Sarah described her family's experience with her son's early signs of psychosis, recalling on June 22 that while on vacation, he insisted someone had put broken glass in his bed and saw faces in everyday objects. Her son, Matt, was 16 at the time and began displaying paranoid behaviors such as watching for cars or people who might be following him. Sarah said, “It was the most terrifying time of our lives. My husband and I didn’t know if he was going to get stuck in this scared, paranoid place.”
Matt and Sarah (not their real names) shared their story to illustrate how early intervention made a difference. Matt began healing through the Early Psychosis Intervention Center (EPICENTER), an outpatient program at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center designed for young people experiencing psychosis or those at risk.
Both chose not to use their real names to protect Matt from stereotypes about psychosis. People experiencing symptoms such as hearing or seeing things others do not, or holding false beliefs like being targeted or having special powers, are sometimes perceived as frightening or dangerous.
Ohio State Health and Discovery addresses societal issues such as health equity and substance use by promoting inclusive well-being; it includes hospitals and outpatient facilities within its academic medical center, seeks to advance health locally and globally through research, education, patient care and community involvement, extends efforts to improve health across Ohio and worldwide, offers resources on wellness, research advances and community initiatives, and focuses on health care, research, and education, according to the official website.
The EPICENTER’s approach is part of broader efforts by Ohio State Health and Discovery to provide support for mental health conditions while working toward greater public understanding.
