“We don’t blame our father for our mother’s death; he was sick’

The situation evolved into increasing paranoia: Chris wrongly believed he was being monitored by phone and computer and feared that someone wanted to harm him. He isolates himself, begins to appear more fragile and expresses suicidal thoughts.

“He felt like he had nothing left to offer,” said his son Oliver, now 30.

Chris ended up being diagnosed with psychotic depression and, in July 2022, attempted suicide.

He was admitted and taken to a mental health ward at St James’s Hospital in Portsmouth, run by the UK Public Health Service (NHS). The family thought the hospitalization would last several months.

However, within four weeks, Chris was released and returned home against his family’s wishes. Ruth was “terrified” that her husband would start self-harming again, the inquest heard.

According to Oliver, the fact that they were a loving family ended up working against them, as the team reportedly felt that they “didn’t need to worry as much about him coming home as maybe in other cases.”

“We were given virtually no guidance on what to do or not to do,” Abbie said. “We were just doing what we thought was right and hoping for the best.”

Psychiatrist Denzel Mitchell, a consultant who worked at St James’s Hospital, said the decision to leave the hospital was based mainly on the fact that Chris Stone-Houghton had not self-harmed or had psychotic episodes during his stay.

Coroner Rachel Spearing concluded that while the decision was “appropriate”, the manner in which it was carried out was “dangerous”, with an “inadequate risk assessment”.

Chris had previously refused to take antipsychotic medication at home and had to be persuaded to take it in hospital, a factor that was not properly addressed. According to Spearing, the family also did not receive enough support, despite the responsibility they were given to ensure compliance with treatment.

She said it was “unlikely” Chris was taking medication at the time of death.

The survey also highlighted gaps in access to adequate support. Chris did not receive psychological intervention during his hospitalization because the department did not have a psychologist.

Upon returning home, the community crisis team twice requested that he be referred to early intervention treatment for psychosis, considered the quickest and most effective available, but the requests were refused.

Chris was 66, above the NHS age limit of 65 for this service.

“If he had received that treatment, we don’t know what might have happened,” Oliver said.

Instead, Chris put himself on a year-long waiting list for specialist therapy through psychological counseling.

According to the investigation, it was up to the family to alert the crisis unit if signs of relapse appeared. However, no formal carer assessment was carried out for Ruth, 60, who was responsible for supporting her husband.

On September 14, 2022, Chris killed Ruth at the family home in Portsmouth before taking his own life. Coroner Rachel Spearing concluded he was “probably under the influence of a psychotic episode”.

According to Spearing, the deaths could not have been predicted and Chris and Ruth were a “loving and happy” couple.

Oliver and Abbie said they were “extremely close” as a family and did not hold their father responsible for what happened.

“We both feel it very strongly and we know in our hearts,” Oliver said, “that (our father) would not have been capable of it as a sane, rational person, and that it was the illness that caused events to unfold the way they did.”

“We don’t let this affect the memories we have of both of them,” he added.

In a statement, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust said it offered “its deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Ruth and Chris”.

The agency added that it “has learned from this case, and others, to continually improve how it cares and supports people in mental health crises and their families.”

If you are or know someone experiencing warning signs related to suicide, or if you have lost a loved one to suicide, there are a few places to seek help:

– The Center for the Valorization of Life (CVV), via telephone 188, offers a free 24-hour service; there is also the chat optionsend emails and search for gas stations throughout Brazil;

– For young people aged 13 to 24, Unicef ​​also offers chat He can speak;

– In case of emergency, another recommendation from experts is to call the fire brigade (phone 193) or the military police (phone 190);

– Another possibility is to call the SAMU, at phone 192;

– In the local public network, it is also possible to request help from Psychosocial Reception Centers (CAPS), Basic Health Units (UBS) and 24-hour Emergency Care Units (UPA);

– Also consult the Mental Health Mapwhich helps you find free mental health care throughout Brazil.