How do I get help when my schizophrenic son refuses?

I also have the same situation going on my son is 38 been to huntsman mental health hospital here in Utah and Fairfax in Everett Washington both very good he has been diagnosed with schizoeffective disorder depressed type with PTSD and anxiety disorder also THC use , alcohol and past suicidal attempts he lives with me very hard to deal with when me myself have PTSD and major depression and anxiety and panic disorders I'm still trying to learn how this affects him with what he has going on I'm only his payee and I need some help he also refuses help sometimes he says he wants help but doesn't want to leave the house and also isolated and no friends we get into arguments and we both trigger each other sometimes and I run away because I get scared because of my past and the one time he did attack me about 5 years ago iv tried 988 also therapist/ counseling but still refuses he has chosen to be homeless in Seattle like 5+ times in which I can't mentally handle because of predators and pedofiles he also has a prolapse rectum and it's very difficult for him to handle I really need someone to help me through this I can't handle much more because he spits all over his bed pees on our basement steps and puts his bloody/ poopy tolit paper all over the place doesn't shower or wash hands I can't leave my son to break the cycle of the harsh situation and the fear of abandonment we both have he was also in the army and was discharged other than honorable so no military money at all I also need help to change his paperwork to honorable discharge because his conditions are related to the military some in which came during and after if anyone can help give me some advice and possibly step by step anything i would greatly appreciate it thank you

I realize that you posted this in February so I hope that your son was able to get the help that he needs. In some states, active psychosis should be one of the reasons for involuntary admission. In the state where I live, the criteria are: 1. active psychosis 2. harm to self 3. harm to others. It is very difficult, however, because usually the ill person has to have attempted suicide to get admitted. So yes, in most cases, sadly, the person has already harmed themselves before the state will act. And I have found, also sadly, that usually the crisis line is not of much help. You can try talking with your local mental health facility to see if he qualifies for "white papers" and move ahead with the paperwork for law enforcement to pick him up and escort him to an emergency room or behavioral health unit.

@ngk1 hi thank you for your comments. My son is good now. He spent a month in a good hospital and they changed his medication. He now takes
olanzepine which made him a new person. Unfortunately it causes weight gain, and he has always been lean. One problem we have in this region is trying to find a psych person for med management. A local nurse at our clinic is bridging the script until we can find a psych person just to prescribe the med. Our local hospital does not have psych dept, and the bigger branch is not accepting any new psych patients. My son does not do therapy. He does not like to talk. He is a kind, sweet man who just[ likes to be alone and is like a monk, likes quiet.

@pta all my best wishes to you and your son. Olanzepine is a great medication. I am so sorry to hear about the lack of resources in your area but unfortunately that is the case in many parts of the country and will most likely get worse. Can you find a psych provider who will do medication management by telehealth? If you have a local NAMI chapter, perhaps the folks there can give advice. And if no local chapters, there are other chapters that allow zoom attendance.

@ngk1 thank you. I tried our local NAMI but it is so small they don't call back. And we just got internet for first time. So we are new and struggling at it. I tried to get telehealth a few times but I can't seem to hook up! I'm waiting for a visit from social services next week to see if they can help. Not good help in this area yet. Summit New York where we live has nothing not even a store, a firehouse and post office. Thank you for your kind words.

@christietus730 Your son needs inpatient treatment very badly to receive medication and therapy to stabilize his mental health. If you can get him to the hospital as soon as possible, they can see how bad off he is, and you can do the paperwork to involuntarily commit it. They need to be told that he is a danger to himself and others and cannot function normally. All this is true. He also needs immediate medical treatment to fix his prolapsed rectum. As soon as possible. Until you seek treatment for him, it will only get worse. Also, please seek treatment and hospitalization for yourself. There is treatment available to improve your situation so you both do not have to suffer like this. Please act immediately. Let us know how it goes. Wishing you the best.

To ngk1. Good luck with your son. This is all a continuing life endeavor. Is there EVER a light at the end of the tunnel. We get just so far and then a halt in the system. And we are not modern. We fight technology. We are forced into it sadly.

@jenatsky Okay, her son was delusional and not taking any meds or receiving therapy. It’s not that she ‘wanted’ him to be hospitalized but she could see that he needed to be. Whether violent or not, that’s not normal and left untreated only gets worse. So, obviously he needed to be hospitalized for treatment to get him stable. With his condition, he needs ongoing treatment. From later posts, you can see he is doing better now. Mental illness is not just a passing phase, it’s a big deal

@jenatsky thank you, he is good now on new med olanzepine. 5 weeks in hospital really helped. He's a new person now.

@bewildered I couldn’t agree with you more. I did a stint of psychiatric nursing in my earlier years or practice and I’m married to a psychologist. It’s a life long journey for the patient and the family.