BF refusing to get treatment, how can I help?

Family
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We’ve been dating for almost a year and I knew well what I got myself into when we started seeing each other. He exhibits telltale traits of schizophrenia but refuses to get diagnosed because he doesn’t want the diagnosis to limit his options for the future, for example joining the military.
How can I help him see that he will have to come to terms with possibly giving up certain options in his life in order to get help for his mental illness? During an episode he has talked about how much he hates himself for how broken he is, how he tries so hard to deal with his anger but still snaps and he just want’s to put a gun to his head. I don’t want to force him into treatment against his will, and I don’t believe he will attempt to harm himself, but can I really be sure of that? These ‘episodes’ seem really intense and I’m at a loss of how I can help him.

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Here are some resources - do you have other family members that can help you. Educate everyone, and keep a journal about your son’s behaviors and beliefs so that you can share it with the mental health professionals.

Study this document:

FIRST Aid for Psychosis
http://www.schizophrenia.com/sznews/archives/005561.html

How to get help:

Here is a good place to get your father to, if you can:

I recommend you watch these videos:

I Am Not Sick, I Don’t Need Help! - Dr. Xavier Amador - Pt. 1

and

I Am Not Sick, I Don’t Need Help! - Dr. Xavier Amador - Pt. 2

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and more resources:

Welcome to the forum @KitLynn.

These links may help:

http://www.leapinstitute.org/ - under resources are free videos on using LEAP
LEAP is a way of communicating to build trust. Listen-Empathize-Agree-Partner.

http://dramador.com/ - Dr. Xavier Amador is a clinical psychologist whose brother had schizophrenia. He is the founder of the LEAP Institute. Wrote the book: I’m Not Sick I Don’t Need Help! Can buy from his website.

Search Xavier Amador on YouTube for more videos

http://ourhealthyminds.com/family-handbook/communication/Building-a-collaborative-relationship-leap.html
Building A Collaborative Relationship “LEAP”

Treatment Advocacy Center - under problems you will see anosognosia
Anosognosia looks like denial but is different.

Bayes for Schizophrenics: Reasoning in Delusional Disorders - LessWrong - helped my understand delusions

(May 26, 2010) Professor Robert Sapolsky finishes his lecture on language and then dives into his discussion about schizophrenia. He discusses environmental factors as well as genetic characteristics that could apply to people who are affected. He describes schizophrenia as a disease of thought disorder and inappropriate emotional attributes.

http://www.nami.org/ - National Alliance on Mental Illness.
http://www.schizophrenia.ca/ - Schizophrenia Society of Canada

Can also find some very useful information here:

Early Psychosis Treatment center information in these two links

http://www.raiseetp.org/sites/
http://psychosisprevention.org/get-involved/education-center/finding-treatment/

Psychiatric Treatment Centers affiliated with Medical Schools in the USA

This link may help you find a psychiatrist in your area

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