I think my mom has a mental illness, but I am not sure what. She accuses people of stealing her belongings all the time and ends up finding them herself. She doesn’t apologize about it. She would stay up all night looking for things that aren’t in the house But she is convinced it’s hidden and trashes the room to try to find it. She is paranoid and thinks everyone is out to get her. She wasn’t always like this. I don’t know when she started acting this way. How can I help my mom?
USICO Healthcare 
Thank you for your question about your mother
Thank you for contacting me. Let’s consider the possibilities.
These actions fit the definition of Delusional Disorder, though I cannot offer a clear diagnosis as I have not met her. I have prepared a number of excellent links below which I recommend you read slowly to fully understand.
The purpose of reading them is to compare these listed symptoms with those of your mothers.
You may also see possible medications and treatment. Some do not recommend medical treatment, but strongly suggest that the best thing you as the caretaker can do is to understand her behavior and act accordingly.
Please see this article which also includes suggested words you can use with your mother during those difficult times:
https://www.agingcare.com/Articles/hallucinations-delusions-and-paranoia-151513.htm
It is unclear whether their are other pathologies involved, such as dementia, an infection, metabolic disorder, or endocrine disorder. Others may include Alzheimer’s, or schizophrenia.
In order to rule out physiological causes, your mother would need to visit an internal medicine doctor, and to further explore the mental challenges she is having, I would recommend and experienced psychologist or psychiatrist.
Delusional disorder diagnosis requires the patient to have had delusions for at least one month. You may see a list of the required symptoms here:
http://psychcentral.com/disorders/delusional-disorder-symptoms/
Please see this video series. This guy explains it well (4 videos in the series):
Delusional Disorders: Types, Causes, Coping and Treatment
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-2lBvdhN3g
(Part 4 will give you specific strategies)
Links:
Hallucinations, Delusions and Paranoia Related to Dementia
https://www.agingcare.com/Articles/hallucinations-delusions-and-paranoia-151513.htm
Delusional disorder (Medscape)
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/292991-overview
Delusional disorder (Psychology Today)
https://www.psychologytoday.com/conditions/delusional-disorder
Paranoid symptoms among older adults
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/579817
Wikipedia delusional Disorder
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delusional_disorder
Thank you for contacting me. I hope you find some good strategies in order to help your mother.
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