My friend is talking about harming others/ suicide etc

[fluxy]

Im not sure how to write this but here goes.


I have a friend with mild schizophrenia, who is on respiridone. Hes not a very smart guy, or fun, or really much of a friend at all anymore, but we do drugs together and thats the only thing we have in common. lately ive been staying at his place becuase i got no money. And i realise just how fucked up he is. He criticises everything and constantly blames God for everything, and the stuff he says to God , im surprised a lightning bolt hasnt hit his ass. he wants many people dead, and hates all women because he cant get laid. he doesnt kill himself because hes scared of hell but im getting worried because the other day he king hit me over something he heard in his head. its really amped up a notch and i dont know what to do. he belongs in a psyche ward, but he is so paranoid about it that it will never happen. If he was a little smarter, im sure he would of hurt a lot of people by now. hes got an growing opiate addiction, and he doesnt realise how bad it is. hes seen me go thru horrible spewing withdrawals, and says hell never get that bad but he is way past that. I dont know what to do, becuase this feels like the sort of period where ill think in acouple of months after he does something really bad (like kill kimself or others) that i should have seen the warning signs and done something. The trouble is he thinks hes completely sane and everyone else is the problem. even bring up the subject and you have to apologise so much toi get him back to normal..... what the fuck do i do? what can i do?

any advice well welcomed please help

 

[panic in paradise]

i dont think there is much you can do.

if you tried, im afraid youd wind up going through a lot of emotional trauma, or physichal. i could just imagine him finaly saying yes, i need to go get help, after a month or two - and then thinking youre up to something and bailing.

how much do you want to give to this person? you could leave and contact his psych...if you really truely believe after living with the guy, that he is actualy capable of these things, then for his sake, yours and some one elses, finding somewhere else to go and contacting his psych would be my choice.

i hope something works out soon.

 

[Sweet P]

If he's a danger to himself or others, you should probably call the cops and get him sectioned (involuntarily committed) into a psych ward/hospital. I've had that happen to me multiple times and it isn't fun, but sometimes it's for the person's own good.

 

[n3ophy7e]

Wow fluxy, this is a really tough situation. I can understand that you want to help him because he's your friend, but it sounds like it's gotten to the stage where anything you try to do to help him will be completely futile. I think it's in your best interests, and his, to get someone else involved who can actually help him. Like PIP and Sweet P have suggested, contact his psychatrist, or perhaps tell his parents your concerns and let them deal with it, or if you believe that he is an immediate threat to others or himself, please call the police.

Like I said though, I can totally appreciate that you want to help him yourself, but there's a good chance you could be placing yourself at an unnecessary risk.

Let us know how it goes okay? Take care

 

[hyroller]

i'd be hitting up some other friends to see if you could stay at their place, too....

 

[panic in paradise]

he should get help for his psychiatric condotion, and thats not going to happen in jail.

if there are drugs about, annnd if hed react the same way i would/have in such a state, yeah off to the rubber-room,,, then into population until court.


i would be hesitant to rouse that up.... no real help there, unless he already did something, then well.

 

[jsnake]

Wow, this really sounds like my friend from the past in the future. If he's already socked you one, fuck dude, you wouldn't be much safer in a dumpster next to a random hobo . <a little bit of sensitivity doesn't go astray when discussing people with psychological disorders, they are people too > are really unpredictable. He's not the kind of person who follows through with a lot of the shit that comes out his mouth is he? If you notice he looks at you funny, starts acting paranoid, anything that suggests he might think you mean him harm, I'd really be careful dude. Was he on the hooch when he got diagnosed? Opiate withdrawal sure as fuck won't help his paranoia.
About calling the cops or institution, if you think he's likely to get let out anytime soon, I wouldn't go there. Nothing worse than having some derelict junky after you. All I can say is, these kind of cases are hopeless, they're beyond help when they won't admit they're out of touch with reality. The bloke in my head is actually proud of being skitz, he wears it like a badge.
Get out as soon as you can. For your sake.

 

[Free]

how much do you want to give to this person? you could leave and contact his psych...if you really truely believe after living with the guy, that he is actualy capable of these things, then for his sake, yours and some one elses, finding somewhere else to go and contacting his psych would be my choice.

i hope something works out soon.

took the words right out of my mouth

 

[graugeist]

Talking about committing suicide and harming other people is reason enough to have him forcibly committed. All you need to do is call the cops/call an ambulance and tell them that he's schizophrenic, he's suicidal, he's talking about harming other people, he's harmed you (hitting you) over what he's hearing inside of his head, and hope for the best. I would also advise you to remove yourself from that situation. Don't be around him when he's this sick. I know you say you are broke, but you have no idea what he'll do to you if he keeps using drugs and remains out of treatment. This is probably the best thing for him. He won't think so, you're probably iffy about it, but I know if I got that bad I'd rather get proper treatment at a short-term care facility than keep spiraling down.

Usually, from my experience, schizophrenics are just confused, paranoid, and are more afraid of you than you should be of them. I have rarely seen a schizophrenic become violent... unless a lot of drugs were involved.

 

[seducedsoul]

He needs MUCH better management.
There's a chance he could be on the complete wrong medication or dose, and it's making his life a living hell for himself, and he really is nothing more dangerous than anyone else. First and foremost, his psych and any doctors he works with should be notified.
And you are absolutely right to be concerned... We all have "gut feelings", you coming here and asking about this is a sure sign that you shouldn't just let this go. But I don't advise that you lead the "get him help" operation any further than just lightly swaying things in the proper direction if no one else is gonna take any initiative. THEN step back.

Actually, I think alot of the replies were perfect, and the post right above me [graugeist] is everything I'd want to say, but million times better!

 

[Wizzle]

After his jail term he went to a mental health facility because he wanted to make a change supposedly. That didn't stop him from using drugs though. This dude was seriously bipolar and/or BPD and also had antisocial traits. I have seen him go into psychosis once when he was on coke an alcohol (might have been a manic episode).

To be honest, even though there are mental issues some people should just be left for authorities to deal with. I don't see this friend anymore because he will only end up hurting me by hurting himself and others. I advise you to do the same if he doesn't change.

So my advice is definitely get out of that house! Have the guy comitted or just let him fend for himself. Comitting him might get you in trouble later if he really is dangerous.

 

[Uhh]

I used to run with such a dude. He since overdosed and died.

I don't believe he'll be dangerous if you get out of there. Get him committed, it doesn't sound like he has his shit together enough to exact sinister revenge for trying to get him help anyway.

 

[fluxy]

getting my friend help the next step

thanks so much guys and gals for your words, that was more than i could of wished for.

Just some quick updates:

Im not living with him anymore, but i do have to get my stuff back and pay him back some money ( no small amount either, so i bet thats stewing in his head right now, but injust dont have the cash)

I wont get into thanking each indivdual names but thankyou and heres some replies,

I know that to help him would require basically my attention and energy and resources 24/7, and im an addict myself up shit creek, so automatically theres not much i can do. But like i said hes a time bomb.

I thought it was only me that he would act SO crazy around because he knows he can get away with it from me after so many years.

But after the other night, When there were 3 of us there, and he starts with his usual rants, Something like see a nice looking girl onTV and say "what a stuck up bitch, all the girls here deserve to be tortured to death, if i ever had a bomb id kill them all and i would be so happy, and then everyone would come celebrating with me because i finally solved all the worlds problems.... and dont tell me im crazy or ill fuck you up. I dead serious man, all i need is a fucking bomb" and that was just one of 100's of quips, and by no means the worst.

After a while of this we all confronted him and told him that if he wanted to stay out of the psyche ward you better start thinking before you speak. Actually i think he lacks that ability, he has very little notion of saying stuff in social context.

yeah Neo,

its gone pas the stage where i can help him, i mean we can make progress, but all is lost within the time it takes him to think of another ngative thought. He was a chronic weed smoker, but not for 6 years (heads up smokers!!!)

Right now he lives with his mum, who basically supports him.

Im worried that when he loses his job and realises that his got a massive habit (hes in mega denial about this, despite wrting it all out for him) and goes into withdrawals that hell do something really stupid, or that it will be the straw that breaks the camels back.

I think what ill do i ring up a psychiatric helpline in sydney (any suggestions people?) and ask for the options availiable in my area. Because im an addict, im thiking that it will be like getting help for an addict right? you cant force anyone to do anything, and even if you did it wont help the moment you turn your back or set free hell be back to normal (crazy) if that makes sense?

so to seduced soul, how should i start the process and in what way should i stand back?
Cause if he ever got a hint that im thinking of putting him in the psyche ward it would be a disaster. On the other hand im the only friend he has totally burnt and weirded out. (tho ive learned to bend and not break over this stuff after a year of rehab and years of recovery...