My brother's behaviour

Rockporkchop

It sounds just like my cousin. He smoked skunk throughout his uni years and then suddenly went completely weird with just the odd moment of complete lucidity (usually when he was speaking to the doctor or psychiatrist). He became obsessed with becoming a monk and started to visit all the monasteries in the country asking if they had any vacancies. He applied to become a coach for the FA and started stalking the place when they politely turned him down. He started playing the guitar and became convinced that he was Jimi Hendrix reincarnated. He had no concept of night and day at all and seemed constantly spaced out all the time.

Anyway, first the doctor said it was depression but the anti ds didn't have any effect. Then a specialist diagnosed him with Aspergers and the medication for this seems to have worked. There does seem to be a very loose link between people who abused drugs in their youth and people who are diagnosed with Aspergers in adulthood.

I really hope that he does manage to get sorted out, it must be awful for you all living in the same house as him.

Errata

We also asked him why he took the sword out of the cupboard later on, and he didn't seem to remember, just stared at us blankly and said "dunno

If, as others have suggested, he may be psychotic GET RID OF THE SWORD.

belfastgirl23

This is a mental health issue of some sort and no one on here is likely to be able to help you with a diagnosis of what type. You need to get back on to your GP and explain his symptoms and ask for help. MIND is also a very good suggestion.

You and your family can't deal with this alone, call for help!

JBD

I would agree this is a mental health issue. I have a tiny bit of experience in this area ,personally I would try and get a full assessment for your brother. Personally I would not be fobbed off with being told it is his drug usage, to me it sounds a little bit more than this.

ellies_angel

I would agree with JBD, I don't think this is down to drugs, and its all too easy to blame drugs.
I also think you should get rid of the sword, for yours, your families and your brothers safety.
This isn't normal behaviour. It isn't rational. Someone driving a car without a lience because they have to get there, wouldn't indicate a mental health problem, but someone who is convinced that they can just turn up at Uni at night to sit an exam they missed and not think theres anything wrong with it. Thats not normal behaviour.
It could be anything and I could speculate till the cows come home but you know its not right, your mum knows its not right, so what you need to do is find the support to help him.
Some of the charitys, support groups can be more helpful than your GP because they have more knowledge and experience. Please contact them to get the support you need.
Good luck

rocketdog_2

Rockporkchop wrote: »

There does seem to be a very loose link between people who abused drugs in their youth and people who are diagnosed with Aspergers in adulthood.
.

Aspergers is a type of autism - you can't just develop it.

emma_spaghetti

Hi all thanks for the replies, they've been really helpful!

Glad to say the sword is now gone, I have no idea why he bought it in the first place. Last night when he referred to it he was saying "well, it is an art"...(!?)

Zazen999- He wasn't off his face on drugs when my mum was trying to take him to the airport, this was at 11am this morning and he'd been asleep until he got woken up at 10. He also hadn't smoked anythng last night because he was with us the entire evening.

RadoJo- We've not spoken to anyone at his Uni, no, we probably should do . We've emailed his tutor to explain the situation with exams, and to find out what they realistically think he should do next with regards to Uni. From what I understand he's failed several modules (he said he didnt turn up to some and so that was a fail in itself), and then he was revising quite often for the resit... The day before the exam he was awake all night and was still awake when I left for work at 7.30. My mum thinks that this has played a huge part in his behaviour- He hasn't been himself for several months but during the last couple of weeks his behaviour has shifted even more. I'm not sure it's a case of reinventing himself- When I question why he did certain things, like last night, he would just stare blankly and not be able to give a reasonable explanation... Sometimes he genuinely didn't remember doing them, like trying to stare me out yesterday.

I spoke to MIND earlier- They said from what I told them he is displaying classic signs of psychosis, and he will need to stop smoking the skunk (however much or however little) as it could just be aggravating the problem. He then needs to go to the GP for a full body assessment and then hoepfully go from there... I'm just worried no one will take us seriously considering he seems to be able to lie his way through the questions he was asked at the hospital yesterday, and also acts as though he is fairly ok, not spurting random sentences out every now and again, smiling and laughing to himself, etc!

foxy-roxy

If he was really stressed at uni, trying to study and felt out of his depth, then it could possibly be a nervous breakdown due to stress.
Such an awful situation, you must feel so helpless and stressed.
Good Luck, i hope you get some answers soon

Errata

I'm just worried no one will take us seriously

If you stress his ownership of a sword, his drug use and bizarre and irrational behaviour they'll sit up and take notice.

tori.k

maybe take a look at boarderline personality disorder.www.nimh.nih.gov