Hi Reddit, just wondering if anyone has any advice on how to deal with a paranoid parent? About 3 months ago she started making claims that almost everyone in on her side of the family is trying to poison her so she moved in with me after running away from her sisters house saying that they sent people to kidnap and murder her. She refuses any help so she’s been staying with me for a month she was a little angry the whole time and now a few days ago she’s been accusing/not accusing everyone here of “putting a protein/enzym/capsule” or saying that she’s just not used to having raw salt in her food- non of which makes sense. 

I’m in university and stay with my boyfriends side of the family btw. Anyway I can tell when she’s having an episode as she looks at the food or drink intensely and then smirks? Like ha! I’ve caught you in the act. Anyway I’ve been saying she should prepare her own food, but she insists that she will at least eat the dinner we make but then she sometimes throws a tantrum that the food is burning her mouth, making the veins in her legs hurt and very specific areas like kidneys and liver. The doctor says her health is good though. 

Any advice on how to best approach her? Outside of medication and therapy for now, well at least until we can persuade her to get a brain scan for cancer as the doctor suggested.

Thank youuu