Friend showing STRONG signs of paranoid schizophrenia and/or paranoid psychosis.

[Celph Titled]

Has anyone here dealt with anyone close to them that has had paranoid schizophrenia or paranoid psychosis?

So w/o going into much detail, my best friend, for the last few weeks has displayed text book symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia and/or paranoid psychosis.

Thinking I poisoned him, thinking his computer was hacked, thinking people are on his roof, getting rid of his smart phone for an old school flip phone etc. etc.

He stopped talking to me altogether, after I told him he has a serious problem and needed professional help. He has shut out anyone who doesn't support the stories of people on his roof etc. So he doesn't talk to any of my/his friends.

Again without any details, his family hasn't done anything to help since it was brought to their attention.

I have no idea on how to get help for someone who thinks you are out to get them or won't even talk to you. He also lives out of state, making it more difficult to help him and also see what he has been doing since this all started.

Tonight I called some crisis hotline to see what options I had to help him, they said because of his age (over 18) that I couldn't do much.

I guess I just want to see if anyone here might share some info if they have any experience with this.

I'm going to post this to a more appropriate forum as well. I just want to get as many peoples advice as possible.

[UncleDrew]

Serious question...is he on any kind of drugs, sleep deprived, ect.?

[KB]

Serious question...is he on any kind of drugs, sleep deprived, ect.?

That is the first question that needs answered.

The hardest part would be to convince him he needs help, which means getting him to a doctor and it sounds like he may not believe the first doctor he see's from what you described.

From the story it sounds like the best bet would be to have someone video tap the roof of where he lives to show him that no one is up there.

[MGMT]

That is the first question that needs answered.

The hardest part would be to convince him he needs help, which means getting him to a doctor and it sounds like he may not believe the first doctor he see's from what you described.

From the story it sounds like the best bet would be to have someone video tap the roof of where he lives to show him that no one is up there.

My thought exactly - I think until he finds out for sure that there's no one on the roof, he's going to think you're the insane one for disagreeing with him. Or, maybe even so "dude, I'll go up there with you and we can take care of them together."

Like the two cats said, drugs and sleep deprivation are questions that need to be answered asap.

[Bill Walton.]

awesome.

[Celph Titled]

awesome.

What exactly is awesome about any of this?

[Chardon]

I think I saw an episode of Intervention where this kid was so paranoid of everything. He constantly thought people were on his roof.



Hilarious.

[Celph Titled]

Serious question...is he on any kind of drugs, sleep deprived, ect.?

Yeah he was on a cocktail of drugs both prescribed and self prescribed, both legal and illegal . My friends and I all know that is was brought this to light. However, we came to find out that schizophrenia runs in his family.

[Celph Titled]

From the story it sounds like the best bet would be to have someone video tap the roof of where he lives to show him that no one is up there.

He lives in a highrise building, not a house. As I said, he lives in another state as well.

I used logic with him to the point where he couldn't answer questions I was asking him as to how any of this could be true, but he didn't care, it only made him think I was against him.

I think if he did see video of his roof that was filmed at the time when he thought people were up there, he still wouldn't believe it.

[Dave K]

there was a guy similar to this in a building across the street from a place I play shows at.. he was yelling at everyone on the street because he was off his meds.. I told him to shut the fuck up and he said he was coming down with a butchers knife.. next day he apparently randomly punched a bartender in the face and got arrested

SO I think what im trying to say is it will all work out

[Celph Titled]

SO I think what im trying to say is it will all work out

Right, but my goal is for no one to get hurt and for him to stay out of jail.

[Celph Titled]

"dude, I'll go up there with you and we can take care of them together."

I've tried that approach, asking him to get tested for what poison was used on him, rather then say "get tested to see if you were really poisoned."

I tried my hardest to go along with his stories to help him through it but it was actually exhausting.

[Stephen Docking]

Hang with him and set it up to look like he was attempting suicide. Call the ambulance. Automatic 3 day psych review.

[Malt]

Hang with him and set it up to look like he was attempting suicide. Call the ambulance. Automatic 3 day psych review.

That may be the worst advice ever given.

[Richard Dawkins]

You can't reason with a paranoid schizophrenic. What your friend needs right now is support from his family, and from what you've said he's not getting it. Go light a fire under their ass. Your friend is trapped in a sick brain.