Ergot poisoning is thought to have been a cause of the Salem Witch Trials. Ergot poisoning can cause all sorts of issues such as hallucinations. Several fungal infections, on of which is caused by a fungus that grows in rye bread creates alkaloids, one of them being lysergic acid which is used to make LSD.
Any past history of drug use? Any previously unknown psychological trauma? If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say she'd been repressing something for quite some time and got triggered (I hate that term) somehow.
no drug use - she doesn't even drink, not even a drop. No previous psychological trauma either. I'm calling her caseworker tomorrow just for a general update and to clear up a question about her post-release treatment.
Let me first say that, I feel for you. I've been there. I dated a lovely, intelligent, creative woman once who had similar issues. She hid them very well and was quite highly functioning until about three months in when she accused me of being an agent of The Pope sent to spy on her. She was convinced that the Vatican was going to kidnap her at the behest of her ex-husband. She also expressed some crazy ideas about how we're all actually dead and the Government is trying to convince us that we're not all in Purgatory. It came as such a surprise that I thought it was one of those "How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days" things. She ended up running off to Texas to marry some old high school buddy. The divorced a few months in when she began trying to get him to live off the grid so that the authorities (The Pope again perhaps?) wouldn't find her. That being out of the way can you think of any small, odd behavior over the past several months that might indicate that this was a slow build rather than a quick switch? And her tox screens have come back clean?
yes, those definitely fall into "bizarre delusions" territory. Anyone with a lick of sense knows the Dalai Lama runs the international kidnapping cartel!
It also brings to mind the situation an old high school/college buddy of mine is going through. He and his wife had been married for 20 years and then she just seemingly went off the rails into depression and high anxiety. I guess, as a mother with 4 kids and a high profile job, she felt she couldn't show any weakness so she coped by banging a bunch of no-ambition guys on the side. My buddy says that her behavior changed so gradually that he hand't noticed until it was way over the top. With some people, they just bottle shit up until it starts to seep out and then explodes. Maybe your wife has a problem that she felt she couldn't talk about. Maybe she developed a chemical imbalance of some sort. Maybe there's some other exotic cause. I obviously am not qualified to diagnose. But, whatever it is, hang in there and be sure to take care of your own mental health while this is going on.
I would like to say again that I think the previous behaviour you have described in earlier threads does point to a persistent psychological problem. It could really help if you made sure the doctors knew about it.
good point! Maybe those very serious past behaviors (though not seemingly related to mental health) might indicate deeper issues that are now being expressed. I will have to discuss these personal things with her doctors & therapists.
Did she use over counter substances to help with weight control/loss? Or perhaps some "natural" cures for various problems to avoid having to use drugs ? If so be sure the doctors know this.