Neil's Story

Neil’s Story from his mother’s perspective-

Our son’s psychosis built up over a long time - about 10 years.

I am very happy to say that he has made an almost full recovery and is now confidently looking to the future. We feel we have our son back. This is quite strange in a way, as he returns as the 'grown-up' version!!

The first time that I went to the GP with our son about his mental state was in the summer holidays after his GCSEs when he was 16 years old. At this stage, I felt we had to do something for him. The causes for concern then were that he was lethargic and unmotivated and was unwilling to join in any social life with his friends.

His lethargy was in stark contrast to how he had been until he was about 12. Before the age of about 12 years, he had always been a great 'do-er'. He was in lots of sport; he played the principal part in two plays; he was energetic and inquisitive. Though it was possible, at this stage, to put his awkwardness down to teenage behaviour, I decided he might be depressed and took him to the doctor again to ask for help. The GP agreed reluctantly to put him on antidepressants.

Our son started at the Sixth Form College with a great desire to do well but, within two or three weeks, wouldn't get up in the mornings and attended College only spasmodically and could not explain why. Things were really beginning to get very difficult for us by then. The College helped as much as they could, but we were beginning to feel very alone. We made another appointment with the GP. He was now 19 years old and 'confidentiality' became a problem with doctors. He always managed to seem quite coherent and reasonable with the doctor who could see no reason to change the antidepressants.

We realised that he might be smoking some pot, but decided that we could turn a blind eye to this and hoped this habit would stop soon. We certainly let him know that we were not pleased. He left the Sixth Form College at Easter and it had been arranged that he could go back the following September. He got a job, with our persuasion, and was conscientious about his hours. This was a better time for him and for us.

He then agreed that another try at College would be a good idea. He looked very pleased to be having another 'go', but failed again and was even more lethargic than ever. His daily programme became chaotic. He didn't wash. He ate just when he wished and would eat dishes I’d prepared for other people. His general behaviour can only be described as bizarre. From then on, life became, what can only be described as, 'hellish' for him and the whole family. He would hit us if we asked him, for instance, to help in the house.

What should my husband and I do now?
I was seriously considering leaving the house myself. We had the need to protect our other two sons from this frightening young man.

I asked a GP friend for some advice. He recommended a paediatric psychiatrist. It was extremely difficult getting our son to come to this appointment, but I just managed to do so. The journey was hell. Our son swore at me for coughing, turned on the radio to an excruciating volume and tried to grab the mobile phone from me when my husband rang me. When we arrived, he took on a completely different role and tried to comfort me by stroking my back and saying 'there there'. This psychiatrist diagnosed Asperger Syndrome on this occasion and, at a follow up visit the following week, identified psychotic symptoms. He referred him to our local psychiatrist and put him on a six-month course of Risperidone. The psychiatrist allowed him to finish the pills after six months and our son was discharged by the psychiatrist. Obviously, we were all delighted that he was told that he showed no more signs of psychotic symptoms.

In the next sixth months, his health deteriorated drastically. He gradually became unrecognisably uncouth. He was unwashed. He swore at us all when we came near him. He lay on his bed, occasionally moving to the sofa downstairs. By now, our son was unwilling to go to the doctor. The whole family was frightened. I was beginning to despair and was visiting my own G.P. and a counsellor regularly by now. The counsellor gave me a contact at the Warneford Hospital in Oxford. We arranged an appointment for our son. We were sent a short report which said that our son was worryingly 'cold' and it was difficult to say what was wrong with him.

Only because of a conversation, initiated by my husband, with our son's psychiatrist was an Asperger consultant sent to see our son. I was absolutely devastated when we were told that his symptoms were 'more on the lines of’ schizophrenia. My husband made a phone call to the original local psychiatrist and an appointment was arranged for our son at the end of the week. The psychiatrist decided that, quote: 'there was something wrong with the way his brain was working' and that he needed to be in hospital and he was admitted directly as a voluntary patient. What a relief !

Unfortunately, our son was allowed out on 'leave'. This turned into another disaster and we had to call the police. The police took him away and that was how he finally left home, one week before he was 21 years old. We had a phone call from the police to say that he had been re-admitted to the local psychiatric unit that night and were told that he would be sectioned, on the grounds of the family's health, only if he tried to leave hospital. After a few sad phone calls to us, during which he said he couldn't bear it there and that he wanted to leave, he settled down. He never had to be sectioned. He was compliant with the hospital and we were re-assured that, although it could take some time, he would get better.

He was well enough to leave hospital after sixth months and went to a local Care Home and was under the, then, relatively new Gloucestershire Recovery In Psychosis team - GRIP. An interactive programme was set up by the doctors and staff in which he was included in choosing his own pathways for recovery. For instance, he could make his own priority list from the possible subjects which were: Early Warning Signs, Social Life, Education, Sport and so on. He chose 'Social Life' and 'Early Warning Signs' as his priorities. He was comfortable at the Care Home where he stayed for two years and had to be persuaded to go to a Recovery Unit where he now is.

At every stage of his recovery, we have been surprised by the wonderful upturn in his mental health. He now looks eager and well. He is committed to his pills. It is lovely to see him get them out at the correct time wherever he is and whatever he is doing! He has a busy week and has been working with a Conservation Team. He is about to embark on an NVQ by putting in hours working in a garden centre. He is doing weekly art lessons. He is most interested in alternative therapies such as yoga and I hope he will work in this field as time goes on. He even has a very nice girlfriend.