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Will a psychiatrist help?

yardman49
yardman49 Member Posts: 36
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in Caring For a Spouse or Partner

i wonder if a psychiatrist will help my DW with her delusions? My DW has had a noticeable increase in delusions of someone trying to kill her and also of my imagined infidelity. These delusions occurring day and night are causing her to express ongoing anger, anxiety and sometimes depression.

What has been the experience in our Alzheimer's community of utilizing a psychiatrist? Has anyone had some success in this reducing similar occurrences?

Comments

  • harshedbuzz
    harshedbuzz Member Posts: 6,957
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    A geriatric psychiatrist is the best specialist for prescribing the kind of medications that can dial back the anxiety that drives these kinds of delusions. That said, it might not entirely extinguish them, but it should help a lot.

    Dad's geripsych was the single most important person on dad's team after my mom. Dad also had the infidelity delusion; he eventually moved out of that phase with the progression of the disease. My uncle and I could talk him down from it very temporarily, but of mom tried to it further agitated him.

  • Ed's mom
    Ed's mom Member Posts: 106
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    I've noticed when my LO starts to feel any pressure like an apple she becomes more paranoid and anxious although she will deny they keep occuring.

    I am not being sarcastic, a psychiatrist has certainly helped me personally.

  • CindyBum
    CindyBum Member Posts: 789
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    Using a psychiatrist to try and treat a person with dementia's delusions simply won't work as a therapy, I'm afraid. Getting that psychiatrist to prescribe medications to help ease the anxiety is really all you have in your caregiver tool box now.

    Hugs

  • Russinator
    Russinator Member Posts: 381
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    I'm taking DW to see a geripsych on the 9th of July. I'll get back to you on what takes place.

  • Bailey's Mom
    Bailey's Mom Member Posts: 251
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    I have an appt with a mental health psychiatrist at the VA for HWD on July 7th. Talk therapy will be a waste of time as he won't understand the questions and will showtime anyway. I am just hoping that they will be able to adjust his meds to curb his extreme paranoia, delusions and anger. He has anasognosia, but they don't seem to care and will be brutal with him, I'm afraid, which may set him back. At this point, he is so angry and unhappy most of the time that it can't be much worse, and he will most likely quickly forget what is said anyway. If he would just sleep through the night it will be worth it. Will update after the appt.

  • Michele P
    Michele P Member Posts: 549
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    Make an appointment with a geriatric psychiatrist. They specialize in what you need.

Commonly Used Abbreviations


DH = Dear Husband
DW= Dear Wife, Darling Wife
LO = Loved One
ES = Early Stage
EO = Early Onset
FTD = Frontotemporal Dementia
VD = Vascular Dementia
MC = Memory Care
AL = Assisted Living
POA = Power of Attorney
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