Last night following a meeting I agreed to sponsor a person coming back from an extended research period.
He shared with me that he has Schizophrenia that is severe at times. He is on and off medication for it depending on his whim of the moment.
Am I at risk physically around him. I looked online and it said frequently those suffering from Schizophrenia are violent but less so than alcoholics. This guy has both Schizophrenia and alcoholism. I am committed to try and guide him through the big book and the steps but am asking if I should take any precautions around him.
Does anyone have any experience with Schizophrenia. If so I could use some suggestions to help me be the best sponsor to him that God will allow me to be.
Larry, ------------------ Wouldn't we be better off if we shared experiences rather then opinions.
I don't think they are usually dangerous. I don't know a lot about it but a friend of mine in the program has a brother who suffers from Schizo.
The brother was is or was also in AA.
My friend is not on the forums, but I can introduce him to you via personal email if you desire, I'm sure he would be willing to give you some insight. I will PM you with my email.
Thanks, Rob
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Rob
"There ain't no Coupe DeVille hiding in the bottom of a Cracker Jack Box."
Yes larry, I do. Not professional, but personal. My best friend in High School, Chris, was always a bit "off" but his schizophrenia became fully developed when he turned 22 or so. He slowly became more and more delusional. The only times his head was at ease was when we were shitfaced or high.
Really long story short...he got violent a few times and had to be sent away. 20+ years later he's okay AS LONG AS HE TAKES HIS MEDS!!!!!! The bitch about SPh is that the afflicted starts to feel "normal" and "cured" and stops taking their meds. Then it's back to square one, except now they have more to lose because in their state of normalcy...they began to build a life; keep a job, make some friends, get sober, etc.
If it was me, I would help him. Always in a public place, never be alone with him EVER and don't let him know where you live. He could be the nicest guy in the world and yes...he has reached out for the hand of AA, but schitzophrenics are afflicted with a horrible disease and when they go off their meds, the peopleclosest to them are easy to weave into their delusions which to them, are as real as our lives are to us.
Chris' family treats him like a fully loaded handgun with the safety on and one in the chamber; always check the safety and even then...don't play with it.
For me the number one thing on the list is my peace of mind and serenity. I won't place myself in life or limb threatening situations. I am grateful for my experiences as a counselor in various programs. I set my own conditions and it is in those conditions that I will agree to support the other person. If the conditions change outside of my ability to manage them and outside of the pre-arrangement I stop without explanation or permission and this is stated upfront before the work starts. If the man will not be responsible to his treatment requirements I will not participate as long as he won't. I also let the other person understand that if I feel unsafe they will be unsafe...it is a part of my journey and recovery.
So if something here seems like it might help take what you like and use it. Keep yourself able to help him and require he participate.
I was diagnosed as schizophrenic when I was a teenager. Either it was a temporary bout or it was an incorrect diagnosis. Either way I have lived with a schizophrenic for years (mom's long term boyfriend) and I can tell you that he was never violent towards any person. Sometimes objects though. He was highly paranoid and off meds for a long time.
There are different forms of the disease. It depends on what the person feels is a threat to him.
I highly doubt you are in any danger at all. Probably no more than any random person you might sponsor. If you don't know someone then you don't know right?
I feel sad for this person that he might not get that great sponsor that he needs because of his mental illness. I bet he's a beautiful person if you look hard. However I agree that if you aren't comfortable with it then you shouldn't do it.
I took out my entire entry, felt so uncomfortable about what I had written...just wayyyyyyy tooooo Subjective.
This disease has such a wide range to it. Many Schizophrenics have jobs, and function very well.
As you know I am on the far end of the scale with my family, my mother was a functioning person that also lived with this disease....
So forgive me, but I thought my comments were really not appropriate at all for you and your sincere desire to help this young man. God Bless you both.
Hugs, Toni
-- Edited by Just Toni on Thursday 29th of April 2010 10:24:34 AM
I have decided to continue sponsoring him but I will be very observient when with him. After praying to my HP (GOD) over it my gut instincts say I must do this.
He has acumulated three days of sobriety and so far is willing.
We shall see.
Larry, ----------------- Trust God, clean house, help others(Dr. Bob).
I am tempted to say not to work with the person if they refuse to take their meds. The only problem with this is that I know AA is not supposed to have an opinion on medications. I am very surprised to see there was literature showing that people with Schizophrenia are more violent than the average person. In graduate school (in clinical psychology) I worked with a professor doing research to dispell stigma about mental illness. One of the huge HUGE stigmas/misconceptions was that people with mental illness were violent. Studies absolutely show that people with mental illness are NOT more violent than the average person. This being said, a person with Schizophrenia who is not taking their meds will not be able to effectively differentiate reality from fantasy/hallucination. Hence, you will spend much time being frustrated and wasting your breath on this person if they are not grounded on their meds. It would be the same as working with someone not taking their insulin and walking around on the verge of diabetic coma (all fading in and out) all the time. Schizophrenia is one of those conditions that a person should just not play around with in terms of not taking their meds. If you do sponsor them, be prepared for a roller coaster of drama, chaos, and confusion. When they do take their meds and appear like 90 percent normal, you will wonder why the hell they don't take them all the time.
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Keep coming back. It works if you work it. So work it. You're worth it!
There are several kinds of schizophrenia, so it's hard to say unless you know what his diagnosis is. I had a schizophrenic aunt. My sister's brother-in-law has the disease. And I'm a psych aide and I've had an adult foster home where I cared for people with it.
Paranoid schizophrenia is the type that can be the most violent, especially without medication. Imagine what you do when you're afraid----you fight or flee, right? So if you're extremely frightened of things and you have voices in your head adding fuel to the fire, telling you that you have to do your enemies in, then you're not going to be very docile to be around. Also, it seems like a lot of schizophrenics really don't like staying on their meds and especially not at a dosage that's really effective for controlling their illness.
Like someone else said, if they're taking their medications then I might consider sponsoring them, and I'd want to know what form of the illness they have. Unfortunately, that person themselves might not be the most reliable one to tell you whether they're taking their meds and what form of the illness they have.
Just be careful and if you see any signs that they're not well controlled by medication, just back off and that's about all you can do. Educate yourself well as to what to look for and trust your Higher Power. The internet can give you lots of good information.
There are several kinds of schizophrenia, so it's hard to say unless you know what his diagnosis is. I had a schizophrenic aunt. My sister's brother-in-law has the disease. And I'm a psych aide and I've had an adult foster home where I cared for people with it.
Paranoid schizophrenia is the type that can be the most violent, especially without medication. Imagine what you do when you're afraid----you fight or flee, right? So if you're extremely frightened of things and you have voices in your head adding fuel to the fire, telling you that you have to do your enemies in, then you're not going to be very docile to be around. Also, it seems like a lot of schizophrenics really don't like staying on their meds and especially not at a dosage that's really effective for controlling their illness.
Like someone else said, if they're taking their medications then I might consider sponsoring them, and I'd want to know what form of the illness they have. Unfortunately, that person themselves might not be the most reliable one to tell you whether they're taking their meds and what form of the illness they have.
Just be careful and if you see any signs that they're not well controlled by medication, just back off and that's about all you can do. Educate yourself well as to what to look for and trust your Higher Power. The internet can give you lots of good information.
Thanks, Ellen
I am studying and learning while being exercising caution
Larry ------------------ To keep it, you have to give it away
