 is there such a thing?

Human1000 · M

@Myocite Yes. Experts talk about schizophrenia as a spectrum disorder that includes all the previous subtypes. It's a group of related mental disorders that share some symptoms.

Myocite · F

@Human1000 Thank you for telling me. She's been having hallucinations/delusions & blamed her meds. Now I know that was a LIE!

Human1000 · M

@Myocite It's not true, but to her it may not be a lie, and she may need different medications.

Myocite · F

@Human1000 I don't know what to do to help her. She wants to hide her meds from her oncologist. I'm exhausted after taking over her life for several weeks and hurting my own health to help her in every way one could imagine.

Human1000 · M

@Myocite Hace you spoken to a social worker? This is too much to handle.

Myocite · F

@Human1000 A social worker is coming to her house tomorrow morning actually. However I can't say anything in front of mom. I feel in a way like I'm betraying my mom if I communicate it to the social worker. I don't know what to do....

Human1000 · M

@Myocite listen to the experts. You need help. Accept it.

Myocite · F

@Human1000 They think she has dementia at this point, but they're becoming confused because she passed the dementia pre screen today.

Human1000 · M

@Myocite one day at a time…she may need to be institutionalized

Myocite · F

@Human1000 No. She can live with me before that happens. Thank you for trying to help me.