I am 25 and my brother as had schizophrenia since he was 17. My family moved back to our home in Bermuda after living in the Uk for a few years and when we returned Jason vanished for an entire summer. He stayed with his aunt and her children his age. My parents though he was just going through a rebel stage, also happy to be back home in Bermuda with all of his relatives. Jason has not come home since that summer over ten years ago. He was diagnosed at about age 20. Jason has had a tough decade. He has whole heatedly refused treatment, and abused weed (pot) all of his adult life, He doesn’t believe he is sick. Jason has lived with us, that turned out to be a no can do as I also have a younger sister and things had become too strenuous to cope with. He has held me at knife point, (although I do not think he would ever stab, hurt me. he is a gentle man. but the threat was too much.) had conversations with himself as if several people were in the room, himself changing his voice/accent to suit whom he believed was talking, talking to inanimate objects, the list goes on…we all know the behaviors…We have had ten years of up and down. He now lives in an apartment in my grandfathers home, He has completely allowed the apartment to become destroyed. We have tried almost everything we can think of to get him help, but every time he seems to make progress he takes ten steps back. The mental stress is debilitating. Recently he spoke of taking his life for the 1st time. we need help, please. I am spent on ideas, emotionally i am drained. I just want my brother back. What can we do? What help is there? Jason is an American citizen. Thank you for all the advice given,
Maybe you could take him to a doctor who would commit him to the mental hospital where he would be treated. Of course, him being an American citizen, you being in Bermuda and so on adds some additional complexities to this matter. I do not know what you should do if these do not work.
Welcome to the forum @TristanD.
My apologies but I changed your username for privacy reasons.
Please look at these sites:
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 and LEAP on youtube.com and you should find some long videos
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
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:
**Hi @TristanD~
Is there anyone here in the states that is related? Or even a friend you can talk to?
I am just thinking that if the family is in another country, and no one is here-I dont know what you could do. @BarbieBF gave you some useful information to start. If you are in touch with your brother, is it possible to bring him home? All of you would need a lot of support. He may have to be forced into treatment at first. Sorry I couldnt be of more help… **
Do you still follow this forum? I can only tell you my experiences. I am currently getting help for my third sibling with schizophrenia.