Wife suffering from schizophrenia for more than 30 years, refusal to seek a doctor

Burst

Written by: Zhu Yashuang and Huang Weimin

2021-04-12 07:00

Last update date: 2021-04-12 07:00

"My spouse suffers from mental illness first. I have been taking care of him for a long time, and I have suffered from great stress and (suffering) emotional illness." Azhi, who is 60 years old, suffered from psychosis in the United States 36 years ago by his wife. The scene of being forced to the hospital was like a nightmare. Since then, he has refused to seek medical treatment. As a caregiver, Azhi is in a vortex of stress, has a tendency to violence and suffers from emotional illness, "like a tree branch will break." Although it has improved under the doctor's medication, But at the same time he entered a "hidden" life until he reconnected with society with the assistance of the Mental Health Comprehensive Center six years ago.

Mental health services need to cooperate with medical and community support. Some organizations have pointed out that there is a lot of room for improvement in the government's resource allocation in both.

It has been 8 years since Ah Zhi suffered from emotional illness, and when he mentioned that his wife suffered from mental disorder, he cried several times.

(Photo by Huang Weimin)

Wife suffers from psychosis and refuses to see psychiatric caregiver due to stress and emotional illness

Ah Zhi is 62 years old. He is a healthy ordinary person. He speaks methodically. However, he has been suffering from mood disorders for 8 years. When he mentioned his wife who suffers from mental disorders, he was even more emotional and weeping: "My spouse suffers first. I am mentally ill. I have been taking care of him for a long time, and I have been very stressed and (suffering) emotional illness.”

Thirty-six years ago, Azhi and his wife lived in the United States. His wife was suspected of being mentally ill due to the pressure of studying for a master's degree.

Ah Zhi recalled that day with a painful expression, "The moment (wife) was tied up, you saw your relatives and your spouse with your own eyes. Two blacks and two whites, each taller than six feet, at least From 180 to 200 pounds, everyone is shocked by the way a person presses, let alone an oriental girl, you can see that this kind of pain is the same as the scream and the panic, it is really unforgettable for a lifetime... I have a (night) dream. It's so time consuming..." Afterwards, he begged the doctor to allow his wife to be discharged from the hospital, but after being approved, the two immediately "fleeed" and returned to Hong Kong.

The experience of forced hospitalization in the United States has become their nightmare. His wife has refused to go to the psychiatric department for many years. "As her husband, I want to protect him. There is a naive idea that I want him to get better. In fact, psychiatry really depends on it. Drugs." After staying in Hong Kong for a year, they tried to live in different countries again. However, their wife's condition went from time to time and eventually returned to Hong Kong to settle ten years ago.

As her husband, I want to protect him. I have a naive idea that I want him to get better. In fact, psychiatry really depends on drugs.

Azhi, the caregiver of the schizophrenic patient

For many years, Ah Zhi has been under the pressure of looking after his wife alone, coupled with discrimination from relatives and friends, not adapting to the pace of life in Hong Kong, and work pressure, making it difficult for him to breathe, and then violent tendencies. It’s very hard work, and I feel so guilty. Day after day, month after month, year after year, I really can’t point to him. I can’t courage him to see the doctor. Du Hun, I think the burden is so heavy, I want to get out of this bondage, this burden."

Drug treatment to prevent violent tendency, community support and reintegration into society

One year after returning to Hong Kong, he resolutely separated from his wife, and his mother's death the following year gave him even more thoughts of life and death.

Fortunately, when Ah Zhi was on the verge of a mental breakdown, he participated in a symposium of the Social Welfare Department and realized that he might be mentally ill, so he went to a public hospital for treatment, diagnosed his emotional illness and started taking medication.

He said that psychiatric drugs have effectively helped him to control his violent tendencies, but the protracted divorce procedures are his main source of stress, and his wife’s medical condition also directly affects his own condition. "As soon as I have problems, my emotions start to get angry."

Zhi has worked as a director, real estate agent, advertising agency, insurance company, and freelance photographer. In recent years, he has been unable to continue working due to frequent insomnia, fatigue, and the influence of drugs. The achievements of his peers have made him feel inferior, and his brothers and sisters are "stunned". Wife, so he cut off contact with relatives and friends.

Six years ago, the doctor pointed out that Azhi was "too house" and needed to contact the society. He was referred to a comprehensive mental health community center (hereinafter referred to as the community center) operated by the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong in Kwun Tong. Support, you can talk to it, and your emotions can be relieved, "Some people know that I fell into the well, and even managed to throw a rope down and climb back up. I have a hope, a goal, and know that the society has a support." Azhi believes that in the first two years he received only psychiatric drug treatment, and his time was wasted. Later, psychiatric drug treatment and social worker support helped him regain confidence in contacting the society. Before the epidemic, his life revolved around volunteering and playing football. Once communicated with the teams in the four places of the mainland, Taiwan and China, "I am so happy that I can come into contact with the society!"

Some people know that I fell into the well, and even managed to throw a rope down and climb back up. I have a hope, a goal, and know that the society has a support.

Azhi

Each case manager of the Integrated Mental Health Community Centre in Kwun Tong follows up to 60 to 70 cases, and there is a serious shortage of manpower.

(Photo by Huang Weimin)

Although the wife also joined the community center under the recommendation of Azhi, it is a pity that she still refused to seek medical treatment. Three years ago, her condition became more serious. Her uncle cooperated with the doctor to send her to the hospital forcibly. "The shocking scene was once again!" Azhi recalled a week. Later, when he saw his wife, her eyes were bruised and her hands were crusted, and he choked again.

Fortunately, my wife received medical care. Although she was still in the psychiatric hospital, the treatment was very successful. She no longer had hand tremors and drooling. She was no different from normal people. It was just "blunt", "I think the psychiatrist saved two lives." , Save him and me.” He admitted that if his wife was treated as soon as possible, the joy now may have already arisen, "I have been under pressure for many years."

I think the psychiatrist saved two lives and saved him and me.

Azhi

As a caregiver and a mentally ill patient, Azhi pointed out that it is very difficult for a person to take care of the mentally ill for a long time. "It seems that the branches will break." He suggested that patients and caregivers must take the initiative to knock on the door of the community center and seek professional assistance.

Since October 2010, the SWD has subsidized a total of 24 integrated mental health community centers in 18 districts in Hong Kong. The director-general of the Hong Kong Mental Health Association, the Kwun Tong District Community Center Operating Agency to which Ah Zhi belongs, said that each manager is following up There are 60 to 70 cases, and they have to be responsible for public education, interest groups, etc. The manpower is severely insufficient. They believe that the government should increase funding, and pointed out that the current mental health care and community center resource allocation have great room for improvement (see also the draft).

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Mental health, mental illness, mental illness treatment