My mother's paranoia is getting worse. Now she gets stuck on a subject for 4 to 6 months. Most of the time we don't even know what she is talking about but she is sure we are mad at her for this. She has closed off from all her friends because she thinks they talk about her behind her back. She won't go to church any longer for the same reasons. Her paranoid delusions about me "hating her" are daily. She also thinks the guy across the hall in her apartment building is putting cameras in the hall to see thru the wall to watch her.
This has become very tiring. I try to tell her I don't know what your talking about mom I love you. Don't worry so much, but this doesn't work any longer. Should I talk to her Dr.? My sister thinks mental health medication is terrible. But I am tired of this and want to do something. What should be done?
My mom also has paranoia and delusions and we are working with her psychiatrist and neurologist to find out how best to treat it. Some psych meds can make certain forms of dementia worse and/or cause Parkinson-like symptoms, just fyi. Not saying they are all bad, you'll just want to monitor mom really closely with ANY meds they put her on for any changes in her movements, cognitive function, alertness, etc.
Does she think that mom is fine as she is?
I would hope, were I living in terror and isolation, that my children would have good sense and empathy to call in a geriatric psychiatrist so that I could have some relief from my symtoms!
When my mom's anxiety about everything and her delusions of having a terrible communicable disease made her not want to see her great grandbabies, we got a geri psych consult to retitrate mom's meds. In a week or two she was calm again, on low doses of Lexapro, Remeron and Klonopin.
You need a psychiatrist who is willing to try different meds, start them one at a time, and watch for results to manage her mental health issues.
meds can begin at a low dose. maybe a low dose of something will help her relax.
my mom has/had those times where she thinks she did/said something and we are mad at her. someone stole/took something.
she hears things/sees things. she tells me things I know are not true. whatever she cant figure out or rationalize, well its gotta be someone else "did it".
and I know its just her dementia, because she was never like that before.
she is on a low dose anti-depressant which a geriatric dr. prescribed it.
it has seemed to help. mom still says strange things. but at least she is not calling me on the phone constantly with all her made up worries. and during visits she seems relaxed and fairly happy.
oh and shes almost 89. memory issues since around 2010. meds began about 6 months ago(?)