Schizoaffective (Bipolar with depressive)
Hi all,
I have been with my fiance for almost 10 years and he was just diagnosed last October with Schizoaffective after having a mental breakdown. At first, he was taking the medication that he was prescribed, but he didn't like the way it was affecting his schoolwork and stopped taking it once school was over. Let me state that I do not agree with not taking anything and would have liked to see him try something different until he found one that worked well for him. He is a grown man and it is ultimately up to him. I guess my reason for posting here is to see if anyone has experience with a loved one who has schizoaffective or schizophrenia and how you handled it. Are there any articles or websites that you found useful?
@atomicGiraffe I do not personally know anyone who has schizophrenia or is schizoeffective. I was diagnosed with schizophrenia. It must be really hard for you to see a loved one going through it. I think it is really nice that you are being so supportive towards your fiancé. I think the most important thing one can do is listen with empathy and to be there for them. It can all be very upsetting and scary for a loved one so having someone to listen with empathy and understanding can mean the world to them. It can also help them to open up more. Medication sometimes can have lots of side effects and it can feel very upsetting to manage them. Some side effects may be more strong in some people and in some people they might not be. It sounds like your fiancé was really struggling with the medication slide effects that led them to stop taking them. Maybe you both can visit their doctor to have the medication adjusted so that hopefully they experience less or manageable side effects, if possible. I think you are being really supportive towards them! ❤️