My dad keeps talking about how my mom just needs more WILLPOWER to be an effective/not paranoid human being, and it's really rubbing me the wrong way, but I just can't explain why. It's really bothering me, because it sounds like he just wants her to will herself back to normal, and I don't think that's possible.
It's rubbing you the wrong way because it demonstrates a fundamental misunderstand of the problem at hand. No amount of willpower by anyone will magically make your mother a less paranoid human being. Treatment might, and sticking with that might require some willpower. But seriously, no one ever said to the guy with the broken leg that he would be able to walk if he had a little bit more willpower.
I don't mind you asking. She's doing better. Still really paranoid/kinda creepy, but she's going to the doctor and taking her meds.
Telling someone they should just will themselves to be mentally healthy is like telling someone who's just broken their arm to use their other arm to put it in a cast. "What??? You didn't break your OTHER arm, so what's the problem?!" "What do you mean, you didn't set the bone properly? You were using your GOOD arm! No excuses!!"
