So my niece probably is schizophrenic.

[Swede]

Just reading on Wikipedia, it sounds grim. No cure, and some unpleasant side effects from the antipsychotic drugs. My poor little darling.

[Unladen Swallow]

1. Prayers for you and your family

[Irish_Dem]

2. In clinical practice it is easier to treat than some other disorders.

At least from my perspective as a mental health practitioner (now retired.)

I don't know what type of schizophrenia she has or how severe it is.
But usually they respond well to medication, it can be straightforward dosing.
And they are compliant in therapy often times.
Yes there are side effects to the meds, but new meds are being worked which
have few side effects and do a better job.

I think other diagnoses are much harder to treat like Bi-Polar, because you have to medicate
both the up and down cycles at the same time which is difficult and they are more impulsive
and drop in and out of treatment. Or long time multi drug addiction is more difficult too.

[Swede]

4. In December, she just disappeared.

Cops put out a missing person alert. They found her car, her keys, her phone, but no niece for 2 weeks. When they finally found her she was in a homeless shelter, no dog and 600 miles from home.

[Irish_Dem]

5. Once she is diagnosed and medicated properly, you could see a significant difference.

The problem is if they go off the meds.

But medication and treatment can help a lot.

Yes that must have been terrifying for the family and for your niece.
Thank god she got into a homeless shelter and was safe.
So this shows she has some awareness and judgment.

There are support groups for the families which can provide good information and support.

[ColinC]

3. No cure, but certainly ways to make her life easier with some medications and therapy , from what ive heard.

[tulipsandroses]

6. I'm glad your niece is safe. Family support is essential

Encourage her to allow a trusted family member to be a part of her care team. Encourage her to sign a release of information for that person so they can communicate with her provider/s. It can be frustrating at times dealing with “ the system”, when it comes to adults with serious mental illness.
Unfortunately, we have over corrected from the days of locking people away indefinitely .These days, It can be difficult sometimes to get help for adults when they don’t voluntarily seek help.

Anti psychotics are effective. Especially for the positive symptoms. (Hallucinations, delusions, paranoia).
The negative symptoms can sometimes be harder to treat. Negative symptoms can sometimes look like depression, but it’s not. Not wanting to be around other people,not finding joy, reduced speech, Avolition- Not being able to start or complete things, which can make it hard to keep a job or attend school.
Unfortunately sometimes people are considered lazy when people don’t realize these are still symptoms of the illness.

[professor_gains]

7. We have been there

Our son was diagnosed with this during his gap year between college and grad school. He graduated with degrees in physics and math and had his first episode in 2021. To make a long story short, the drug Clozapine gave him his life back. After 3 hospital stays and two failed antipsychotics, they finally put him on clozapine. He was released from hospital in January 2023 and began the drug around that time. He lost 100 lbs and trying to starve himself in the hospital. The change with clozapine was almost immediate. He began lifting weights again, gained back the weight, and completed a masters degree a year later. Now he is enrolled in a Ph.D. program in math. Yes, we gave him full support, which is crucial, but without that drug, he would have zero chance of staying out of the hospital. I recommend that you check out the Team Daniel website for full explanation about clozapine and its usage. My son's side effects are minimal. The link provides information about the controversy concerning clozapine. The fact that they make it so difficult to obtain is nothing short of criminal. My roommate from grad school has a son who had the exact same experience as ours did, with similar results. It is not hopeless.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2024-12-19/schizophrenia-drug-clozapine-hard-to-get-due-to-strict-fda-rules

[KS Toronado]

8. Welcome to DU!

[LetMyPeopleVote]

10. Welcome to DU

[XanaDUer2]

9. I'm so sorry