Please help - friend in serious trouble and I don't know what to do...

Hello to everyone, thanks for clicking on my post, I'm really hoping someone here has a bit of knowledge that can help my friend.
My friend has been in the rave scene and taking drugs for a little over two years, and has been known to go pretty hard almost every weekend. However, in the past few months, like many of my other friends, he's found that smoking ice has beencausing paranoia, and took a break for a few weeks. Last weekend marked the end of his break, and he went out for a friends birthday. He was careful to stay away from the ice as he wanted to stay in control of his mind and thoughts, however...
I spoke to him Saturday night, and i have never been so upset or scared in my life. He was ranting like a mad-man, convinced that we were all out to "get him", and telling me how all night people were playing jokes on him and whispering about him. He even stated that he KNEW it was because we all wanted him dead. He was convinced a line of K he was shouted was crushed up ice that we gave him "just to make him get paranoid" when we knew he was trying to stay away from it, and was certain that MD pills he consumed over the night were poison we were trying to give him. i couldn't talk any sense into him as he thought I was in on it all too, so I told him to go to bed and call me in the morning. Obviously none of the above happened, as it ws only his closest friends out with him, yet I've never seen anyone flip out so heavily on the supposed "safer" drugs - all he consumed was MDMA and a small dose of G, and possibly a little speed although I don't think he had any.
Can anyone throw any light on, or make any suggestions as to why this has happened to such a stable and collected person?
Also, I spoke to him the next day and he was still in the same frame of mind, he hung up on me when i tried to tell him that I loved him... He also said he had been vomiting blood all day - what could this be from? The stress of the paranoia?
Please help bluelight, this guy i such a beautiful person, and it is killing me to see him like this. However, without knowing the cause, there is no way i can help, or at least help to prevent it happening again. Could it be a psychological problem NOT caused by the drugs or going out all night?
HELP HELP HELP!!!
Thanks...

he needs a break off everything by the sounds of it to clear his head. ESPECIALLY the crystal. that stuff, as you've seen first hand sends even the most switched on person into paraoia if abused enough.
moderation, moderation, moderation. the key it is.

oh, and help him through the ordeal. if it gets worse get proffesional help somehow or talk to his parents.

give him a hug. tell him u love him and would never hurt him. But make sure that he understands that he does need a SERIOUS break. like... im talking big, long and painful... but its the only way to sort this shit out... and make sure u speak often, and hang out... even if its just randomly going for coffee one arvo or whatever... Its oing to be a hell of a lot easir on him if hes got ppl around.

girragundji: Would you like me to send this to The Dark Side forum, or are you happy to have the Aus Discussion crew for your audience? I don't mind either way, just wanted you to have the option.

BigTrancer

^^^^^ look who's in a good mood.
did you get laid today BT?

Do you think your friend is at risk of harming himself or someone else? Thats probably the most important question to consider before deciding what you should do.

If this was just a one off episode related to the drugs, it should have subsided by now (providing he hasn't taken anything else). If his level of paranoia etc continues like you described on the weekend, you might want to consider taking it further.

If he's psychotic he might need professional help. Maybe call your Alcohol and Drug Information Service on 1800 422 599. They should be able to refer you to an appropriate mental health service.

Good luck

I've never seen anyone flip out so heavily on the supposed "safer" drugs - all he consumed was MDMA and a small dose of G, and possibly a little speed although I don't think he had any.

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MDMA can cause psychosis, as can most recreational drugs. You also said he had ketamine - it too can cause psychotic symptoms.

It sounds like your friend is currently psychotic - he is having paranoid delusions, which are probably triggered by his drug use. He may have a pre-existing tendency to mental illness, which has been brought out by heavy drug use. Or, he may be suffering a psychosis caused solely by drug use. Anyway, he needs to abstain from drugs for a good while (preferably permanently), and look after his overall mental health (ie: plenty of sleep, rest, reduce stress etc). If he can't do this and remains unwell, encourage him to see a Dr - offer to go there with him. If this makes him more paranoid (which it might) you may have to back off yourselves, but seek professional asistance. You can look up your local mental health community team here and they could give you some advice. If your friend becomes potentially violent to himself or others, you may have to call the police.
I will add more when I have more time.

Can anyone throw any light on, or make any suggestions as to why this has happened to such a stable and collected person?

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Because this is what drugs can do! It doesn't matter whether you are "stable and collected", if you do enough drugs there is potential for a psychotic episode. And as for him having "safer' drugs, safer than what? All recreational drugs have numerous associated risks, and symptoms of mental illness is just one of the risks.

He also said he had been vomiting blood all day - what could this be from? The stress of the paranoia?

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Possibly, or he may not be vomiting blood at all, rather this may be another delusion.

Could it be a psychological problem NOT caused by the drugs or going out all night?

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His drug use has definitely been a major contributing factor in this. As I said before, he may have had a tendency towards mental illness, or he may not (there is no way of knowing for sure).

If your friend is not recovering as the drugs wear off, then he really needs professional help, as it would suggest this is more than just a drug induced psychosis. Other than trying to get him to a Dr or mental health professional, all you can do is try to reassure him and stay calm and cool with him. From the sounds of it, his delusions are very fixed, and I think professional help is the only thing that will really help him recover. Good luck.

convince him to stop taking drugs (at least for a few months) and (possibly) get him help. act now.

GHB

GHB, one of the worse house drugs invented. Modified paint stripper for short, that can sometimes thin the walls of your stomach, resulting in vomiting of a little blood. Please stay with him, get his friends around him etc, and make sure he stays clear of the drugs for a while. ICE is a killer, go out, get a beer etc, just keep him active. Let us all know how it goes. It happened to one of my friends a few weeks ago from to many pills and to much chemically sprayed pot. Stick with it

girragundji said:

... all he consumed was MDMA and a small dose of G, and possibly a little speed although I don't think he had any....

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Speed is basically just ice (meth), crushed up and cut. Maybe this is what caused his reaction?

But i do agree with everyone else, this guy need to lay off.

Re: GHB



ghb is *not* "modified paint stripper". i guess you're referring to 1,4b. though what this guy consumed was most likely 1,4b, it still doesn't help to spread false comments about ghb on a website that is supposed to educate drug users. ghb faq here: http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=80348&r=0

oh, and shorza: ice isn't always meth, afaik. 4-mar (someone correct me if i'm a little off, i'm totally unsure of the name here) is also commonly referred to as ice...

this is why drug nicknames sux0r

(disclaimer: this isn't a personal attack on either of you two posters, so don't take it that way. just trying to correct the things you've gotten wrong!)

Re: Re: GHB

ghb is *not* "modified paint stripper". i guess you're referring to 1,4b. though what this guy consumed was most likely 1,4b, it still doesn't help to spread false comments about ghb on a website that is supposed to educate drug users. ghb faq here: http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=80348&r=0

fair call indeed, i was referring to 1,4b because i was under the impression that the true form of GHB is not available in AUST, what is available here is 1,4b which is passed off as GHB??????

^^^ ghb can be gotten in australia, it's just very difficult (), so you are right in saying that most 1,4b - here - is passed off as ghb (though they're not the same) - it's an unfortunate situation...

Terminology aside, sounds like the guy had a serious episode. I hope he seeks some help soon.

BigTrancer

How's he going girragundji?

how do u tell the diff between GHB and 1, 4b ?? (ok so im totally off topic..)

^ Please try searching... the differences are clearly spelt out in lots of threads dedicated to that discussion topic.

BigTrancer

At my guess it's not so much the K if it even was, i have seen on many occasions people skitz out from ice. You just gota keep him away from it, go to his parents if needed and get some profesional help like other people have said, it can lead to anything if it goes on for too long, probably the worst being suicide.