Satish is a 27 year married but separated young man who lives with his parents and a brother in a small village in Guntur district. The family owns half acre of farm land and in addition, leases 4 acres of land, to grow paddy. Satish’s wife has been living with her parents in a different town together with her daughter for the last 2 years. Since then Satish has been living with his parents.
His symptoms started gradually as he started to believe that his own family had conspired against him and his wife and were the reason for his wife’s departure. He became more and more isolated and withdrew himself from his work responsibilities at the farm land. Gradually he stopped eating and drinking as well. In Sept 2010, he was brought to MGICMH, Guntur for assessment and treatment. Satish has been diagnosed to suffer from Paranoid Schizophrenia with paranoid delusions against his family members. He needed 45 days of inpatient care which helped him to gain weight up to 43 KGs from 30 KGs at the time of admission.
Unfortunately, Satish refused to take medication following discharge. Staff at the MGICMH made a home visit to his village (50 kms away from Guntur), but he remained adamant that he did not need medication. Due to this reason he relapsed and needed a second admission in May 2011 again for refusing to eat and drink. He was started on depot antipsychotic during this admission.
It transpired that due to severe loss of weight, his in-laws were suspicious that he may be suffering from AIDS. Social interventions like liaising with his in-laws and educating them with information about Satish’s illness were done. Satish has been discharged to his parental home again with a follow up plan on outpatient basis.
Now Satish has been working in a factory for the last 5 years. His wife eventually joined him. He has been attending hospital on a regular basis.