I’ve had to call the cops on my brother multiple times. Arrested twice, and sent to a mental health hospital once. He was diagnosed with a drug in mental illness and meth. So you can only imagine how crazy this house hold gets. On New Years my brother was arguing with my dad about how my dads not helping him because everyone wants to kill him… and that he’s not telling him the truth. ( he believes my dads part of a drug cartel ) and he also believes he’s a rapper that died. believes I was raped. And now he doesn’t speak to none of us. When arrested he was let go after 5/6 hours, we decided to go to his probation officer and see if they could do anything but they just suggest getting a restraining order. ( not help ) they say if he doesn’t want to get help there’s nothing we can do as he’s 21 about to be 22. he’s had a ax, knives and hard tools in his rooms and police always say “ it’s normal” yikes. Now he doesn’t come out in the day just at night when we go into our rooms for bed. Don’t know what to do. I’m just happy he hasn’t hit my parents since then. I can see he’s skeptical about eating the food in the house, and it just feels like he’s mad at us… he hides and doesn’t go out because he believes people want to kill him and acts normal when the cops are around. It’s very weird but very scary.
Sigh, I understand. This must be so hard on you. I’m glad you found this forum, and hopefully you can read here to learn that what you are experiencing is not that unusual with someone with schizophrenia. His delusions sound very strong. What worries me is the violence. I’m glad that you are unafraid to use the police when needed. Delusions about food being tainted, people talking about him, fear, and the strange “normalness” that shows when talking to police or others, are all fairly usual for this awful illness. And yes it is scary sometimes.
Probably, the only thing that might help is anti-psychotic medicine. And probably, your brother won’t take them unless forced to.
My daughter was psychotic for most of the last three years, the police were to our home over 50 times, she was hospitalized 5 times, and is now successfully on medicine which has erased most of her paranoia, delusions and voices, and given her back the ability to communicate and be social.
I hope you will be able to finish high school and that along with trying to care for your family you also care for yourself and your future. This illness is probably life long, and horrible for your brother without medication. Taking care of yourself and your own future path is very important in my opinion, as you may or may not be able to help your brother to a better state of mind. I’m sorry.
Take care, read a lot here, try to be kind to your brother, but keep yourself safe. Know that all of us on this site understand, and wish you the best.
Been there. My son had bats however. He was just scared someone was out to get him and for him and your brother it is very real. He’s likely not mad at you but likely believes someone is poisoning him, hence not eating. Doctor Amador (whom many of us are a fan of here) would likely say try to look at it how your brother sees it… What if you seriously thought someone was trying to kill you, not only one person but many and that your family was trying to poison you. It would be very scary. What would you do? Hide and take protective measures.
Here is the book by Dr. Amador - his brother had sz and after 5 years of trying to get him on meds, finally looked at it from his brothers perspective. http://dramador.com/ You can also google youtube and find lots of his videos for free.
Good luck with your brother. I know it’s rough. My son isolated for a year, only was up at night etc. Sucked. Now on meds and working. Not paranoid at the moment : )