Very worried about my brother - *updated 30th May...*

tori.k

dont jump into the idea of sectioning it will more than likely make things worse, most on here know that i lost my best friend back in Feb, what they dont know was that she was in the Care of a local mental hospital, she got a lot worse scared of "the fruitcakes" that she gave up on the system and hung herself while she was supposed to be watched for her own safty.......
you need to get him to your GP and to see a CPN to sort med's then be able to sort thru any problems after he has come down...
he has been living wild and caging him before he is ready will make matter's 10 x worse
it does sound like psychosis of one sort or another and be prepared because it will take weeks before even the med's show any change.
i know its hard but you and your sister have to look after yourselves in all this,
maybe tell him you found this great site and been looking into him being able to claim more money (maybe DLA) but he would have to see the GP and be totally honest with him and take it from there,
best of luck

RAS

Hi love

How are things this morning? Can you get hold of your local crisis team (possibly through NHS direct or the out of hours service. The fact that your brother is talking about "if he is alive..." means that he needs assessing.

It may well be possible to treat the psychosis in the community (certainly they did with one of my relatives), but his accomodation situation is a problem.

If he goes on anti-psychotics it will take a week - 10 days for the thoughts to subside and there may be other side effects which need monitoring (in the case above anxiety).

ailuro2

Don't humour him by 'testing' his psychic powers, or by agreeing that the people who are after him are real.

He is in serious need of medical help - as I said on page 1 - and it goes against the rules here to give medical advice - but from everything you've said he sounds like he has schizophrenia. Voices in his head and thinking poeople are out to get him, and also having special powers/being smarter than others is pretty typical too.

I have someone in my family with this who lives a quiet and settled life now he has found the right medication - in his younger years he 'suffered' with his illness, was a bit of a wanderer, made some bad decisions etc.

Please encourage your borther to get help - suggest that the hospital would be a secure place for him - lots of CCTV, nurses etc to look out for him while he is working on coming to terms with his condition.

My family member gave us a little fact sheet on schizophrenia to help us understand it better - it was very simply explained and quite reassuring (e.g. we didn't know that some people only ever have one episode and it never comes back!) Maybe you could find something like this and pass it on to your brother as a way of approaching telling him you think he may have a mental illness.

Good Luck, I hope you manage to get some help for him very soon.

Odette

You definatly need some help, your brother is clearly experiencing strong psychosis and it seems to be getting worse. Dont put this off, call NHS direct or someone you can speak to TODAY.

I wish everyone with mental problems had a support network as willing and eager to help as you; stay strong.

JEMJAR

Freakyogre, I know this is a very difficult situation to be in but reading this reminds me so much of my mum about ten years ago. She was acting strange for years but we just got on with until she finally had an episode similar to your brothers. People were talking to her through the tv and she thought she was god and had special powers etc. We tried to get help from gp who was absolutely useless and eventually we had to have her sectioned by getting the police to arrest her. It was awful but she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder (manic depression) and after a few hard months of getting the right treatment she was sent home. She has had a few bad spells but none as bad as before and she is managing brilliantly. I would suggest you fight to get him treated now. It can be difficult but once he has been diagnosed he should get the help and treatment he need and your family should get some support. I really hope your brother and you and your family get the help you need and he gets well.

gabyjane

I hope my sister doesn't mind me replying to this as know she is on her way home from mine now but just wanted to say thanks for the replies.
Things took a turn for the worst tonight after he had spent the day with us, we had lovely day but he was very very quiet..after him and my sister leaving here she returned to mine without him..i asked if everything was ok and she burst into tears and said he had asked to be dropped off at a place where he goes but is a place people commit suicide at times, a place he told me he would do it and she hadn't thought and was worried. (tbh ive dropped him here lots of times and its not uncommon) we got straight in the car and headed up there and walked towards where she had watched him go..we got to a part and spotted him and he was over a wall on the cliff edge and moving around..we stayed back and watched while i rung his phone but he wouldn't answer so i rung my dh who is in the police part time and asked him to get the police up there..
we sat there dreading the next few mins and they turned up very quickly..2 officers went over to him while we were taken out of sight. He was spoken to by the 2 officers and came over the right side of the wall no probs and taken away.
I have rung the police and am awaiting a call from the hospital as he has been taken straight in..the police have called and said he is in 'very good form' which is good but hope they see through this.
I am sure my sister will update some more and sis i am really sorry if i have upset you having read through this, i'm crying writing it but felt i should add...im glad he is 'safe' but feel like iv'e lost him...

CelticStar

Edit: cross posted and advice is now out of date.

creased-leach

Thanks for the update GJ.

He's in the best place right now. Seeing someone you love go into a mental health unit can feel like a bereavement. However, hopefully in time you'l regain more of your brother than you've known for sometime.


:kisses3:

gabyjane

CelticStar wrote: »

I don't think I can write this any more plainly - your brother is mentally ill and needs professional help. You are not helping by arguing with him about his psychosis or by trying to apply normal logic to his fears or behaviour. His condition is getting worse and you need to get proper help to make sure that it doesn't degenerate further.

Good luck to you and to your brother.

Assuming you havent read my latest post i have updated the situation. If you have that is a very inappropriate post at this time.

anguk

I know it must be very difficult for you at the moment but please don't think that you've lost him, this may be the beginning of getting him back. Hopefully now he can get the specialist help that he needs to get better.