# schizophrenia help?



## EphemeralStick (Sep 23, 2013)

This is kind of a personal issue and not directly related to traveling but I do need some advice. For the last couple months my younger brother has begun acting strangely. Back in June he called my dad to pick him up from 3 hours away at 2 in the morning, his speech was frantic and he wasn't making any sense. so we picked him up. hes been living with my grandma since then and things keep getting more bizarre. when questioned about what he's been up to he usually isn't able to answer, and sometimes he'll just pace around shouting nonsense about the universe. At one point my grandmother had to lock herself in her room because he began banging on the walls threatening someone that she thought may have been her. when asked if hes been hearing voice he goes off into a thousand yard stare and either walks away or gets highly defensive.
He also happens to be at that age where schizophrenia begins to develop so we're thinking its a possibility however i'm still not convinced.
Any number of amphetamines and psychedelic drugs can cause one to have a psychotic break, and though he isn't really the type to do those i don't want to rule them out. I'm also very aware that meth can cause schizophrenia episodes and that can be a possible cause as well.
Either way, if he's on drugs or if his brain going out, my parents approach is anything but healthy. for one my dad and his brothers threatened to jump him if he threatens my grandma again. They also want to call the police on him and force him into a psych ward if he acts up again. I told them to hold off and at least give me a chance to talk to him but i have no idea of how to go about it. 
If its drug related there is a good chance he may be comfortable talking to me about it, considering everyone in our family knows my history with drugs. How do I get across to someone who's mind is slipping that i want to help him without being confrontational or triggering some sort episode? any advice is appreciated


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## kokomojoe (Sep 23, 2013)

Look at him and ask him if he's okay. Ask him why he's acting this way. If he refuses, tell him that you want to help him. Tell him how you feel and make sure he knows that it's okay for him to tell you how he feels. I always find myself feeling my sanity slipping and I never know if it's a big deal or something as minuscule as stress. I know I'm not schizophrenic but I can only imagine how it feels.


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## Psi em (Sep 24, 2013)

My uncle smoked something laced with some funny in South Carolina. Whatever it was, he was messed up for good after that one time. Kept going on about the aliens and ghost talking to him. He gets shots for it now... but I think the thing that helps most is a hobbie/interest. Find something for them to obsess over and let them pour into it. For my uncle, it's sports and weather. He's been watching ESPN and weather channel non-stop for more than the past decade. He's still fuggin' crazy, but having the interest/hobby keeps him stable.


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## GinGin (Sep 26, 2013)

As much as i disagree with the mental intitutions system in the U.S. i must say he should either speak to a psychiatrist and psychologist and maybe start some medicine, or perhaps ultimately end up institutionalized. My sistr's baby daddy had episodes like this, and i feel like if they had caught it earlier he wouldn't have gotten so fucked u p by it. The earlier hes on something the better his symptoms will be. ITs honestly a fucked up issue though because even on the meds there still is negative symptoms that come through that you then have to take something else for. Also most meds for schizophrenia and similiar psychotic conditions, usually only releive one set of symptoms. Some take away negative(lack of facial expressions, mutness/poverty of speech...) and some take away positive(hallucinations, delusions, paranoia...), but rarely are there meds that do both. I've been institutionalized before, not for symptoms such as your brothers, but i've had my breaks for periods due to drugs and the situations at hand and it sucks but if he can't talk to someone then hes doomed to fail.I would visit him and talk to him, and see if hell express how he feels and definitly try to ease the situation with your family. As yo know their reaction is probably the worst for someone suffering from schizophrenia, and only will isolate him further. Hope all goes well man, maybe even see if he doesn't weant to visit a psych alone, you can sit in with him to ease and make him more comfortable. Be safe.


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## EphemeralStick (Sep 27, 2013)

thanks for the responses everyone, I'm meeting with him tomorrow to talk things out. He's going to spend the night at my place so I'm going to be keeping an eye on him. Here's to hoping all goes well.


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## Keith2 (Oct 1, 2013)

Just let him be himself, just because people act strange doesn't mean they need people to monitor them and try to control how they act and think. Just allow him to be whatever he is.


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## Endy (Nov 1, 2013)

Schizophrenia and other psychotic episodes can be controlled through medication and therapy. Not that I agree with the way most of these people are treated or the way anti-psychotics are forced down their throat, it is one way. It doesn't have to result in a miserable life or fucked up existence not knowing what's real and not and the disintegration of family relationships. Often the person with the illness isn't aware they have a problem. That's how it was with my brother. We finally got him to agree to see a psychiatrist and just talk, he then agreed to take some Risperdol and after that started to work and he was lucid he was able to see how he had been acting and see how the delusions had hurt his family and friends. He was able to repair most of those relationships and now lives a pretty happy life, married, with a kid.

Not my cup of tea, but he is doing alright and happy. The hardest part is often convincing the person that they should talk to someone. It doesn't even have to be a shrink. It can be clergy, a counselor even someone in an ER. Often times they have the training the convince people to get help.

I'm totally against forcing people to do anything when it comes to drugs or their bodies, but it might be something you can suggest, or someone close to him can suggest.

Of course if he's against it and wants to do his own thing that's totally his choice and should be respected. Just because someone has schizophrenia or another psychotic disorder doesn't mean they should be locked away or drugged to the point of becoming zombies. We don't do that shit to people with diabetes or other chronic illnesses. Mental illness is no different, unless he's causing people serious physical harm or threatening to do so.

Just my 2 cents having lived through similar circumstances and I am not an expert by any means. Hope it works out for him though. Good luck.


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## EphemeralStick (Nov 4, 2013)

Thanks everyone for the advice and well wishes. unfortunately he's bailed on me everytime we've made plans. He's living with some extended family right now, hopefully he'll find some clarity. He's made his point that he doesn't want any help from myself or the rest of us so all I can do is watch this unfold and be supportive if and when he needs me.


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## Desperado Deluxe (Nov 13, 2013)

Maybe its something in his homelife thats getting to him and maybe making him do drugs making it worse. Maybe being in a new environment will help him. I know a family with a few schizophrenic people in it and from what i could tell it was due to problems in the family that incurred instances of manias then later they resorted to drugs(meth) making it worse. then ending up in the mental zoo. Most of the problem was due to the family being uncommunicative. I would talk to your family about it thats whats important its a family issue thing maybe try to figure out what happened that led up to that point. most people overlook that i think and slap their kids on drugs and say problem fixed.


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