We have been caring for our paranoid schizophrenic son for 22 years. He is 40 now. He was diagnosed when he was 18. He spent 3 years institutionalized on a "Not guilty by reason of insanity" plea 20 years ago. Although, we are not trained mental health professionals, we feel pretty qualified to comment on the condition of the mental health care system. It is a disgraceful sham. Like so many other health care industries, the goal is not a cure, but rather a sustained source of income. We say, "Beware the mental health/pharmaceutical industrial complex.
The psychiatrists have the upper hand in this ballet of pharmaceuticals vs counseling. The medications deliver quick results, but not always the desired ones. In our case, after years of medications that turned our Son into a Zombie, there were also side effect medication required to counter act the prescribed doses. Then after long term medication on chemicals that were meant to be short term care, organ damage began to occur. He developed systematic diabetes. Then his liver started to fail. He actually required blood transfusions to prevent death. Through all of this, you might ask about the psychologists and counseling. Trying to counsel the mentally ill while on massive doses of psychotropic drugs is like arguing with a drunk or trying to reason with a Zombie. Let me add, that at this point, spiritual and demonic activity were not ruled out and mildly embraced by the experts that could find no other reason for their concoctions and incantations failing.
For better or worse, something had to change. We went through about 5 years of slowly reducing his dosages under medical supervision. He was subject to clericalistic and psychological counseling. His body began to heal and his mind started to clear. The medical community could not agree on if he was ill. So next we end up with a totally confused, angry, adult with revenge and disdain for the world around him. He feels abused, tricked, tormented and that his life has been wasted. He begins to withdraw and claims a violent response is his evangelical mission to stop this from happening again. He starts to act like a "paranoid schizophrenic" Numerous violent outbursts are met with many police responses, and short trips back to the mental hospital. Our life, after 22 years of doing the best we can, now has us locking our bedroom door at night and sleeping with a loaded gun, literally, not only under my pillow, but quite euphemistically in the next room. All the societal authorities, have pointed out that their hands are tied. Until he hurts someone, there is nothing more they can do. THIS IS WHAT HEADLINES ARE MADE OF! All we hear is of the ensuing tragedy. What was wrong with the family? What drove him to this? Well, he has been put into a temporary mental health ward again. Even though we have a few days of peace in our home, he will be coming back. What then? We are first on his hit list. We have warned, begged and prayed for help. Prayers are all we have left. Pray we are not living near a school near you.