Stress and vitamin deficiency?aggression?

OK, I wish we had a hidden forum here.

My husband has way too much stress from work.  His colour isn't good, he's not getting enough sleep.  He's eating convenience store food mostly, as he's getting home past midnight. (Maybe a bit better than US convenience food, but still..)

The worrying stuff:  he's getting paranoid.  He thinks I'm trying to kill him.  He's also getting aggressive.  He shook me quite hard last weekend.  He's talking about moving back to his parent's house, which makes no sense at all.  They have no room for us, and they're even further out of town.

So.  IF this is a nutrition problem, or an allergy problem.. or something else I can solve with food or exercise.. any advice?

Oh. Geez. Not a doctor, hate to opine...but it does sound worrying. I'd think sleep deprivation before vitamin deficiency. Lack of sleep can do your head in, especially if there are underlying problems.

But you really need to get some advice closer to home.

I think he needs to go see a doctor because these problems can have a medical reason.  Thyroid, other health reasons can cause big behaviour changes.  

But that said, has he recently started drinking a lot more caffeine in an effort to stay awake?  Has he started on any new medication at all, even a few months ago?  

This might have something to do with it, but I would go see a doctor.  My house mate had hypothyroid issues and when he went off his medication he was out of control.

The worrying stuff:  he's getting paranoid.  He thinks I'm trying to kill him.  He's also getting aggressive.  He shook me quite hard last weekend.  He's talking about moving back to his parent's house, which makes no sense at all.  They have no room for us, and they're even further out of town.

This sounds like psychosis to me, which can be brought about or aggravated by sleep deprivation and stress, as well as other factors.

IMO, he needs to see a medical professional who can do a thorough examination and analysis of all possible causes.  His and your health and safety are too important to delay getting a prompt and professional diagnosis.

Good luck and I hope this can be a high priority to be attended to - it's probably the most important thing you and he could do right now.

If he has sleep problems, does he drink a lot of caffeine?  often I notice that people who drink alot of caffinated products can have severe "come downs"

He needs to seek advice from a professional.

Medeira, I don't like the sound of this at all.  Especially since he has shown physical aggression towards you bordering on physical abuse.  Please, please get him to a doctor very soon.  Also is there a friend or family member you can trust to confide in?  It's a lot to have on your shoulders alone.

I agree, Andee.  It's not something that you are going to be able to 'fix' on your own. 

It could be an infection. Can you take his temperature? If he's getting aggressive and it's not his normal behaviour, please take him to the doctor.

Diet and sleep deprivation can contribute to mood swings and such.  I've never heard of it causing a person to become paranoid and think his partner is trying to kill him.  As others have said, this is a very worrying symptom.  I hope that you can convince him to see a doctor, for his wellbeing and for yours.  Take care.

I've never heard of it causing a person to become paranoid

My hubby did not sleep for nearly 5 days in a row for various reasons a few years ago, and although I don't think it causes paranoia, I certainly think it can fuel a underlying problem and people can become very jumpy.

This sounds like psychosis to me, which can be brought about or aggravated by sleep deprivation and stress, as well as other factors.

This is what I was thinking.  Get him help and take care of yourself.

Thanks, all.  No luck getting him to a doctor, but his mom is taking him to a Buddhist monk or something today.  (Some of this stuff I think is coming from his parents..) I do have places to go if his behavior escalates, and I have my own money now.  And friends in the police department.

I did read something about stress causing B vitamin deficiencies, but yeah, this may be more than a few pills and better food can fix.

I did read something about stress causing B vitamin deficiencies, but yeah, this may be more than a few pills and better food can fix.

I believe it's more that a vitamin B deficiency can be linked to depressed mood/feelings of depression (only as one of many possible causes).  I take B complex vitamins every day and I do notice a difference in my mood if I forget.

Depression and psychosis are not the same thing.  When he does see a doctor, I hope you get one who is more clued up than one that my friend went to last year.  That doctor told her he had to ask her a list of 10 questions in order to tick an NHS rules box, and she only ticked off 3 of the 10 signs of depression, so he sent her away saying she wasn't depressed and just to get on with it.  But those 3 questions did indicate she was suffering from psychosis and he missed that.  This misdiagnosis could have resulted in her committing suicide, as she was feeling suicidal at the time (which is one possible manifestation of psychosis).  Fortunately she is better now, but no thanks to that doctor.

My point is, please be careful, even once professional medical attention is secured, in case you encounter something similar.

Thanks, all.  No luck getting him to a doctor, but his mom is taking him to a Buddhist monk or something today.  (Some of this stuff I think is coming from his parents..) I do have places to go if his behavior escalates, and I have my own money now.  And friends in the police department.

I did read something about stress causing B vitamin deficiencies, but yeah, this may be more than a few pills and better food can fix.

I'm really glad to hear that you have some safety net features set into place -- your own money, friends who can help, somewhere to go. These will be vital until whatever's going on with your man can be resolved, which I desperately hope for you both that they can.

I believe my ex had a problem along the same lines. I even think I myself have something like this going on -- although I'm also entering menopause and it's hard to tell anymore the difference between hormonal fluctuation, sleep deprivation (which I chronically have), bad nutrition or plain old going crazy/psychotic, lol. I may be all these things, hah.

But I suspect that my ex was too. (Well except for menopause.)

He displayed unreasonable behavior -- we once had a terrible fight in which he was screaming "Stop shouting at me!" over and over....when, for once!, this time I had actually been talking deliberately quietly and kindly in an effort NOT to let it become an argument....When someone thinks you are shouting and screaming when in fact you were being gentle and almost whispering, there is clearly something going very wrong with their perception. This and other things made me see that he was having problems mentally that even he didn't seem to realize.

I had to get out under unprepared circumstances and it was hell -- I'm relieved that you are ready to take action if things escalate unexpectedly before your partner can get help. Please try to get him to see someone. Mental illness is so hard to separate from common-or-garden jerk-ness, and it is poorly understood or given compassion for, by both the sufferer and the people around them.

If my ex had faced up to possibly having these problems we might have been able to stay together and work through them, and the same goes for me, if he had seen perhaps I'm also having problems along these lines, and to hang in there for me. But nope.

Please get him help somehow someway so that you guys don't have to go the worst "place" in all this; I wish you the very best in everything; hang in there.

Yay, he's on his way to a doctor right now.  His mom finally agreed there was something odd going on, so off goes the obedient son.. argh, of course everyone just ignored me.

Other symptoms I forgot to mention: weight loss, about 30 pounds.  Slight but constant headaches.  Inability to concentrate, or understand new concepts.  Facial tics, but those are probably not important. 

So, hoping the tests find something easily treatable.