Digest Number 356

[Guest guest]

Arabella - This sounds very like my mother when she was living with me last

year. Nearly word for word, in fact, though with different characters. A

neighbor told me it was advanced Alzheimers, 'cause they act that way, in

between bouts of forgetfulness. Others who knew my mom also thought it was

Alzheimers. I thought maybe it was from a serious head injury she had

received the year before. Her neurologist, however, diagnosed it as dementia

stemming from long-term seizure disorder (she's had epilepsy since she was a

teenager). Whatever the case she, also, ended up in the hospital mental

ward, after which she went to a secure (i.e. locked) Alzheimers/dementia

facility.

 

I never could tell if my mother really appreciated us visiting her in the

hospital. She tried to persuade me to take her out at first, even tried

taking her case to the hospital " court " , but calmed down after awhile. What

finally changed her around (a few months later in the Alzheimers facility)

was that her psych started treating her for depression instead of dementia.

Then I moved her into a nicer place (still locked) with fewer people and her

own room and she stopped being paranoid.

 

When she first came to live with me, I took her for reiki and massage

treatments, then tried a family therapist. I tried music therapy, too, which

helped a bit. But she was too far " gone " to change, really, and it was hell

living with her. When she took off one day (again) and ended up in the

hospital emergency room, I finally let go. They sent her up to the psyche

ward & I gave my approval. It sounds like that might be essentially what

this woman's husband did too.

 

I hate to be discouraging, but it may be there is nothing you can do for

her, unless . . . ! There are labs around that analyze hair samples for the

body's trace mineral content (toxic buildups, too). I had one done for my

mother after all this was over, and discovered copper toxicity and some

vital minerals missing that contribute to the very problems she was having.

Perhaps you could talk to this woman's husband and persuade them to have an

analysis done for her. It would be a long shot, 'cause it would still take

awhile to build up her levels again, but who knows?

 

Susette

 

 

> Message: 3

> Mon, 11 Sep 2000 00:22:02 +0100

> Arabella McIntyre-Brown <abs

> paranoia

>

> I'd really appreciate some good advice ....

>

> I'm a bodyworker, not a therapist, and have little experience of people

> with serious paranoia. A woman (not a friend, exactly, but someone I

> know) called me this morning and said she was in the local psych.

> hospital, and would I come and see her and bring a mobile phone.

>

> I went (minus phone) and saw her. She's been sectioned for 6 months by

> her husband; from her own account of the behaviour which prompted this,

> it sounds quite reasonable ... I've not spoken to her doctor or her

> husband, but I'd take a guess at paranoia - big time - and some form of

> psychosis. Everyone's been conspiring to get her for 20 years, and the

> hospital has been set up to murder her. Husband, mother