Acquaintance With Mental Illness

[Cock Throppled]

Can't say it's a friend, as we only knew each other for about a year through work. Decent guy. Quiet, intelligent. No intersts in women, sports or culture. We had a few long conversations on various topics, and nothing stood out as far as him being a whacko. He finished his job, and went back home to another city.

But I have recently been getting long, deranged taxts from him.

This person is obviously suffering some kind of mental breakdown, as the texts ramble senselessly, are full of strange accusations and comments about people and things that happened 10 years ago, as if they just occurred. He mentions he will be finished if he doesn't get what is his.

I have no way of helping, as he won't reply to texts or phone calls. All calls just go through to voice. I've suggested seeing a counsellor or going to a doctor, but since he doesn't respond, I have no way of knowing if anything is getting through.

I contacted his employer, but they said he was a contract worker and they have no other contact number than what I have.

I contacted police in his city and gave them hs name and number, which was all I could think of.

Very helpless feeling, and don't even know why he is contacting me, as we weren't that close.

 

[Ms Erica Phoenix]

Can't say it's a friend, as we only knew each other for about a year through work. Decent guy. Quiet, intelligent. No intersts in women, sports or culture. We had a few long conversations on various topics, and nothing stood out as far as him being a whacko. He finished his job, and went back home to another city.

But I have recently been getting long, deranged taxts from him.

This person is obviously suffering some kind of mental breakdown, as the texts ramble senselessly, are full of strange accusations and comments about people and things that happened 10 years ago, as if they just occurred. He mentions he will be finished if he doesn't get what is his.

I have no way of helping, as he won't reply to texts or phone calls. All calls just go through to voice. I've suggested seeing a counsellor or going to a doctor, but since he doesn't respond, I have no way of knowing if anything is getting through.

I contacted his employer, but they said he was a contract worker and they have no other contact number than what I have.

I contacted police in his city and gave them hs name and number, which was all I could think of.

Very helpless feeling, and don't even know why he is contacting me, as we weren't that close.

If his texts lead you to believe that he poses a danger to himself or others, my suggestion* is that you inform the police of your concerns again, in just those terms. Those are the conditions under which a person can be taken into custody under the Mental Health Act. They will have an obligation to investigate. In many jurisdictions, they now have psychiatric social workers or psych nurses, or officers with specific training, to do evaluations & if necessary, to intervene. For whatever reason, he has chosen you to reach out to, so whether or not you see yourself as 'close', a connection exists in his mind. Maybe it's just that the rational part of him knows you to be the type of person who would feel obligated to respond to his distress, rather than just dismiss him as a raving nut.

*While I am not currently employed in the field, I do have significant training & experience in community rehab in persons with mental illness & acquired brain injury. I've also had to make that phone call & have that difficult conversation about a loved one.

 

[Stamkos]

Mindhealthbc.ca - these guys are great and can provide professional advice, as a start give them a call CT - crisis line
1-800-784-2433.

You're a good guy for wanting to help him out and he definitely needs help!!! Good luck.

 

[badbadboy]

Can't say it's a friend, as we only knew each other for about a year through work. Decent guy. Quiet, intelligent. No intersts in women, sports or culture. We had a few long conversations on various topics, and nothing stood out as far as him being a whacko. He finished his job, and went back home to another city.

But I have recently been getting long, deranged taxts from him.

This person is obviously suffering some kind of mental breakdown, as the texts ramble senselessly, are full of strange accusations and comments about people and things that happened 10 years ago, as if they just occurred. He mentions he will be finished if he doesn't get what is his.

I have no way of helping, as he won't reply to texts or phone calls. All calls just go through to voice. I've suggested seeing a counsellor or going to a doctor, but since he doesn't respond, I have no way of knowing if anything is getting through.

I contacted his employer, but they said he was a contract worker and they have no other contact number than what I have.

I contacted police in his city and gave them hs name and number, which was all I could think of.

Very helpless feeling, and don't even know why he is contacting me, as we weren't that close.

You did the right and caring thing by informing the police in his area.

Hopefully they operate somewhat like most LEO in the GVRD. There are teams from local hospitals who do work with the police. Most often they visit the patient and try to talk to them to make an assessment. Sometimes the team has to have police back up to ensure their own safety as well as entering the premises in a legal manner ie 'are they a threat to anyone including themselves'.

 

[giaebonyprincess]

You did the right and caring thing by informing the police in his area.

I agree with the above.

 

[westwoody]

Do you know if he had any accidents or possible brain injuries?

A friend of mine fell off his bicycle without a helmet. He sounds a lot like your friend. He cannot usually focus on anything but obssesses over weird trivial things.

 

[sevenofnine]

sometimes people need to talk, they think they can trust you,
similarly a guy from work, we are not close, not even remotely, told me he was depressed and suicidal,

at the end of the day he respected me. and trusted me, though we weren't friends.
I gave him my best advice, which he ignored. he is still struggling and off work, just disappeared off the grid, with mental issues.

my two cents on mental illness, it doesn't happen over night in most cases, it is a long downward spiral,
and unfortunately there is no quick fix, it took years to get to a certain point, it will take years to get out.
um be a friend,

but growing up in a dysfunctional family, trying to fix it, and trying to help other people along the way,
you can tell them what they need to do, what is wrong. and how to fix it. you can see it, but they can't or won't


something is missing. what are the magic words to make someone better, I am sixty some years old, and I have tried all my life.
they have to find it in themselves.
or the courage to try, that is the beginning the courage to try,

 

[Cock Throppled]

I got a call from the police, and they have not been able to track him down yet.

I haven't had any texts yet, so nothing resolved.

 

[westwoody]

Mental illness can be a real illness just like diabetes or cancer.
Talking about it may not be enough and he may need medication.
This sudden turn may be him going off his meds. I have a co worker who is fine on their meds, then suddenly they go off the rails and need hospitalisation.
He says that he feels great on his meds. But if he gets out of his routine...even for a day...he starts feeling paranoid.
He feels like the meds are someone's plan to control him. Once those thoughts take over he goes from not taking them, to refusing to take them.
At the same time, he knows that he should take them, and he knows he would feel better if he did.
So he has this constant battle going on in his head.

 

[Cock Throppled]

This week I contacted the police where I believed him to be, and they said they never found him, and don't believe he was in their city. That's it, as far as they are concerned.

I've had no direct communication from him for over a month.

His facebook site has accusations against his family, an "evil force", companies and individuals up to last week. No signs of despair, but a lot of accusations and fears. I have no idea where he is, (location says "somewhere in space") and don't really want to open a dialogue and perhaps become a target of his threats.

Unless I'm contacted directly, that's it for me, too.