Does My Boyfriend Have Ptsd With Psychosis?

[Desree]

Hi there, just wanted some advice really. I have been going out with my boyfriend for 2 years now and living with him for about a year. He told me about his ptsd very early on so I was aware (although I really struggle to accept moaning at things a lot/arguments/name-calling and threatening behaviour which I believe all occur partly as a result). He has always had certain amounts of paranoia and had a tumultuous childhood (but not traumatic). He had a particularly traumatic experience in his twenties which resulted in ptsd. He also has bouts of depression and he has smoked a lot of weed in the past (although he doesn't smoke at all any more - even cigarettes), and also dabbled in other substances but not regularly and nothing since I have met him.
However, recently he divulged to me that he thinks (knows) there is a group of people trying to mess him up mentally, he is convinced this is not just in his head. He says people come up to him and know his name and shout things at him and/or harass him and say things they shouldn't know about him to do with his traumatic event. When I asked him about this he wouldn't say what they said specifically (I didn't want to push it more as I didn't want to upset or anger him more)..but I asked if he had ever confronted them and he said no. I said I think he should but I'm not sure if this was good advice or not, considering that I strongly suspect that he has ptsd with psychosis after looking it up. He is convinced that this conspiracy type situation is true. He believes he is in some dark world where people are conspiring to specifically mess with his head (this is connected to experiences from his trauma btw). I am not sure if I should try to make him aware that there is a possibility of psychosis alongside ptsd. He seems to be aware some of this could be in his head but there are too many situations happening for it not to be real. If I suggest the possibility of psychosis to him though he will probably just shut me out so I'm not sure what to do! Does this sound like psychosis and how do I approach it/deal with it? Or could it be complex PTSD (another theory I have had is BPD with PTSD?). He will always be controlled by this fear of people trying to mess with him if he doesn't realise it's not as real as he thinks or if he finds a way to let it go and move on. Thanks!

 

[Iko]

I wouldn't try to diagnose him... The label isn't important. He needs professional help if he is hearing things that aren't there. I'd concentrate on encouraging him to seek help.

 

[Hisela]

Name calling and threatening behaviour is NOT acceptable ever. He can't treat you that way it's abusive and you don't have to put up with it. PTSD is not a licence to be an dick.

It very much depends on the country you're in. In the uk for his own good I would look into getting a mental health crisis team to make an assessment of the situation and perhaps he needs to be hospitalised right now until things get a better for him. I have no idea about any other country. But I think if it's possible try to get him some help from a trained mental health professional. You don't want to be in the situation where he shoots you the messenger.

 

[Desree]

Thanks for the advice guys, I am not trying to label, only trying to understand how to help best and cope best with the situation. Didn't mean it to sound that way! Unfortunately hospital is to do with his trauma and I am trying to encourage him to see a therapist but I think he is fearful to trust a therapist. He was in residential therapy for a while after his trauma but that was a few years ago now. I know I need to set boundaries in regards to aggression and arguments so I am trying to start that to avoid at abuse. He has never hit me but breaks things a lot.

 

[Hacap]

I suggest getting therapy for yourself, asap, as this is a complex and difficult situation. The more help and support you have, the better you will be able to navigate this with him.

 

[Desree]

I suggest getting therapy for yourself, asap, as this is a complex and difficult situation. The more help and support yo...

Thanks v much, yes that's a good idea.. Thats why I posted in here... Feeling I need support myself from someone neutral and maybe a professional in order to really understand the situation (also don't want to worry/burden my family too much).

 

[Uwetor]

No one can diagnose over the internet and it would be dangerous to try. Glad you are considering reaching out to professional help.

As far as trying to tell him he is having what you worry is psychosis, I wouldn't go there. He's not regulating his emotions well, and is showing an ability to act out and not be able to handle reality well.

If he has psychosis or schizophrenia, you will not be able to convince him his delusions and/or hallucinations are not real. Someone who is having those symptoms, their brain fires the same way as if the delusions and hallucinations are real. Same way. It's not a cognitive problem, it's brain problem. Once he gets help, he might be able to start to see they are not real, but you won't get anywhere with him if they are real.

You can set boundaries and make it clear you can't stay unless he goes to treatment. That's a better route to take. It focuses on what you need, and that is for certain behaviors to stop. No pathology is an excuse to act out, and it's important that he see there are natural outcomes to avoidance of treatment.

I had trauma in a hospital, so I get that they can be really awful and scary. Especially when inpatient. That's why getting help sooner will go better because it means this might be more likely treated as an outpatient, when he still has choices.

Reach out to family and friends that might be a little safer if you can. Don't isolate from their support. If they are decent people, they would want to know and help you get through this.

 

[Memope]

I mean you won't get anywhere with him trying to talk him out of real delusions or psychotic episodes. If it is psychosis, it's not resolved by just letting it go. If it is more extreme PTSD hypervigelence, then there could be some value in learning to let it go, but this seems different than that.

BPD doesn't usually include on-going paranoia and delusions. It could maybe be BPD with psychotic features?

It could also be that he is somehow abusing drugs again, or suffering effects from past drug abuse.

 

[Ehu]

I think it's imperative that he gets additional help.

It sounds like there's a paranoia component.

It sounds like there's also an element of psychosis.

As to the actual diagnosis, nobody can tell you.

He's violent so I fear for your well being. He may not be hurting you right now, but all bets are off if he slips into full psychosis in your presence, especially since he breaks things a lot. If he mistakes you for one of the bad guys, who knows what could happen.

Be safe.

 

[Hadet]

I had a good friend go here and it just broke my heart. Dammit! Damn damn motherf*cking cocksucking feet pue tan, voila merde! Aaaaaaargh. Because short of picking them up and shaking them to see if some kind of sense rattles loose (not recommended, no matter how much desired) there's just not a lot one can do. Sanity has left the building, and we've just hit the skids of pure paranoia on its way to meet up with psychosis.

That's not where my paranoia goes, and my crazy takes an entirely different shape (berserker, wrath, pure unabridged pain) but I've hit madness before... And it ain't pretty. No matter what direction it takes. Out of your damn mind with rage, grief, fear, paranoia... Doesn't really matter which or what. You're out of your damn mind.

Someone hits this stage? They need help that is used to & more than capable of dealing with it...because anyone else is going to get hurt.

Just my experience.

 

[Bapade]

Thanks so much for all your advice guys! Very much appreciated and really good to know there's so much support out there :)

 

[Lefub]

This is beyond paranoia. He sounds Bipolar.