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[Passionatebutterfly]

Hello everyone im so happy to have found this forum. Ive recently just gotten over a year long psychosis (my 1st one ever) and let me tell u, it was no fun. In the beginning it was feeling like i was jesus and the savior of the world but it quickly turned into me commiting alot of abnormal incidences. I hoping to learn alot about what i went thru since my treatment program failed to treat me and continue to fail to treat me. Instead of getting me proper help i ended up with a dui cus of my prescibed adhd med and a felony and did 34 days in jail with 4 years probation. I still have post psychosis which is what i call it cus i dont know the proper term but i still feel some of the delusions and paranoia since i went thru psychosis for a year straight. How do i stop having post delusions. I now know that they arent real which is why i call it post but it still is somewhat there and i just want to move on with my life. For instance red cars to me still mean stop and turn around. So everytime i see a red car it freaks me out like im doing something wrong. Thats just a small example. One day i will explain everything i went thru when i have more time to see if anyone relates to me which wuld be nice to know there are others who went thru similar delusions. I cant wait to start reading everyones post.

[Hannah_at_APP Administrator]

Hello and welcome to the forum. It sounds like you’ve had an awful experience and I hope the posts and info here have been helpful to you. Was your psychosis after having a baby? Whilst there are links to Bipolar and other conditions, and psychotic episodes outside childbirth, all the members here will have experienced psychosis at this time. I had an episode myself when my first child was born nearly 9 years ago now and I know how terrifying the delusions and other symptoms are - for those going through and also those around them. I hope you are able to access some support locally for the continued symptoms you describe.

Are you in the UK? Hopefully you will have some professional mental health support and perhaps any medication you are taking could be reviewed to help with the examples of things which are still happening for you, to try and control the symptoms which are distressing for you. I was lucky that antipsychotic medication worked fairly well and with other treatment I was in hospital for about 3 months and then home to my family - recovery did take much longer, together with regaining my confidence and all the other things that seemed lost forever, but they aren’t!

I just wanted to share a couple of links with you from the APP website: app-network.org/what-is-pp/... (frequently asked questions) and app-network.org/what-is-pp/... (Insider Guides, written by women and families plus experts and clinicians)

I hope this is useful to you, take care, xx

[Passionatebutterfly in reply to Hannah_at_APP]

Yes it was thanku

[Hidden]

How are you Passionatebutterfly?

I have had PPP 8 years ago, but like you struggled afterwards with mental health issues.

I have developed a toolkit; set of coping mechanisms, meaning trying to listen into my body and understanding when triggers are setting off.

Do you have some reliable friends, people and/or professionals within your locality (mental health team/support groups/GP etc.) who could continue to help and listen? I have had to establish a support network with the help of my partner and have been very open to try and find therapeutic ways, which contributes to the maintenance of my mental health.

Your experience sounds like a horrific roller coaster ride...you see our stories are all unique and it helps to journalise, even better if you find somebody to communicate to. I suffered in silence for five years until I found this forum.

Hanna has given you some very useful links.

Did you have Postpartum Psychosis?

Look after yourself and hope you can find the right support for your needs.

x

[angviolet]

Hi passionate butterfly. Hope you’re feeling better. A year in psychosis sounds unbearable ! It’s understandable you are still traumatised by those delusions, you’re definitely not the only one having those types of delusions. At the peak of my having delusions etc I was extremely sleep deprived For me to get better.. I had to put my sleep at the top of the priority list and with a baby crying in the night I had to get my partner to do the night feeds for the first few months. I had to stay home and rest and just lead a simple quiet slow style of life. I did online grocery shopping that got delivered to me. I saw a psychologist and psychiatrist regularly at the hospital. I took both and anti psychotic drug and an antidepressant drug. And I had a lot of support from my partner. I just slowed down majorly and lead the home body life and went out for walks with my baby in the pram and went out in nature (to the beach, to parks, ) all those things along with writing in a journal/diary , spending time with my baby , and just figuring it all out in my head helped me to get better.

To sum it up I’d say Rest, sleep, support,medication,reg psych appointments, nature and keeping stress low all helped me to recover after psychosis . My memory is still a bit zonked though. Hopefully you’r delusions will subside when you get more and more rest. Take it easy on yourself.

[Lilybeth Volunteer]

Hello Passionatebutterfly

I hope you are well and found the links here helpful. I wonder as you are in the U.S whether you have accessed support from Postpartum Support International, the link being postpartum.net ? They offer local support depending on your location.

I'm sorry you are having delusions which can be very frightening. At the time of my delusions many years ago I was given the anti-psychotic, Stelazine, which did make a difference.

Take good care of yourself.