Continue to engage or give it a rest?

Family
1

Untreated friend abruptly withdraws and doesn’t respond to messages or attempts to call. Is it better to keep engaging, or give them a break?

2

With my son I go with what has worked best in the past. I do give him his space when he wants space.

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3

I think checking in is good but don’t push it. I only say that because they can get wrapped up in psychosis in isolation, and i feel like people can sometimes be a lifeline to get grounded and a little pull out of that world. Obviously you would want to be safe with the person were they in psychosis if that’s a concern.

4

Thanks, I live very far away so it’s only messages and attempts at phone calling. There’s no risk of me actually showing up.

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5

Reach out if you feel it’s safe or schedule a welfare check. This is about all you can do and sometimes having a friend reach out can pull them back “into the world” for a bit. With their lack of insight please be careful if they approach you to come over/share in personal information/living space ect.

As of late, we’ve been dealing with a few belligerent people at my workplace with MI where they have had provable intent to harm others due to their delusions. (Sadly, they think they are saving the people from the devil, ect.) If anything, we’re bathing them and preventing an early death from some horrible skin infections. Getting a CT scan for a concussion thanks to a patient convincing themselves I was a devilish clone of their mother wasn’t on my list of things I wanted to do this past week. If you do not know your friends state of mind, always be careful about when, where, or how you approach them, especially when they are non-verbal about the things they may see/hear/experience.

6

Gosh, I would say that even most of my friends without psychosis don’t respond well or often to my emails or messages, and if I didn’t reach out monthly at least, we wouldn’t be in touch at all.

So sure, keep reaching out to your friend! (Don’t mention unanswered prior communications though.) Just reach out again with something light and caring.

Your friend will respond if/when they can.

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7

Thanks, that’s basically what I am doing. In the way back past, before the internet, I wouldn’t hear from him for many months or even a year at a time, but eventually he would resurface. Now my only consolation is that I can tell when he’s read something from me, so I know he’s alive.

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8

Good, I am glad that is how you are handling communication to him. Just reach out when you can, as often as you like, and wait for a response, noting that he’s read your messages. Honestly, I think he IS OK, if he’s getting along in life somehow, even with his withdrawal from communication. I think that him just knowing you are out there is helping him.

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9

Thank you :pray: Your words mean a lot.

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