Adult Son- psychotic episode

[SSR]

Hi All, my adult son (26) has been diagnosed with General Anxiety Disorder and is on the Autism Spectrum and has been seeing a psychologist and psychiatrist for the last 12 months and is currently on his 4th type of anti-depressant together with anti-psychotic medication and nothing seems to be working. Also, his girlfriend left him yesterday (she's great and has tried very hard to help him). He had a terrible episode yesterday and we had to call an ambulance. He waited in A&E for 4 hours and the doctor eventually said she thinks is also has OCD, that the medication he is now on seems fine and sent him home. He stayed with us last night but has now gone home to an empty house and thinks his girlfriend is coming home in a couple of days - which she is not. We are all at our wits-end and don't know where to go from here. Please help if you can.

[Learn to Fly]

Hello SSR

I am so sorry to hear about what you and your family have been through.

Are you able to contact his doctor? The one who helped with the diagnosis and prescribed the meds? Tell them it’s an emergency and describe the situation. Do you think it possible?

[Petal22]

Hi SSR,

Wellcome to our forums!

Im sorry this is happening I understand it would be very distressing for your son and your family.

I understand that the doctor at emergency said maybe he could also have OCD.

Has his psychiatrist ever diagnosed him with this?

I understand he had a terrible episode yesterday can I ask you how his behaviour was?

I have a lived experience of severe anxiety OCD, I have now made a full recovery after the professional help I received.

I may be able to help you if I know a little more.

[SSR]

Hi, thanks for replying. His psychiatrist has never mentioned OCD, only General Anxiety Disorder and Autism. During the episode, he was curled in a ball repeating the same phrases over and over again whilst crying loudly and pulling at his hair and he just wouldn't stop. He didn't want anyone near him except his girlfriend who was there for a short time and then eventually left.

[SSR]

Hi, thanks for your reply. The meds were prescribed by his psychiatrist so I will try and get the number and contact him today. Thanks for your help.

[That Other Guy]

My overall experience is that when someone has issues, diagnoses like OCD tend to pile up but not really help in any way. It sounds like you got him immediate support and probably the next challenge is going to be dealing with losing his girlfriend. You say he's seeing a psychiatrist, I imagine that's where he'll get the chance to unpack and process those emotions. I would have thought that losing his girlfriend may have been the trigger for the episode? That is, hopefully it won't happen regularly or show a significant decline, it was situational

[Petal22]

Hi SSR,

Thank you for your reply.

When someone has OCD they feel the need to repeat things over and over again……… they sometimes feel the need to do certain things eg………. pulling at their hair……

The reason people with OCD do these things is because they feel that if they don’t do these things something bad may happen..

People with OCD feel extreme anxiety…… the intrusive thoughts that they have fuel this anxiety to severe levels.

When someone is experiencing OCD they can feel very distressed.

With OCD the sufferer gets stuck in a vicious cycle……… it can be unrelenting.

There are therapies available for OCD, the sufferer can learn to break free of its vicious cycle.

Maybe ask your son’s psychiatrist if they think your son has OCD….. they can diagnose.

If he does have OCD I recommend he does a specific therapy for OCD so he can learn to intervene with it.

Im sorry your sons girlfriend left I understand that she must have felt distressed by what she saw…..

Your son really needs you at this time, I think he would feel more comforted to be around people and not by himself……… it helps the sufferer to be around people.

Sometimes people with OCD seem irrational by their thoughts to others but this is part of the condition…….

Our thoughts seem irrational with OCD but they feel very real.

Im here if you have any questions please come back to us anytime.

Hang in there

[SSR]

Hi, you are describing him to a tee, particularly the part about extreme anxiety and intrusive thoughts. He can never let things go in an argument when he thinks he's right. He doesn't want to be with anyone right now and as he's an adult that's his choice but he has an emergency appointment with his psychiatrist tomorrow who can hopefully do something to help him - he's a mess.

[SSR]

Losing his girlfriend certainly tipped him over the edge for sure but he has been struggling for a while now. He lost 3 pets in the last twelve months which has certainly not helped and is not good in social situations so stresses out about things even before they happen and has to have time to plan things like meeting people (even friends) and psych himself up and his girlfriend has been his crutch for a long time. Sorry, I know I'm waffling on but I feel a bit lost.

[Petal22]

I’m happy to support you in any way I can….

OCD is a very cruel condition I wouldn’t have wished it upon anyone.

Someone with OCD also seeks reassurance from others…….. this is a compulsion……

They have a need for certainty aswell.

The sufferers intrusive thoughts repeat over and over again and when we are stuck in OCD s grips we put our attention completely on these thoughts they draw us in and we begin to question and analyse the thoughts. We always seem to be stuck in our heads…….

I understand your son is a mess Im sorry to hear this, I was also a mess when I was going through OCD… I thought I was going crazy it was a very distressing time… my parents were my absolute savours they were there for me just being understanding with no judgment they tried to build me up even though they could see I was falling apart.

I couldn’t function properly with day to day things so they would help me with cooking and house hold things….

They would encourage me to go for a walk outside even though I didn’t feel like it at the time… mum would walk with me….

Maybe yourself and son could go for a walk and while doing so be mindful ask your son to describe how the air feels on his face and skin, ask him what he can smell and hear ( this will draw him out of his head and into the present moment).

Im glad your son has a phyciatrist appointment tomorrow please ensure he asks about OCD and if the psychiatrist can do a diagnosis.

Please keep chatting to me as you need..

There is hope I’m living proof of it. 😊🙏