Living With a Schizophrenic Person
A diagnosis of schizophrenia brings about fear, apprehension and uncertainty in most people. Many friends and acquaintances may distance themselves from the situation just when they are needed the most. This puts an even bigger pressure on the family, whether schizophrenic is the son or daughter or parent.
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Lack of predictability
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Living with a schizophrenic is never easy. Many problems will arise for family members, including the fact that there is little predictability with this illness. An episode of schizophrenia can be scary for everyone in the home. While it is clear to those in the home that there is a problem, the sufferer will generally lose insight and not be able to comprehend what she is doing.
Patterns
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Some schizophrenics act violently during an episode, and others do not. Fortunately, the same pattern tends to repeat itself: If the sufferer usually is not violent, then chances are that he will not be in future episodes. During an episode, it is likely that the person will need to be admitted to a hospital.
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After Hospitalization
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When the schizophrenic comes home from the hospital can be an especially trying time for the family because the sufferer needs a great deal of support and will likely sink into deep depression. He usually will lack motivation as a result of the medications that he received while hospitalized. The family during this time has to provide structure to get their loved one settled again.
Routine
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The family can face near-exhaustion getting the person to engage in a routine. The schizophrenic may require coaching for even everyday activities. This includes getting her to attend to personal hygiene, which the family may have to initiate and supervise.
Obstacles
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The family of a schizophrenic must play an active role in his daily life, which can be very frustrating. Family members might feel like they are constantly starting over, with an inability to gain momentum robbed by so many failures. The main role of the family is to direct the schizophrenic to a good quality of life, which might often seem impossible. The world that a schizophrenic lives in is not the same as the one that the family enjoys. For this reason, another obstacle is trying to avoid confrontations about things that are possibly not even real.
Assisted Living
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The family might weigh the possibility of placing their loved one in some form of assisted living accommodation. This can often be a difficult choice. As time goes by, the sufferer will also ignore her personal health. This is usually the breaking point for the family, when it will likely start to seriously consider alternate living arrangements.
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