The Friends I Live With

@letsee77 (224)
United States
October 14, 2010 4:15am CST
I live with 3 of my friends, and they are all good people. I love them very much and wouldn't want to say anything bad about them. Though there are times when it's very trying living with them. Not bad enough that I would move out and leave them or anything like that, they all have health issues. One being sick with diabetes that have caused him some bad health problems. He's not the one that's hard to live with, but my other two friends. I'll explaine, you see they both have mental illness, one is diagnosed and one has never been but I know almost for a fact he's has. First my female friend, she's schizophrenic, and recently has been dealt a lot of saddness in her life. She lost her younger brother, followed by her husband, and her mother. She's dealt with it well in front of everyone, but she's begun to act differently. I almost feel like she's a stranger. She's stopped going to church, thrown away all her values, and not a week after her husbands death she's jumped into bed with another man who she has become obsessed with, and I don't just say that to describe a way she's acting I mean she's really obsessed. Her whole life revolves around this man now, she'll sit in front of the computer for hours just staring at the screen waiting for an email from him to pop up. She's skipping her appointments to spend weekends with him, risking losing her support and medication that she NEEDS. People have talked to her but this has only made her become sneaky, and she has started lieing about things. I know it takes patience to deal with a people like her, who have a mental illness, but I don't know what else I can personally do to help her. I guess I should just let her do as she wants, she's got her mind set on what she wants to do and it's become very apparent that no one is going to change her mind. Now for my male friend, I've know him my whole life. As long as I can remember he's always been the same, but more and more I notice he's getting worse. He's attempted to get help in the past but he's scared of people. He's very paranoid that people are going to hurt him so he avoids them. He does OCD actions and has mood swings, going from being depressed, to being happy and even getting angry for no apparent reason. I believe his mother is bipolar, and was wondering if maybe he might be himself. He recently sent an email to a mental health clinic and they responded to him instructing him to call and speak with someone to make an appointment. Well that's where I think it's going to end. He sent the email because he's afraid to talk to them on the phone. I guess I'm a little exhausted, I can help them and give them support but there is a point when they have to try and help themselves. Especially in his case, he has to take that step forward and get treatment if he needs it. I can be there for him but I can't do everything for him. Is there anyone who knows someone, a friend, or family member, who has similar problems that can maybe relate to me. Maybe someone is a care taker of someone with a mental illness that can realte? It's just tiresome at times, and I guess I had to let some feelings out. :D
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