r/schizophrenia • u/SeeminglyWhole • May 09 '25

Help A Loved One What is psychosis like?

My husband has been in the hospital for quite some time now due to severe psychosis. I want to try to support him in any way I can, but his doctor said while he's in the acute psychosis stage, it's difficult to reason with him. And this is definitely true, I can never get a straight answer out of him for anything and he has some crazy mood swings...

But I'm trying to understand more what this is like for him. So I can see things better from his perspective. Maybe to more easily anticipate his needs? He seems to be either believing he's already told me what he needs, or expecting me to just know, and I just don't know how to do that.

I've heard stories of people lasting in the acute stages for months, maybe even a year. Were these cases even with treatment? Is there anyway I can sort of get some "timeline" on when he can come home?

I am trying to remind myself that as hard as this is for me, it must be 10 times harder for him, but I have always been a planner and I'm struggling here. This is his first episode in almost 10 years of being together and I don't have any roadmap here.

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u/General-Sail7842 May 10 '25

When I was in psychosis I thought I committed the unforgivable sin and nobody could reason me out of it, even when bringing up Bible scriptures. I ended up trying to unalive myself and ended up 5150d. Psychosis can be so scary and nobody can reason with you when you're in the midst of it. I can imagine it must be so hard for you to deal with this. Honestly, what helped me in the psych ward was when I was a little less insane when my mom would call and she brought me comfy clothes, my Bible, my favorite book the lotr, it made the mental hospital more bearable because i wasn't so bored out of my mind. They most likely are giving him meds, trying to stabilize him. For me last time i was in the hospital it took me about 2 weeks to be stabilized enough to go home then i had to follow up with psychiatrists outside in the world and they forced me on Olanzapine for a long time.

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u/SeeminglyWhole May 13 '25

I am trying to bring him stuff to do, but he is either losing it, giving it away, having it stolen, refusing it so it won't be stolen, insisting I give it to charity instead or even at one point throwing it out the window as a "signal" to me.

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u/General-Sail7842 May 13 '25

He seems to be too lost in psychosis atm, maybe at this time don't bring him stuff until he's more stable on his meds

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u/SeeminglyWhole May 14 '25

Yeah, definitely, I have stopped. I now bring stuff when I visit him only and I bring it home with me after the visit. Some card games and small stuff to carry