how can i help my mom with her paranoia issues?
i understand that you can’t make a person get help…i understand that they have to want help in order to get better…i am just very worried and would greatly appreciate any and all advice regarding this situation…i talked to her for an hour last night and the things that came out of her mouth were utterly insane…it seems she has gotten worse over the years…my dad can’t seem to make her want help either, but fortunately they are still married and live together…i am a 27 y/o female and i live an hour away from her…her symptoms are as follows: will not allow strangers into her house (if she HAS to, for example, cableman/telephone repair/plumber/electrian etc.), she insists that they have “CASED” the joint and will rob the house, hides when doorbell rings, keeps the shades drawn all of the time, runs and hides in her bedroom if one of my dad’s friends come over, strongly believes that i will get murdered someday because i am gay, basically believes EVERYONE is out to “get” her!
wow…such great advice and kind words from all of you!!!…i appreciate all of your answers and thank you very much for taking the time to respond…
Tagged with: Doorbell Rings • Plumber • Telephone Repair
Filed under: Mental Health
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HI sweetie, sorry that you have to deal with this now. Just keep letting her know that oyu love her and try and get her to seek professional help. If she doesnt want to go anywhere maybe a pysch can come over and presrcibe some meds
Your mom sounds like she has schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder… I have paranoid schizophrenia.. and have simuliar fears… but unfortunately there wont be improvement in her symptoms or mine till medication is taken consistantly for a while. reassurance rarely helps because we believe fully and it is hard to convince us different…Sleeping healthy will help limit the increase in symptoms..eating healthy can also and exercise too for those who can manage..
Keep encouraging her to see a dr… maybe there will come a time she gets so scared and is unable to tollerate it and considers the idea a dr might can help and agrees to go. good luck
I’m no doctor but she might be showing signs of dementia.
I’m not sure how to help you but she needs to see a psychologist.
Its clear she’s isolated herself emotionally and she needs assistance breaking out.
You and your father should compare notes and discuss observations. Living with her, your father is in a position to influence her behavior positively or negatively. Do you notice anything unusual in their relationship? Not that you should, it’s very possible her behavior is driven by a variety of individual physical and/or mental ailments. An on-line search beginning with the term paranoia will give you an idea of some of these. Stick with NIMH, AMA and APA sources to begin with. Webmd is also a possibility.
I’d advise you to spend as much time with your mother as you can, especially on a regularily scheduled basis. Come by every week at the same time to do something she and you enjoy doing together. This will reassure her about your safety and give her a chance to count on having your company. Hopefully she’ll eventually open up some more about her fears. Allowing her to talk in a conversational way about herself is best. It’s important not to medicalize or overtly challenge her thinking or behavior. If you can just have good time without reacting to her paranoid behavior she’s more likely to accept you as a confidant.
In your father and you she has the makings of an excellent support group. If you and he work together with love and patience, in time she may well agree to seek therapy; ideally through a decision she’ll make entirely on her own. Best of luck.