Paranoid Schizophrenia

by Nickey 33 Replies latest watchtower medical

• 

  Nickey

  This is an issue that I've had to look into due to the extreme PARANOIA of my mother. It's getting ridiculous. And it get's worse everytime she reads the publications. Constantly watching the news. Screaming it's the END and every disagreement is persecution in her eyes. Even when she runs a red light and get's pulled over. The cop who pulls her over is persecuting her because she is a JW. COME OOOOON! She get's a cold and satan is attacking her. She trips on a step and the demons tried to kill her. I disagree on something and I'm being influenced by satan.

  It's getting to the point where she's stormed into the room saying I'm an apostate and that I'm unpure. To have my own mother jam her finger in my chest telling me I was evil and might as well die now because I'm going to die anyway... that broke me down in tears. Trying to force me to read the daily text and I better not disagree with what the orginization wrote.

  "The government is after us because we are Jehovah's people!"

  It's no longer harmless paranoia. And she get's more ridiculous!

  Has anybody else had this problem with family or friends?
• 

  shera

  I have never experinced that,but I had friends in the org who's mother was very radical and droves her girls crazy.I feel for your mother and more for you.That has to be having you,wanting to climb the walls.

  If you don't mind me asking ,how old are you?If you are old enough,mabey you should move.When it comes to your mother,anything you say to her will make her worse and think,satan is in you.....

  Hugs to you and take care..
• 

  dannyboy

  Nickey,

  You ask:

  Has anybody else had this problem with family or friends?

  Yes, I have.

  Having someone close to us/loved by us begin to display paranoid symptoms, truly having schizophrenia, or worse yet, having both (paranoid schizophrenia) is a very, very difficult situation. I found coming to grips with the situation and trying to "fix" it to be the most difficult thing I have ever done. Gut-wrenching, soul-searching, un-nerving, painful......

  My heart goes out to you, just on the basis of what you describe, even if there's no "diagnosis" of what you suspect.

  There is a lot to read and consider about schizophrenia at http://www.schizophrenia.com By the way, true Schizophrenia is usually (though certainly not always) manifest before a person reaches their mid-twenties or earlier.

  I have noticed that some witnesses display a sort of "persecution complex" type approach to the things non-witnesses just pass off as normal events in life. But sounds like you are describing something more involved than this.

  Hope this helps.

  ---Dan
• 

  NeonMadman

  My ex-wife was a lot like that. Saw demons everywhere. She was convinced that she was being followed around by a group of witches/satanists/whatever who wanted to get her into their coven because she was a JW and that would be a great triumph for them. Every time a car stopped outside the house, it was "them" checking up on her. You know those telemarketer auto-dialed calls where, if a salesperson isn't available when you pick up the phone, it clicks once or twice, then hangs up on you? That was the witches casting spells on her over the phone. These were high-tech satanists, though - they had night-vision goggles and all kinds of techno-equipment to spy on her, even when she was inside the house. We'd be sitting watching TV, and she'd suddenly look up and say, "They're outside now." You'd look out the window and see nothing, but of course that only proved that they were hiding and spying on you with their fancy gadgets.

  And she was totally paranoid about used items. Forget about yard sales, couldn't go to those. One time I found a copy of Organized to Accomplish Our Ministry in a used bookstore. She got all exercised about me buying it. She reasoned that since that book was only distributed to Witnesses, the person who willingly gave up their copy must have been an apostate, and thus it was probably demonized. I suggested that it might have come from the estate of a faithful JW who had died, but whose relatives weren't "in the truth". That calmed her a bit, but it continued to bother her, and eventually I had to get one of the elders to tell her that he thought it was extremely unlikely that one of the Society's books could become demonized.

  Eventually she divorced me because I wasn't a good enough JW (actually, she considered me an apostate - with some justification ). She felt that I was the cause of all her problems. I haven't seen or spoken to her in quite some time, but from what I hear from others, she's still miserable and still thinks the witches are following her around. I, on the other hand, have gotten out of the cult and married my very sane high school sweetheart, and I'm happy as a clam.
• 

  wednesday

  nickey,

  i know this is the last thing u wnat to do, but if your mom gets too bad, u may have to have her put in for 24-72 hours to evaluate hr mental status. I know she will hate it, but most jws don't get this nuts. and if they do they need treatment. there are a couple of options, a mental illness warrant, werein they will pick her up and confin her for evaluation. If she is not eating or appearing to be a danger to self or others, (and that includes a lot of things) u can take her to ER for Evalualtion. the best way is the mental lillness warrant. It is not easy, but she may need treatment. Also, if she is behaving really bizzrely (like attacking u or being physically abusive with u), u can call 911 and they wil pick her up and take her to er for evaluation by doc. They may not keep her, but at least it would get her and evalution. A lot of ER;s won't keep someone unless they say they are going to kill themslefs or othes. Some will keep people for just plain psychosis. if this get stoo bad , consult a lawyer as how to precede. Remember, she has no right to physically abuse u or anyone else, or verbally abuse u. and any weird behavour should be brought to their atention alos.
• 

  Nickey

  Although I'm only 21 years old, I've had to grow up pretty fast. My mother is usually the hardest on me because I'm "rebellious". Being, I never quite agreed with everything the orginization has said. I refused to raise my hand at the meetings and recite the answers underlined for me.

  It started getting worse when at 11 years old, she punched me in the face a couple of times. Not tiny hits. Full punches that left me with a black eye and busted lip.

  Other times she thinks I'm influenced by Satan and I've had her backing me into walls and scratching, punching and twisting my arm.

  I call my grandfather and he tells me I have no rights and if I disobey her, then I disobey Jehovah.

  I go to my aunt who feels the same way as I do and we go to the psychiatric center and they tell me of the warrant. My mother changes up and acts completely normal. That's the hard part. She only goes crazy behind closed doors. So I ended up looking like the crazy one who's "being too hard" on her.

  I caught her crying because she said breathing in dust was going to kill her. Now, she stopped eating because the food is poison and anything I do and say to her makes her cry. Which makes her call my grandfather, who turns and try to force his dicipline on me. Even though I'm going on 22 years old. I say the best thing is for me to move out and she threatens to kill herself saying it would be my fault if she did. I try to talk some sense into her and she tells the whole family that I hate her. Now I have my whole family pounding on me for always being the rebellious one who doesn't follow the rules and going up against the orginization.

  Saying that really hurt me because she's been doing that for as long as I can remember. "You want me dead? If you go I'll kill myself tonight..."
• 

  Nickey

  That's really something Neon...

  It's like you can't convince them otherwise. Witches and demons. Secret agents with secret messages in the radio waves and tv. The mail man being an undercover. The ups guy.

  Too familar.
• 

  jgnat

  There is plenty of mental illness in my family. My mother has had bipolar disorder since my teens. My ex-husband, son, and son-in-law are all diagnosed schizophrenics. When things get too bad you may have to be the one to get your mom in for professional treatment. Your mother is paranoid. But I have seen paranoid behaviour from people with any untreated mental illness. If I were you, I wouldn't self-diagnose. A few tips.

  • It is very hard to get a paranoid person in for help. Unless they present a clear danger to themselves or others, we cannot force them to get help. You might be able to convince your mom to go in voluntarily, if you bank on her feelings of ill health. "You don't look well, mom, let's go in for a checkup."
  • It is hell getting through the system while you try and get help for your mom. Be sure to take care of yourself. Have a network of family and friends to support you through all this.
  • Whatever ugly things she says to you while paranoid, I suggest you drown them in your own "sea of forgetfulness". It is horrible hearing such things from your very own mother who is supposed to love and support you forever. Let it all go. She doesn't mean it.

  In a way, you bring back some fond memories. My mother has a strength of will that defies all explanation. She could be crazy as a loon at home (building indoor compost heaps, pasting family photos directly to the wall, phoning our Prime Minister at three in the morning about the spies lurking outside her door), yet pull herself together for a ten minute consultation with her doctor. Sheesh, she made it tough! On the positive side, she has not had a relapse since the last time I committed her, over 10 years ago. She now has kidney failure, and she will be on dialysis until the day she dies. She has been on the machine for five years, and is spunkier and happier than ever. You see, that same strength of will that made it so tough to get help, keeps her going like the engergizer bunny.
• 

  Gopher

  Wow Nickey, I really sense your anguish! Your mom's personality disorder is ruining her life and almost "running" yours. Your inner voice sounds like it's telling you it's best to leave home. You might want to explore if that's the best option -- there's a logical reason (or reasons) those thoughts come to your mind. Life is precious, too short to be messing around with people whose actions only hurt you.

  She probably will NOT kill herself if/when you leave. As a JW, she knows suicide is wrong -- it would endanger her future chances for a "resurrection" into the "kingdom". But I'm no psychiatric expert, I cannot predict that for sure. I only know that she's slowly taking the life out of YOU. As a parent, she owes you the opportunity to be an adult once you reach that age.

  She knows how to "act normal" when needed, and then push the "crazy" button when it suits her. Do you need to be around that all the time?
• 

  wednesday

  Nickey,.

  I am so sorry for what u have had to go thrugh. Your mom is very mentaly ill, as u know, and it sounds like your grandfther may not be in too good of shape either.

  if u can move out, i would do it. No one can live with this. I know, nicky, i grew up with a very ill mother, and my heart breaks for u. Try and get out and find some peace .

  Yes it is true a lot of ill people can appear quite some at times and often it is hard to get them help unless they see the need for it.

  I'm glad your aunt appears to agree with u, u need someone who has seen her behavior to validte it for u. It's not u, your mom would be ill even if u were a saint and a perfect jw.

  But u do need to remove your self from this before it affects your mental helath.