Can schizophrenics be safe parents?

Question

My ex husband is schizophrenic with psycotic tendencies. He has been hospitalized with homicidal urges several times. I am terrified when he has our kids. Does anyone have any resources for how safe schizophrenics are with kids? He has unsupervised visits and I can't find any info to help my and our kids cope.

I asked for supervised visits but he hadn't been diagnosed at the time of the divorce. I have to wait to go back and modify it. I am looking for information to help me and our kids cope and be safe, without cutting him off from them.

Answer 1

Much excellent information on schizophrenia is available.
It must be very difficult for you.
Children are resilient. You can help them cope with lots of love.


http://www.medicinenet.com/schizophrenia/page3.htm
Are people with schizophrenia violent?

People with schizophrenia are not especially prone to violence and often prefer to be left alone. Studies show that if people have no record of criminal violence before they develop schizophrenia and are not substance abusers, they are unlikely to commit crimes after they become ill. Most violent crimes are not committed by people with schizophrenia, and most people with schizophrenia do not commit violent crimes. Substance abuse always increases violent behavior, regardless of the presence of schizophrenia (see sidebar). If someone with paranoid schizophrenia becomes violent, the violence is most often directed at family members and takes place at home.
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http://www.medicinenet.com/schizophrenia/page7.htm

What is the role of the patient's support system?

Support for those with mental disorders can come from families, professional residential or day program caregivers, shelter operators, friends or roommates, professional case managers, or others in their communities or places of worship who are concerned about their welfare. There are many situations in which people with schizophrenia will need help from other people.

Getting Treatment. People with schizophrenia often resist treatment, believing that their delusions or hallucinations are real and psychiatric help is not required. If a crisis occurs, family and friends may need to take action to keep their loved one safe.

The issue of civil rights enters into any attempt to provide treatment. Laws protecting patients from involuntary commitment have become very strict, and trying to get help for someone who is mentally ill can be frustrating. These laws vary from state to state, but, generally, when people are dangerous to themselves or others because of mental illness and refuse to seek treatment, family members or friends may have to call the police to transport them to the hospital. In the emergency room, a mental health professional will assess the patient and determine whether a voluntary or involuntary admission is needed.

A person with mental illness who does not want treatment may hide strange behavior or ideas from a professional; therefore, family members and friends should ask to speak privately with the person conducting the patient's examination and explain what has been happening at home. The professional will then be able to question the patient and hear the patient's distorted thinking for themselves. Professionals must personally witness bizarre behavior and hear delusional thoughts before they can legally recommend commitment, and family and friends can give them the information they need to do so.

Caregiving. Ensuring that people with schizophrenia continue to get treatment and take their medication after they leave the hospital is also important. If patients stop taking their medication or stop going for follow-up appointments, their psychotic symptoms will return. If these symptoms become severe, they may become unable to care for their own basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter; they may neglect personal hygiene; and they may end up on the street or in jail, where they rarely receive the kind of help they need.

Family and friends can also help patients set realistic goals and regain their ability to function in the world. Each step toward these goals should be small enough to be attainable, and the patient should pursue them in an atmosphere of support. People with a mental illness who are pressured and criticized usually regress and their symptoms worsen. Telling them what they are doing right is the best way to help them move forward.

How should you respond when someone with schizophrenia makes statements that are strange or clearly false? Because these bizarre beliefs or hallucinations are real to the patient, it will not be useful to say they are wrong or imaginary. Going along with the delusions will not be helpful, either. It is best to calmly say that you see things differently than the patient does but that you acknowledge that everyone has the right to see things in his or her own way. Being respectful, supportive, and kind without tolerating dangerous or inappropriate behavior is the most helpful way to approach people with this disorder.

Answer 2

Oh my goodness! My brother is the same way. He refuses to take meds or seek help. I go above his head and talk to his ex-wife frequently. I make sure she knows all about his episodes. She is taking him back to court to get a custody modification.
I will have to testify against my own brother, but it's the right thing to do.
I can't stand the thought of him wigging out with his children. He has not been seeing the kids since the legal battle begun. He lives only 2 blocks away from them as well. I just want my niece and nephew to be safe and for my brother to get help.
I honestly don't belive that someone like your ex should be left alone with the kids.

Answer 3

if he takes his meds. but, who can guarantee that? i would go to court and at least get those visits supervised. i had a schizo aunt. she was pretty nasty around kids, actually. i'm not saying all are, but she was less than tolerant of certain things and most people. she ended up killing herself after dealing with the condition for 20 years. it never really gets better. they have to closely monitor their condition with experts all the time. proper medication is essential to allow them to even function in society. (depending on the case, of course) if your ex husband has had violent episodes in the past, the risk is great that he will have one in the future and if your kids are present...well, his illness would prevent sane thought. do something.

Answer 4

Very funny, Meadsy.

You should have taken care of this in court when custody was assigned! Go back to court and amend it so he only has supervised visits.

Editing to add: my brother has schizophrenia. He would never in a million years hurt another person, but I sure wouldn't want kids to be around him when he is imagining things or hurting himself. He sometimes accuses people of stealing from him.

Answer 5

my aunt is paranoid-schizo. though she has had several really bad actions towards herself and others, she has NEVER done anything that would harm her son. he's 17 now. she has been on meds his whole life. with the proper meds and a little help from others, your kids should be safe. my advice to you is to do whatever you can to ease the situation. after all, they're his kids too.

Answer 6

Physically safe, yes. Emotionally safe - no freaking way.

Answer 7

you can't trust schizophrenics, that was a dumb question you just said hes been in the hospital several times for homicidal urges is that a kinda person you want your children with?

Answer 8

No.
Yes.