helping someone with psychosis
schizophrenia and psychosis (a key symptom of schizophrenia) are mental states that can cause symptoms including paranoia, hallucinations, delusions, disorganised thoughts and unusual behaviours. friends and family are extremely important to a person’s recovery from schizophrenia and psychosis. your empathy and love can make a big difference.
support for communication difficulties
- some people with psychosis may be unable to think clearly. speaking at your normal pace is fine, but you may need to give your loved one a little extra time to absorb and process what you’ve said, and be willing to repeat it if they didn’t understand.
- if your loved one shows a limited range of emotions, be aware that it doesn’t mean they aren’t feeling anything. some people with psychosis simply have difficulty expressing how they feel.
- understand that sometimes, people experiencing psychosis express “inappropriate” emotions, eg. laughing at something upsetting. don’t take this personally and try to remain patient if this happens. if you need to clarify the reaction with the person, do so in private and in a calm manner.
- some people struggle to make eye contact and find it unsettling. if your loved one is clearly avoiding eye contact, don’t make a big deal out of it - they’re not trying to be rude, rather, it’s a symptom of their illness. you may find that your loved one prefers to sit beside you over being in front of you as it’s less confrontational, so you could try to do this more often.
support for hallucinations
- avoid encouraging the belief that the hallucinations are real if possible, and instead use language such as, “i don’t see anything, what do you see?” so that they feel they can talk to you about it.
- don’t mock or laugh at your loved one’s experiences unless they do first or have stated that it’s okay if you make light of it.
- offer distractions such as watching tv or listening to music.
support for delusions
- recognise that their delusions may be very real to them. don’t dismiss, minimise or argue with them about these experiences, and do not act alarmed or embarrassed by them. however, it’s important to be careful that you don’t inflame your loved one’s paranoia - don’t actively encourage it, and instead, offer your empathy.
- be as empathetic as you can. if your loved one is experiencing paranoia and is afraid because of that, understand that they legitimately feel fearful even if you think the paranoia is unfounded. express that you understand why they feel this emotion and ask them what you can do to help in future.
support for social isolation
- encourage your loved one gently, never forcefully, to partake in social gatherings when it’s appropriate. perhaps suggest a weekly outing, for example, a walk in the country, seeing a movie together or a meal somewhere quiet.
- small things go a long way. they don’t overwhelm and sending something uplifting every so often encourages recovery. remind your loved one that you’re thinking of them and that you care about them.
- if your loved one forgets their medication, drop them a reminder every so often. it’s important that they keep taking it if it helps them.
crisis intervention
- know that you can’t reason with acute psychosis and that your loved one is unwell. they may say or do things that they wouldn’t normally do and they may not understand that those things could upset you.
- understand that the person may be fearful of their feelings and their loss of control over them. because of this it’s important that you don’t express anger or irritation and don’t use sarcasm as a weapon. don’t raise your voice. speak in a calm, level way.
- avoid making continuous eye contact and avoid making physical contact without permission or warning if the person is agitated or afraid.
- remove objects that the person may use to harm themselves if they express wishes to self-harm or attempt suicide. this includes anything sharp and tools that they could use to inflict burns.
- provide options for getting help. your loved one may be more willing to seek help if they feel they have control over the situation. for example, suggest a doctors appointment to get started on medication, but suggest that you or someone else will go back with them if the medication doesn’t help or has too many side effects.
- don’t leave the person alone. if they have a support network, get in contact with people who can help and stay with them.
- contact emergency services when the person is in immediate danger. IMPORTANT EDIT: DO NOT CALL THE POLICE. THEY MAY HURT YOUR LOVED ONE. ask for an ambulance specifically or get in contact with the persons therapist.
