(Jan. 22, 2016) My son, WG, was a happy, talkative, sweet, and focused boy. He was very outgoing and popular in school. His classmates would have described him as the class clown; a real leader. He showed so much promise.
WG suffered his first obvious psychotic break during class in the seventh grade. He had rolled up in a ball under his desk. His teacher held him in her arms as he cried uncontrollably. He doesn’t remember the incident.
Our family continues to seek help for WG. When he was in grammar school we went to weekly psychiatrist appointments, but they didn’t seem to help. The psychiatrist was reluctant to diagnosis him because he was under eighteen.
Over twenty years later, my son has still never been given a formal diagnosis. We suspect he is dual diagnostic: he suffers from schizophrenia and depression, as well as drugs and alcohol abuse. Everyone can see that my son is sick, except him.
Since WG does not believe he is sick, he refuses to take any prescribed medication. He says he doesn’t need treatment and that he will heal himself. He doesn’t have insight into his situation and doesn’t understand the cause and effect of his actions. He thinks he’s fine and everyone one else is crazy. I now know that there is a term for this – anosognosia – and that scientific evidence from brain scans show that the condition is not his fault.
The police have been called many, many times since WG was 15 years old as a result of his illness. He is seemingly unable to follow the rules, exhibits defiant behavior, and self-medicates with drugs and alcohol. Now, at age 32, my son sleeps most of the day and continues to struggle with substance abuse issues. He has few friends and is very sad and lonely. He says he hates his family and has hinted at suicide. Everything is getting worse by the day for my son. He needs help NOW before he dies.
On February 2, the Marin County Board of Supervisors will vote on whether or not to implement Laura’s Law. This legislation is the help my son needs; the help all of our loved ones with severe mental illness needs. Unfortunately, the people who should be helping my son have said they can’t help him unless he agrees to treatment. They are waiting until he decides to seek treatment voluntarily, but he can’t due to his anosognosia. After decades of watching him spiral out of control, I can tell you that day will never come.
Does that mean that my son should be shut out from treatment, left to suffer until he further hurts himself or someone else? That’s what the Marin County Mental Health Board said in its draft resolution about Laura’s Law. But they need to remember who they work for – the Board of Supervisors, and the people of Marin County. They are not doing their jobs if they refuse to treat the sickest of our community.
My son has a right to be protected and treated just like those in the community who aren’t as sick as he is, and I want the Marin County Mental Health Board to acknowledge that!
MARY APPLEGARTH
MARIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
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