Posts by Harold Anderson3

Is anyone feeling up for hanging out this weekend? I was thinking it might be nice if we all got together to grab some drinks and just unwind for a bit. 😁

Hannah Edwards12 said:I find myself at a complete loss regarding how to proceed.
Recently, my partner opened up to me, suggesting that he might be dealing with some sort of psychological issue.
He claims he can "hear voices" that are constantly talking about him.
It is difficult for me to take this at face value, frankly, because he is the type of individual who avoids any semblance of hard work and tends to dodge his responsibilities even when he's currently employed. To make matters more complicated, he has a colleague at his job who struggles with depression and is frequently out on medical leave.
He attempted to discuss this with his parents, but they don't seem to take him seriously at all; they argue that ever since he was a child, he has had an overactive imagination and a tendency to "embellish" the truth.
The reality is... life is never dull with him, as I seem to discover something new about this man every single day; he was quite the charmer when we first met, but he has been caught in lies far too many times.
There have also been instances of bizarre behavior and an intense, irrational paranoia regarding other men, which occasionally leaves me wondering if there is an underlying clinical condition at play.
Now, he is insisting on seeking professional treatment, but we are all deeply concerned that if he is simply manufacturing these symptoms, he will end up being handed a diagnosis and a heavy regimen of medication just because he insists he has schizophrenia—given that his grandmother suffered from the same thing. In my more cynical moments, I suspect he is inventing this illness merely to avoid having to work.
Does anyone have any advice?

Based on what she's saying, I think this guy is a very strange individual.

Anyone else up for grabbing a drink tonight?

I’m down, though I do have an appointment at 7:30, so I’ve got about two hours of free time to work with.

Jose Ward4 said:It’s honestly heartbreaking how easy it’s become to just dump someone into a mental health facility or a nursing home. It’s a disgrace. I feel like the world has lost its way; we just don't look after our parents like we used to. Honestly, if things were reversed, you'd probably be looking at an institution yourself. There’s just no way out of this mess. Your mother has lost her mind—likely from the sheer stress of life, though who knows what else. This doesn't happen for no reason. You can't just abandon her. Damn it. The only decent thing left to do is find some kind of care for her. If you can't handle it, maybe reach out to Social Services. Explain the situation to them. Tell them the truth: that your mom is sick, that she’s struggling with mental health issues, and that you simply aren't in a position to provide the care she needs right now. See what they say. They might not have all the answers, but they should at least point you toward the right agency or facility.

Jose, there is a massive difference between offering someone help and being expected to care for them as if they were a small child or someone completely incapacitated, when in reality, they are an adult who should be in their prime working years. My mom is 55, has been retired since she was 35, and currently, her monthly benefits are less than $567. That barely covers her utilities and groceries, let alone the $300-$$133 she spends on cigarettes every month. I personally chip in every single month, matching her entire pension just so she can maintain a decent standard of living. Even if she were in an assisted living facility, I’d still be paying the difference on top of her benefits, so this isn't about the money. I truly believe she would be better off in a professional care setting rather than living entirely on her own like this. I simply can't carry this entire burden by myself anymore because I have my own life to lead, and I live 186 miles away from her (she’s out in the Midwest while I work in Washington, D.C.). This isn't about trying to get rid of someone; it's about finding a way to ensure they are cared for without having to completely sacrifice my own existence to do it. You shouldn't be expected to do that, no matter how close you are to the person.

Robert Torres2 said:Social services placed me with my grandparents, and my dad is a whole different story—he eventually moved out after a few years. He just doesn't want any part of dealing with her, so I'm trying to find a way through this. She flat-out refuses to go to a facility; she told me she'd rather end it all than have them come for her apartment. Thanks for the advice.

I'm feeling pretty stuck on what to do when she refuses to move into a facility and starts making those suicide threats. To make matters more complicated, my mom is also resisting the idea of assisted living. Honestly, I think she'd be much better off in a place where she could get professional care 24/7, with regular meals and a level of comfort she just isn't getting while living all alone in her old house.

Robert Torres2 said:Hey everyone. I’ve scrolled through so many pages here, but I still haven't found the specific answer I need, so I figured I'd just ask. My mom struggles with schizophrenia and has had some really intense episodes involving hospitalizations and everything else. She has good stretches, but she hasn't been okay for about a year now. It got so bad she even ended up in the ICU after taking her meds. Now, she’s spent the last six months building this whole "conspiracy theory" world around her—she’s kicked everyone out and even physically attacked family, friends, neighbors... and me. To be totally honest, after dealing with her for decades (from elementary school all the way through high school), I finally escaped and built a normal life far away from her, but her issues still follow me. I can't take her in; she would absolutely destroy my life, and I’d end up right there in a psych ward alongside her. What I'm wondering is, does anyone have advice on where the best place would be to put her? Maybe somewhere like Key West or a long-term care facility? She might end up on the streets because she refuses to rent an apartment or anything—claiming "everyone is against her" and that she’s the one paying the bills. I don't have the money to cover thousands of dollars in debt for her. Getting her hospitalized is tough because hospitals have strict protocols on who they admit, and she acts perfectly fine whenever doctors are around, so you can't even tell them what's actually happening. What do I do? Has anyone dealt with something similar? You can judge me all you want, but for the sake of my own health and recovering from the trauma she caused, I'd rather see her in a homeless shelter than let her keep destroying me. I just can't risk her trying to throw me out a window again like she did when I was twelve.

In a situation like this, I think a residential treatment center for adults with mental illness is likely the most viable option. There are several throughout the US, though I believe Key West is more focused on acute psychiatric hospital care rather than long-term residential living. The catch, of course, is that she has to agree to go, and those facilities aren't cheap—though that’s still better than letting her rack up a mountain of debt from unpaid utilities and other expenses.
My mother also struggles with schizophrenia, though her situation isn't quite as extreme as what you're describing.

As far as I’m concerned, six works just fine too...🙂

So, what do you think about meeting up tomorrow at the Sundial on Broadway around 8:00 PM?

silverheron91 said:Can we just meet up at the Square? 🕺

Yeah, we definitely can 🙂

silverheron91 said:Can we move this up a bit? Maybe around 8?

Blanquetto and I should be able to make it by about 8.

It’s been nothing for two months straight, and then suddenly it hits me two days in a row. I guess I’m throwing my hat in the ring too 🙂

silverheron91 said:Who is Donna? 🤔

silverheron91 said:

It’s like that weird draft you feel coming out of a bottle. silverheron91 says: Unusual is also like one of those local dive bars, you know? Super smoky, totally unpretentious, the kind of place you hit up for an after-party when you just want to unwind.

I don't mind the smoke. I'm a smoker myself. ☕

😘

I still have absolutely no clue who Donna is. 😁

If you happen to find out by some miracle, it’ll probably be if she decides to show up at our next get-together. That would be a total jackpot 😍

Ethan Phillips said:Apple pie is the new Donna

It doesn't have to be.
I’ve spent enough time getting to know both of them to realize they are complete opposites. From their physical presence to their personalities and even just where they stand in life, they couldn't be more different.

While Donna sort of stumbled her way onto Psychic, Apple Pie feels like she was practically born to be part of this community. 😘

Carl Rivera43 said:So, somewhere like downtown?

Wait, are we talking about Springfield?🤔

See you 🙂

Carl Rivera43 said:Saturday, Jan 12th at 8:30 PM, or maybe even a little later than that

That timing works perfectly fine for me, though I really hope we can get a bigger crowd this time around since last session was such a blast.

@Rebecca Rivera3, I truly feel for you; every struggle carries its own unique weight and difficulty. In my opinion, MS can be even more grueling than schizophrenia, especially when the symptoms are severe. That said, the intense cases of paranoid schizophrenia—which I’ve had the chance to observe firsthand while working at the hospital—are incredibly taxing both for the individual and everyone around them. I suppose what I'm trying to say is that every illness presents its own set of challenges. Hang in there and stay strong! We're all rooting for you! 🙂

velvetridge48 said:A little too late for me. Friday, January 4th would actually work much better. I almost certainly won't be able to make it this Sunday—so let's just aim for another time instead.

Well, we'll eventually find a day that works out. I'm stuck working this Friday, though I might be free later in the evening. Let's see if anyone else weighs in so we can settle on a day and time that suits most of the group.

So, I'm thinking about trying to organize a little get-together for the folks on this forum from the PDF. Since it’s a double whammy of a non-work day—a Sunday and holiday—we could just meet up at a cafe in downtown Chicago (maybe somewhere like Starbucks or whatever works)—Donna or whoever feels like it. Everyone is invited, especially those of you who hang out here frequently. We end up chatting online almost every day, so I figured, why not actually try to hang out in person for once? 😉 lp

Jose Ward4 said:Things are going to turn around eventually. I’m just keeping my head down and staying solo for now, which honestly suits me quite well. Maybe I’ve been on my own a little too long and I’ve just gotten used to the quiet, but hey, things will look up. That's what they say, right? 2019 is our year—the year of big wins and glory! Or so I tell myself. On a different note, I just whipped up a spicy Mexican chicken and rice skillet for myself today. It was actually pretty delicious, loaded with tomatoes and peppers. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go pass out; 😁 I certainly earned it.

👍 Not bad at all.