Mental health question
Sorry not baby related. I just wanted to understand better since it’s always been a bit of a taboo subject in my family.
My cousins mum had schizophrenia and committed suicide when my cousin was only 8. She was ways ‘strange’ apparently or so i was told. For example she would have no issues with wearing a blood stained white dress (from the period) or would get up during the middle conversation and be ready to leave.
I guess I have 2 questions- does that sound like autism or is it part of a trait with schizophrenia? And as my grandmum is getting increasingly frail, should I try to discuss my aunts life more to try to remove some of that stigma and guilt and my grandmum has lived with all her life?
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Hi @Nattinan sorry I probably wasn’t clear - it was my cousins mum who had schizophrenia not my cousin. At the time there weren’t any treatments (90s) other than institutionalising and so it was a huge stigma at the time so my grandma tried to carry on as normal when things weren’t normal
I’m a mental health OT. Social skills can be greatly impacted by schizophrenia / so walking away could also be due to this.
@Hayley thank you 🙏
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I’m not too familiar with any of those expected symptoms should be, but I would say you should try to find out first if your grandmother does carry that stigma and guilt, and if she does, to what degree? Otherwise it’s probably just you being more curious about your cousin’s conditions and her passing. Since everyone in your family is probably affected by the tragedy in some ways, it’s more of a grievance rather than being a taboo? She was only 8 after all. Personally, I don’t particularly like to talk about my grandma passing, but it isn’t a taboo topic, she died due to old age and illnesses, but it’s more that it makes me very sad to think about. A person is more likely to carry guilt if they think the death was cause by said person in some ways - something they may said back then, maybe they feel like they didn’t do their best in trying to understand them, or take care of them etc. Schizophrenia symptom varies I think, some have servers symptoms, and some might be very mild