Paranoid boyfriend

[g-scared]

my boyfriend has been diagnosed with psychosis otherwise undetermined.? he's doing much better ever since he took a break from his ADHD medication, however he still has paranoid thoughts from time to time.

i'm not really sure how to deal with this.? i've been playing it by ear, and i think i'm doing all right, but sometimes i just don't know what to say.? i don't know how to convince him that i am not trying to frame him for something, that his life is not a movie, that he is not being broadcast over the radio.? ahh.. he has so many ideas, and although he is functioning ok, he will not let them go.?

if you have any advise it would be sincerely appreciated.

 

[g-scared]

I need to help my boyfriend.

He is this adorable genius type, but he's been troubled ever since i've met him.? his family is really messed up, and he's gone from having social anxiety, to depression, and then recently psychosis.? sometimes he suffered from all of them at once, and they have been complicated by his ADHD medication.? it always struck me that his psychiatrist would prescribe him this although he was so nervous all of the time.? he never liked taking it much in the past, but i think he is absolutely addicted now.?

he's been much better lately, since i helped him get off of his meds and i guess for now i've just been trying to make sure he eats and sleeps enough.?

i think it's been good for him to be around friends because we do not try to control him too much, and he seems to feel relatively safe.? i'm not sure if it is enough, though.? i've tried convincing him to see someone, but i don't want to be pushy.? do you have any suggestions? :?

 

[David Baxter PhD]

If you are somewhere in North America, g-scared, I would suggest that you look into support groups in your area run by either NAMI or in Canada CMHA. If neither of those are applicable, ask your doctor for suggestions about support groups. Living with someone suffering from a psychotic illness is never easy. Your best friends over the next little while are going to be education about what to expect and support from others facing similar issues.

 

[g-scared]

Re: paranoid boyfriend

ok, i'll try this. i am in the U.S. by the way.

one more question. do you think a medication such as wellbutrin or ziaban would be ok for him to take? he has really been obsessed with the idea of quitting smoking lately.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

I would not want to hazard a guess. For one thing, it's unclear what an accurate diagnosis or diagnoses should be for your boyfriend. His physicians are the only ones that can answer that question really.

 

[g-scared]

I have gotten in touch with one of my boyfriend's old psychiatrists, via his dad. We are looking into the side effects of these anti-smoking / anti-depressant medications.

this is the best i can do for now because my boyfriend refuses to seek treatment. he's had a few doctors here and there, but nothing steady in about six months. he did have a steady psychiatrist once, but the guy was really awful. he probably did somethings that are illegal. the most recent doctor he's seen is a physician. she had filled his prescription for dexedrine in the past, and also wrote out the one for ziaban. so, at least she is aware that he might mix the two.

sorry i mentioned three doctors. i hope this is all clear. it's hard to keep track myself sometimes.

take care