Posts by Carl Gray65

feraleagle24 said:Right, I totally blanked on saying this, but the absolute most critical thing is getting your brother started on his medication. Seriously, if you have to, just force the issue and get him admitted to the hospital. You know how the system works—you call 911 and the paramedics, tell them he’s being aggressive toward himself and the family, and that’s usually the only way they'll intervene. It feels terrible, honestly, like such a heavy-handed way to help someone you love, but when the procedure is this broken and disgusting, what else can you do? My own brother ended up in a psychiatric ward in Chicago through that exact process, and he was stuck there for three weeks. But look, it worked. He’s been consistent with his meds ever since. At first, my mom had to watch him like a hawk to make sure he actually took them, but now? It’s just become part of his daily routine.

THANKS...

He finished his carpentry training and actually tried working, but even when he’s on the clock, he can’t seem to stick it out... He’s put on a massive amount of weight because he spends all day sleeping, and honestly, just getting him moving feels like an impossible task... I’m constantly hunting down odd jobs for him, but they usually only last a day or two. Anyone who lays eyes on him just assumes he's lazy, since he's moved so incredibly slow lately, so none of that really leads anywhere... He just spends the entire day stuck in bed, staring at the TV.

It’s a bit of a relief knowing I’m not the only one going through this...

feraleagle24 said:I also live with a brother diagnosed with F20.0, though he stays consistent with his treatment. For us, life is actually pretty peaceful; he has these specific rituals and habits that I don't quite wrap my head around, but he isn't a threat to anyone, including himself. For instance, he hits the sack early, wakes up at dawn, and heads into town for coffee while everyone else is rushing off to work. He’s obsessed with movies—he can watch the same film three times in a single day. He doesn't care for friends, especially people his own age, and he loves his cigarettes... Sometimes I wish things were different, but mostly we just accept him for who he is. It stings a little seeing his peers working jobs or finishing college while he's just lying there watching films, but it is what it is. At the end of the day, the most important thing is that he isn't having psychotic breaks and isn't suffering. Nobody chooses to deal with this kind of illness.

The hardest part is watching him spiral while Mom and I just watch on helplessly......
Such a devastating diagnosis... and I often feel like nobody is truly stepping up to help him......

What you described is honestly terrifying because it hits way too close to home... My brother was always "different" growing up. Neither my younger brother nor I ever really felt that sense of closeness with him because of it. His condition surfaced when he was around 22 or 23, and he’s 30 now. My father also deals with schizophrenia, though his experience is completely different—he manages to function, thankfully, though he hasn't lived with us for 13 years. I’m genuinely scared that I might pass this burden onto my own children... I wouldn't even want them if it meant they had to suffer through this. I plan on talking to my brother's doctor to see what our options are... though I suspect there isn't much choice left other than calling the police to have him taken back to the psychiatric ward. The worst part is how they just sedate him with heavy meds... it's brutal. He’s never going to be able to hold down a job, and I can't just leave my mother alone with him. She shouldn't have to live in constant fear for her own safety...

briskgull27 said:You’re absolutely right. Honestly, nobody in my circle has anything like that. People might be a bit eccentric, sure, but they aren't sick.
I don't even want to have kids because I wouldn't want them to inherit whatever I'm carrying.

It’s terrifying. I live with a brother who has schizophrenia, and when he skips his meds—which is where we are right now—he gets aggressive. We’re all living in constant fear for our lives... honestly, people like him, especially if they can't hold down a job, should be in specialized facilities. Places where they can socialize but also actually stick to their treatment plans and stop being a public health hazard... because my brother specifically isn't "fine" even when he *is* medicated... at least then I'm not fearing for my life... He was hospitalized once after nearly killing my younger brother... and they just let him out after two weeks. And now, suddenly, he's "doing great." Can you believe that? It's easy to say he's fine when he's been heavily sedated for fourteen days... I'd love to see some doctor try living with him for a week before they claim everything is perfectly under control...

I live with my brother, who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia, and he’s completely stopped taking his meds... things are spiraling out of control... last time, he nearly killed our younger brother... we called the police and they took him to the psychiatric ward... he was there for two weeks, then they just let him go because he seemed "fine"???!!!!! now, things have taken an even darker turn... I'm terrified for myself and for Mom... luckily, my younger brother doesn't live here... I honestly don't know what steps to take to get him help???? It feels like he's looking to kill us... I'm just exhausted... I don't have any fight left in me