Q & A Subjects
Q - My 83 year old mother is suffering from very frightening hallucinations at night time. She lives alone, in Brisbane, Australia, but of course is convinced these hallucinations are "real" and has been calling the police quite frequently. She has been given ECT a number of times over the years to treat her clinical depression and is actually on lithium as well. Although she denies it, we are certain she has bipolar disorder, despite the fact that I have never actually known her to become manic - only deeply depressed. As well, she has also suffered from OCD in conjunction with her depression. Living all these miles away in Vancouver, how can I convince her she needs to seek psychiatric help for these hallucinations when she becomes hostile if anyone even hints that the problem is in her mind? Do you know of any neurotherapy practitioners in Brisbane? Thanks for any help you can offer.
A - It is often very difficult to encourage the elderly to pursue treatment. Psychological treatment for some of these folks carries a stigma, they are unfamiliar with the newer therapeutic technologies, and admitting to needing help may open the frightening possibility that they are "losing it." I usually introduce the treatment in the context of optimal performance/peak functioning training. I tell them that as we get older we experience age-related declines in brain efficiency. Fortunately, we have found methods for delaying these declines by applying the same technology that is used by elite athletes. I tell them that the World Cup Soccer champs, the Italian Team, every member of the team did neurotherapy - it was considered their "secret weapon" as reported in the press. I then tell them that an efficient brain, just like an efficient body, has fewer problems so any difficulties she might be experiencing such as poor sleep, low motivation and low energy correct themselves. The conditions that you describe should be treated by an experienced neurotherapist. Unfortunately, I do not know of any certified practitioners in Brisbane. There is a practitioner of general biofeedback (not EEG) listed in NSW but there may be some practitioners in the process of becoming certified. I would contact BCIA (www.BCIA.ORG) by phone and determine if they can recommend a contact person in the area where your mother resides. |
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