What would you do in this situation (drugs/mental illness thread)

[Starla]

Originally Posted by redbreegull

I have a friend who I have known for a few years. Met him at school, he's older than me, 25. Truly good-hearted, unique individual who is unfortunately all sorts of fucked up. He has numerous mental issues including pretty extreme attention deficit, ongoing depression and anxiety, drug addiction, past episodes of a hallucinatory/psychotic manner, and extended insomnia. He also gets paranoid a lot and feels everyone is out to get him.

When I met him, he was taking a lot (A LOT) of adderall and klonopin and shit, and he smoked a lot of weed, but he was a pretty happy individual overall. It took him a year and half longer to finish school than it should have because sometimes he would just decide a class was stupid, and refuse to do the assignments the way the prof wanted. Anyway, we graduated and he moved back home and suddenly his mental health dropped through the floor. His parents are super-religious, completely irrational, angry people. I sort of figured out that they had been pumping him with all these drugs for years and years and paying out the nose for some high-end psychotherapist. His household is pretty fucked... he has a younger brother who has been in extensive trouble with the law, and an older brother who committed suicide five years ago. But you know, white, upper-middle-class type people.

So his mood has continued to deteriorate in the year and a half that he has been home. He has a terrible, terrible relationship with his mother in particular, who I think probably has as many mental problems as he does. It was obviously a terrible environment for him. His parents frequently harangue him for smoking weed while allowing him to ingest half a pharmacy daily. He also has no ability to get a job because even though he is a smart guy who could easily perform simple tasks, he just comes off weird when you talk to him because of his various issues. I don't think he could successfully perform in any interview for this reason. He also would probably get fired even if he did have a job, because he when he gets upset or depressed, he just won't do anything.

So anyway two months ago his parents randomly pull him off all the drugs cold turkey and send him to this crazy Christian rehab thing in Florida. They turned off his phone and gave him no money. Their goal is to isolate him so he cannot possibly leave, because it's hard to get from FL to MD with zero dollars. He somehow made some money and got a phone and called me for the first time last week. He ranted at me for about 2 hours about how awful it is and how he just wants to kill himself. He says that the program is ultra-right-wing and fire and brimstone type bullshit, and he's at the point where he is so unhappy he just wants to die and could I please help him out by getting him a plane or bus ticket. I said I would have to think about it but I would try to help if I could. A few days go by, and he starts calling/texting me dozens of times a day straight up harassing me and guilting me for not having rescued him yet. He keeps telling me he is very disappointed, that I gave him false hope, he feels like he is dying, he is ready to leave and just be homeless, etc., etc. I have absolutely no idea what to do. Whereas I don't trust his parents to make the correct decision for him at all in any capacity whatsoever, I'm also not 100% sure that his description of this facility as a medieval-type bedlam is accurate. I do believe that he honestly is so unhappy he wants to die, but I don't know if taking him out so he can bounce from couch to couch at his friends' houses is any better.

What would you do? Has anyone ever been in any situation like this? Reprise usually has good input for heavy shit in this vein. I just really do not know what the right thing to do is

The approach that the parents are taking will not work out long term. He has to want to go into a facility for treatment. He has to want it, or this won't work at all. Holding him against his will is going to backfire and create possible life long resentment and mistrust with him and his parents.

Anyway, I wonder if the facility is completely licensed or has the legal ability to hold him there against his will. Depending on the state, the parents usually have to get a court to commit their child to a rehab against a minor's will. Otherwise, he may be able to just sign himself out. He should contact an atty and start asking some questions about his rights.

[Starla]

I didn't read every post. Anyway, if he is threatening suicide, the court will be involved. His parents can't order rehab on his behalf and have him held against his will if he is not suicidal or threatening that.

[Dead Frequency]

This dude isn't a minor?

how do i go about getting myself committed for life in a mental institution without doing anything like killing somebody because i don't want to do that

[reprise85]

i'd say that's pretty much impossible these days

if it is possible you'd have to have so little control over yourself, you're not anywhere near that

[reprise85]

plus you think private mental hospitals suck? state ones are like, a different world of suck... you'd almost certainly endure abuse of all kinds

[Starla]

Yes, and used for experimental drugs and programs. Not a good place to go.

[reprise85]

del wrong thread

[reprise85]

oh that should have gone in the how do you know if you're a sociopath thread

[reprise85]

Originally Posted by Starla

Yes, and used for experimental drugs and programs. Not a good place to go.

the hospital i used to go to would have overnight medication trials where a couple people would be in the downstairs room by the patio all night hanging out while they tested some medication on them. the trials were for all sorts of things, schizophrenia, erectile dysfunction, herpes, OCD - i used to joke with people and we would guess why they were there (other patients, not the trial people lol)... schizophrenia or herpes? it was funny at the time