Neighbor with paranoid schizophrenia

[longsuffering]

Originally Posted by MacDaddy77

my last comments on this then I am not going to post.

1. yes the incident was between 2 members of the household we are living right beside, my wife is a stay at home mom and the incident was precluded by a couple days of the individual walking around the back yard yelling and growling, the morning of the latest incident he was screaming in a demonic voice, I overheard the other individual (also mentally challenged) come out of the house screaming he was being chased with a knife, another neighbour must have heard earlier as the police we already showing up so I went inside.

Is that a medical term? What's that sound like?

[MacDaddy77]

If there's one thing that's sad about this, it's that people feel a third party should be the one to deal with all their troubles. When the most effective solution is probably to meet with this individual and care giver face to face in order to properly understand how to handle the situation when it arises. Oh but bad idea, he'll probably stab you if you walked over there...


Read the thread, I've stated a few times that I've tried discussing this with the neighbour. I am not cowering in fear, I am looking out for the safety of my family, sure something may never happen, but what if and it could have been prevented by speaking up.

anyone on here that says they would do any less than what I am doing is a flat out liar (IMHO)

I have known people that take in foster kids to essentially pay their mortgages and use the money to provide better for their kids and not the foster kids they have taken in. (I no longer associate with these people because that disgusted me, and yes it was reported)

Are we going to pretend these situations don't exist that someone would take on a mentally challenged adult for their own gain, probably a small minority however I'm sure it happens all the time

[Chill Cosby]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

The man obviously needs 24/7 care

Again, this is not only unsubstantiated, but probably untrue and only further perpetuates the idea that people with mental disorders cannot function on their own. People with paranoid schizophrenia can often lead relatively normal lives without constant supervision, and an episode of this manner can be triggered by a number of things.

The care thing man needs is not obvious to you, or anyone else here, including Macdaddy. What IS obvious is that some people truly do not understand this man's illness.

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Oh wow, someone who knows how to deal with the situation without beating around the bush because we feel we need to be afraid of people with these conditions. If there's one thing that's sad about this, it's that people feel a third party should be the one to deal with all their troubles. When the most effective solution is probably to meet with this individual and care giver face to face in order to properly understand how to handle the situation when it arises. Oh but bad idea, he'll probably stab you if you walked over there...

We're all mentally ill to an extent, doesn't mean people who have it worse than others are not human, and can't be dealt with in a humanly manner. The best treatment is to understand it, rather than cower away in fear. At least you'll know who to talk to and what to do and if it's even needed, and maybe you yourself can help, too. You're neighbours, after all. Do we do that anymore?

I think part of the issue was Macdaddy had gone to the caregiver and felt he had been brushed off.

[Rathji]

I only skimmed the last page of this discussion, but if you have concerns, you should call the police. This is your right, and maybe the information you provide will make a difference in the level of care that this person is receiving. You can't always assume that because the police and AHS are involved that everything is perfectly okay.

That said, the police will likely say very little and very little will change because, as has been mentioned, the legal/health systems appear to be dealing with it. Your call will help ensure this, that's all.

edit: To clarify, your call will almost certainly not impact the level of care that he requires, as that has been/will continue to be determined by health care professionals. What might change is the adherence to the required level of care, if it hasn't been met up until this point.

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by Chill Cosby

Again, this is not only unsubstantiated, but probably untrue and only further perpetuates the idea that people with mental disorders cannot function on their own.

This man was left alone, and chased someone around with a knife.

So I'll say it again, this man can obviously not be left alone.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

This man was left alone, and chased someone around with a knife.

So I'll say it again, this man can obviously not be left alone.

My sister chased me with a knife when we were younger. Does that mean she should never be left alone?

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by Rathji

My sister chased me with a knife when we were younger. Does that mean she should never be left alone?

How old was she? Is she also a paranoid schizophrenic?

[The Ditch]

Originally Posted by Rathji

My sister chased me with a knife when we were younger. Does that mean she should never be left alone?

Was your sister an adult at the time? Assuming this person is 25+ years of age, if so then yeah maybe she shouldn't be because well adjusted adults don't threaten and chase people with weapons.

[monkeyman]

I think I have a solution that will fit everyone's needs.

Pat Healy: We got this one kid, Mongo... He's got a forehead like a drive-in movie theatre, but he's a good ship. So we don't bust his chops too much. So, one day Mongo gets out of his cage...
Mary: They keep him in a cage?
Pat Healy: Well, it's just an enclosure...
Mary: No, but they keep him confined?
Pat Healy: Right, yeah.
Mary: That's bull####!
Pat Healy: Well, that's what I said! So, I went out and I got him, uh, I got him a leash.
Mary: A leash?
Pat Healy: Yeah, one of those ones you can hook on the clothesline, and he can run back and forth and, uh, there's plenty of room for him to dig and play. That kid is really, uh, he's really blossomed.

[Chill Cosby]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

This man was left alone, and chased someone around with a knife.

So I'll say it again, this man can obviously not be left alone.

Well you're wrong. It's your opinion of course, but opinions can be wrong, and you are wrong.

This was not the first time this man was left alone, but this is the first time he chased someone with a knife. You do not know what caused the episode, whether it be external provocation, change in medication/treatment, or some other event. That alone renders you completely unable to make judgements on this man's ability to be alone.

Please, understand the illness before you make claims like that. It's insulting to those who deal with illness (or those close to them) in a very ignorant way. At least reconsider your need to voice your snap judgements on these people. Some things are better kept to one's self.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by fotze

Depends, what does she look like.

Like me, but female, also slightly taller. Boobs certainly bigger.

Originally Posted by The Ditch

Was your sister an adult at the time? Assuming this person is 25+ years of age, if so then yeah maybe she shouldn't be because well adjusted adults don't threaten and chase people with weapons.

Originally Posted by The Fonz

How old was she?

She was of an age where she was not responsible for her actions in the same way that a normal adult would be in our society, much like the person being discussed in this thread.

Is she also a paranoid schizophrenic?

I am not a mental health professional, so I can't diagnose that specifically.

Even if I was, I don't have access to her medical records to determine if that is the case. As a result, I also don't know what standard of care should be applied to her, regardless of her current/former medical condition.

[Erick Estrada]

If the OP is that concerned then I would advise to look at moving rather than trying to wait out the neighbor especially if they have kids as you don't want to play the "what if" game with their lives. Likely no harm ever comes to them but diagnosed schizophrenic and running around with a knife isn't something that I as a caregiver and provider would want to play the odds with no matter how low they are.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by The Ditch

Was your sister an adult at the time? Assuming this person is 25+ years of age, if so then yeah maybe she shouldn't be because well adjusted adults don't threaten and chase people with weapons.

I think assuming that someone with a mental illness is going to be a well adjusted adult at all times, is setting your self up for some occasional disappointments.

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by Chill Cosby

This was not the first time this man was left alone, but this is the first time he chased someone with a knife. You do not know what caused the episode, whether it be external provocation, change in medication/treatment, or some other event. That alone renders you completely unable to make judgements on this man's ability to be alone.

[

This particular episode made this man violent, and so much so that he was chasing someone with a knife. At what point do you recommend full-time supervision?

His illness is not going anywhere... this will not be his last episode.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Rathji

I think assuming that someone with a mental illness is going to be a well adjusted adult at all times, is setting your self up for some occasional disappointments.

A lot of people seem to feel overly sympathetic for the rights (I'm not saying lock them up but....) of people with mental illness as long as these mentally ill people aren't in their back yard. Such is the self-righteousness of internet. The OP's concern is real and most people here would feel the same way in his shoes.

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by Rathji

She was of an age where she was not responsible for her actions

So she was a kid... and kids make stupid decisions. Key word there being 'decisions'.

Unfortunately for the man being discussed in this thread, he has an illness that causes paranoid delusions and hallucinations, among other things. I don't believe he was in control of his decision making when he chased his friend/roommate with the knife. You can't simply tell him that doing this is unacceptable like you would with a child. I'm sure he's well aware of the severity of the situation and feels awful about it, but it was out of his control and at the time of the incident, this man's illness likely had him out of touch with reality.

[Chill Cosby]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

[

This particular episode made this man violent, and so much so that he was chasing someone with a knife. At what point do you recommend full-time supervision?

His illness is not going anywhere... this will not be his last episode.

It likely won't, but again, you don't know what caused the episode so it's impossible make a judgement on the course of treatment required to avoid future similar episodes.

There is no reason to believe it's a forgone conclusion that continued violence is inevitable. Nor do you know the purpose of him chasing around the other person with a knife (or if there was even a knife at all).

The point is, you should reserve judgement because you know so little about this person and this situation. Making a suggestion on the appropriate level of supervision is ignorant without any of the required knowledge. There's a nicer way to put that I'm sure, and it's not my intention to suggest you're an ignorant person, but that was an ignorant statement for you to make.

When someone says "I have cancer" do you say, "Well obviously you need chemo."? I don't imagine you would, because you don't know anything about their cancer, and you aren't in possession of any of the required information or knowledge to make a treatment plan for that person, so why would you do it for someone with a mental illness?

[The Ditch]

If someone tells me they're an alcoholic then they get loaded and drive drunk they're going to get no sympathy from anyone. If, and I am speculating, this is because he isn't taking his medication why shouldn't he be held responsible for his actions.

[Chill Cosby]

Originally Posted by The Ditch

If someone tells me they're an alcoholic then they get loaded and drive drunk they're going to get no sympathy from anyone. If, and I am speculating, this is because he isn't taking his medication why shouldn't he be held responsible for his actions.

Well, actually, a person who drove drunk because of a medical illness like alcoholism is probably going to get sympathy as they are unable to control their alcohol intake.

A person without alcoholism who drives drunk would likely get no sympathy however, as they are in full control of their alcohol consumption.

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by Chill Cosby

When someone says "I have cancer" do you say, "Well obviously you need chemo."?

In what way is that comparable?

Choosing to forgo chemotherapy would not threaten the life of anyone other than the person with cancer. It is absolutely a personal decision.



Point I'm making in this thread is that nobody has the right to put others in harms way. If you are mentally stable, and you chased someone with a knife, I believe you deserve some time in jail. If you are mentally ill, and that illness caused you to chase someone with a knife, I believe you need to be monitored.