Paranoid Schizophrenia is a subtype of schizophrenia in which the person has delusions or auditory hallucinations, typically of a paranoid nature. Often, Paranoid Schizophrenics also have delusions of grandiosity, or show other distortions involving jealousy or extreme religiosity. Paranoid schizophrenics may tend toward suicidal or aggressive behavior, especially if they are having intense affects such as anger, fear or anxiety during an acute psychotic break. Because of the risk of violence to self or others hospitalizations should be considered during severe psychotic episodes. Hospitalization can provide safety for the patient and others, relief from anxiety, improvement in delusions and psychotic symptoms, carefully monitored medication adjustments, and support from staff and other patients. Effort should be made to get the patient to go into the hospital voluntarily as this can improve the outcomes of the hospitalization.
Instructions
Discuss and Evaluate Need for Hospitalization
1. Have a discussion with the person about your concerns for their welfare. Arrange to meet with the person and their psychiatrist, therapist or physician to further discuss your concerns. Minimize the person's paranoia about what is said about them by including them in discussions you have with their providers. Determine if there is a consensus that a hospitalization is the best option. Find out if the provider recommends any particular hospital.
2. To improve the person's cooperation, emphasize how they will get close medical supervision of medication changes, and how they should get significant relief from their anxiety and fear.
3. Assure them that they retain rights during a voluntary hospitalization. Note that they can ask to be discharged and, so long as they are not a danger to others or themself, they must be released within a several days.
4. Try your utmost to get the person to agree to go in the hospital on a voluntary basis.
Confirm Commitment is Necessary and Get Help
5. Paranoid Schizophrenics are inclined to generalize their fears. They may refuse to consider being hospitalized. If this is the case, talk with person's providers. Explain the situation. Make sure you point out any concerns regarding the safety of the person or of others. If the provider concurs that there is a risk of harm, then get that provider to initiate the commitment process. Licensed professionals are required by law and ethics to protect patients and others. The provider will pass the process on to other agencies, but having a licensed professional call the local hotline, emergency room or 911 will expedite the proceedings.
6. Understand that you may need to testify in court within a day or two to support the claim that the person was a danger to themself or to others.
7. If you believe there is an immediate risk to the person or to someone else, call 911 and tell them what is going on.
Prepare for the Hospitalization
8. If you have access to the person's health insurance information, call their insurance company. Inquire about: (a) coverage of voluntary or involuntary psychiatric hospitalizations, as suits the current situation, (b) requirements regarding preauthorization, and (c) limits about which hospitals can be used.
9. In the case of involuntary commitment, the police will probably take the person to the nearest psychiatric hospital. Still, you can request that the police take the person to a particular hospital. You may want to call the hospital ahead of time to confirm that they have bed-space available.
10. Help with packing the following: insurance information, identification, one week's worth of comfortable clothing, personal hygiene and grooming items and reading material.
11. Assist with other preparations. The person will likely be away for 3 to 10 days. Help arrange child and pet care.
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