Mother in Law is paranoid, what would you do?

Question

Two weeks ago she called me , I was four hours away, to tell me she thought she broke her wrist and needed to go to the hospital. Like I could do anything about it. She did break it, but I am afraid she did it for attention. She did it right after we told her we could not come up for christmas. Then she called me a week later to tell me that her neighbor was trying to frame her for stealing and selling prescription medications. Something she would never do. Then she called me today to tell me that she thinks the military is blocking her remote control from her t.v. I'm truly worried about her now. Any thoughts?

She's 53 years old and on medication for Asthma and C.O.P.D.
We live four hours away right now, so we can go to school. Her other son lives close by, but he has his own mental illness issues that he refuses our help with. Her ex daughter in law and granddaughter live just down the road. The ex daughter in law agrees that she is paranoid, but neither of us is sure what to do. She doesn't appear to be a danger to herself or others, at least not one I can prove from 4 hours away. When she visits here she just tells me I'm a B***h and I make her son miserable. He's concerned with her behavior lately too. We can't afford a home and the only insurance she has is a medical card through the state. She is on SSD, do you think they can help us with this?

Yes I can find it in my heart to go up for christmas, but not in my wallet. We had planned to go up the weekend after. I'm not trying to be heartless.

Answer 1

Your mother in law could have a mental illness or the beginnings of dementia. I suggest calling the county social services department where your mother in law lives so that they can evaluate her. She may need to be moved into a nursing home for her own safety.

Until then, I would not react one way or another to her outrageous claims. Just tell her you are worried about her and you want to take her to a doctor. Bring her to a neurologist who may also be able to diagnose her with alzheimers or mini strokes.

Answer 2

Is it possible that she has had a stroke or has early stage alzheimers? My Mother had some problems with thinking men were going up stairs in her house(there were no stairs) plus she sometimes didn't know she was in her own home-sometimes she thought she was at work or at a "home for the elderly". She was given a medication that helped aleviate the paranoia. She still was somewhat confused but not with all the bizarre stuff going on.

Answer 3

Is she recording easily conversations between you and her? Or all your telephone conversations with others? If it somewhat is the latter, it somewhat is genuinely unlawful. If it somewhat is the former, it would desire to be criminal. A father or mom has the flexibility to furnish consent on your behalf, so your specific consent isn't had to be indoors the regulation. it somewhat is accessible your father gave his consent to enable her do this. Edit: do now no longer pay interest to different suggestions - wiretapping is against the regulation. There do now no longer would desire to be damages and that may no longer ok if it somewhat is her very own telephone line. Recording telephone conversations in PA without all activities' consent is against the regulation. The question isn't any count variety variety in case you effectively consented by ability of way of your father and step-mom. Edit2: thinking which you're an guy or woman, it particularly is unlawful and against the regulation, consumer-friendly and undemanding.

Answer 4

Aside from needing attention, it sounds like your mother in law may need some help. I dont know howold your mothe4r in law is, but could it be possible that she is developing some dementia? What kind of meds is she on? Could they have anything to do with her becomming delusional? You will need to go and see your mol soon and see what is going on. If you see that she is not able to live alone, or may need some help during the day you have a number of options ranging from hourly help during the day, home health which will help with bathing and medication management - to nursing home care. But your first step needs to be to go see her and see whats going on.

Answer 5

Ask your MIL who her doctor is as if you are looking for a good doctor and want to try her doctor out for yourself.

Call her doctor and tell him what is going on, and get him to have his staff to call her in for an appointment so he can get some bloodwork done and then refer her to the right specialists.

Yeah, she needs help... but needs assessment to find out what KIND of help she needs. If her meds are causing dementia, they can change those... if she has some thing else going on, that will have to be addressed. Get ready to deal with the ol' power of attorney type stuff.

Answer 6

Sounds like an issue of paranoia...

She may be having some mini-strokes (TIA's). I suggest you help her see a neurologist and have an MRI done to rule out any 'organic' (physical) reason for her mental health, and then from there seek other help for her. Be patient, because this is a scary issue for her too.

Answer 7

this woman sounds lonely and frightened, can you not find it in your heart to visit her. after all you could be in the same position your self one day. You have her son is that not enough? maybe she has dementia? maybe she needs to go to a day care centre or to get help around the house. talk to her try to find out what is at the bottom of it all. try and put yourself in her shoes.

Answer 8

The woman is lonely. She feels she's been abandoned and she wants revenge (sounds a bit harsh, but that's what it is). In her mind, you're the woman who took her son away from her. I strongly suggest you consult a shrink about this.