Posts by hiddenowl9

He first saw his doctor about ten years ago when he was originally prescribed the medication, back when he was dealing with those intense hallucinations and paranoid thoughts. These days, his parents just check in with his psychiatrist every once in a while to give them an update on how things are going. To be honest, those old symptoms have mostly faded away, leaving him mostly withdrawn and disinterested in things.

I really appreciate all the effort everyone is putting in here, but I can't help feeling that there might be a bit of a gap in understanding what it's actually like to deal with patients like this. It’s hard to convey just how much he refuses to engage with a doctor—he won't talk to them, and he certainly won't listen to anything they have to say. At this point, the parents are the ones handling all the communication with his psychiatrist, so the medical team is fully aware of the situation. We try everything we can to encourage him to seek help himself, but so far, nothing has worked. It isn't a matter of the parents acting as legal guardians because he is perfectly capable of functioning on his own; it's more that he's become incredibly unmotivated, perhaps even a little lazy. He isn't struggling financially, either, so this lack of drive has essentially just become a deeply ingrained lifestyle habit that we haven't been able to break despite our best efforts.

With all due respect to everyone here, I feel like the direction of my thread is being shifted away from what I actually need. I’m looking for genuine help, not just commentary on my situation. I don't think anyone would go through this kind of struggle just for the sake of it; it comes from a place of real desperation, and I'm just trying to find the only solution left to me.

I've had a close friend for years who struggles with what seem to be psychotic episodes, but he refuses any kind of medical treatment and has never actually received a formal diagnosis. In the early days, he dealt with hallucinations and paranoid delusions. His parents eventually reached out for psychiatric help and were given Haldol drops to administer "discreetly." His mother has been mixing about 19 drops into his morning coffee and then roughly 24 drops in the afternoon. Nowadays, he doesn't show any obvious signs of disorganized thinking and seems to function quite well. He generally prefers his own company and sticks to a very set routine. He’s reliable when you can trust him with something, though he lacks any real drive or initiative. He tends to avoid social circles or just stays quiet, but he does talk with family and even enjoys cracking jokes. That said, he rejects any professional medical intervention entirely; it’s simply not an option for him. The main issue we're seeing is that every ten days or so, he enters this state of complete withdrawal and absence where he's totally lost in his own world, moving slowly and becoming unresponsive when you try to talk to him. On those specific days, he smokes much more than usual and becomes restless, pacing around constantly and struggling with insomnia. By the next day, everything returns to normal, and he usually ends up needing a lot of sleep. It might also be worth noting that he occasionally slips a beer into his coffee, which is something he really enjoys whenever he gets the chance.
I'm reaching out to anyone who might have similar life experiences or professional insight to help this 35-year-old guy, his parents, and all of us friends who feel so helpless watching this unfold. Thank you all so much in advance for your kindness and help.

I wanted to check back in with you all since I haven't been able to make it to the doctor yet—I'm just holding out until Monday. I should probably clarify what I meant by that "leakage" I mentioned earlier; it isn't actually pus, but more like a clear fluid caused by the intense inflammation. Honestly, looking at it now, I think the issue might be stemming from my veins rather than the wound itself, which isn't even that large or deep. The real trouble is the redness, the swelling, and how inflamed that whole area around my ankle has become. I tried applying some compresses today, but they don't seem to be doing much to take the edge off. There are moments when I feel this intense pain radiating through my entire right leg, especially concentrated around my foot and ankle. Thank you so much for being so patient with me, though you certainly convinced me that getting professional medical advice is the right move.

Thanks so much. What do you all think about me trying to manage this wound on my own for now? I’ve already started using some Silvercorp Metals /Ag/Silver for these chronic wounds, and I was thinking once things are more under control, I could head in to get those tests you guys recommended. To be honest, I just don't have the energy right now to deal with the surgeon and their whole process of cleaning out the wound—is it absolutely necessary to seek out a surgeon's help immediately, or can I wait? Thanks a million for being so patient and for getting back to me!

You’ve been so kind, and I have to say I was actually a bit surprised to get such a quick response from you. To be honest, I haven't had a DVT screening or a coagulation profile done yet, mostly because no one ever suggested those tests to me. When I saw my doctor last, they just put me on some antibiotics, and the whole experience was really just about managing the intense pain of cleaning and dressing the wound. Do you think it's worth me being proactive and reaching out to a physician to ask for those specific tests?

I really can't thank you enough for being so open and willing to help out. I'm dealing with some redness and what looks like an oozing wound; it isn't particularly deep, but it keeps weeping, and while it looks a lot like a rash, I'm not quite sure if that's actually what it is. Does anyone have recommendations for a good topical treatment? Thanks so much!