I think I know someone who is schitzophrenic?

Question

We think she might be schitzophrenic, but are not sure. She used to be extremely quiet and has been for as long as I've know her until last week. She became very loud and talks to herself. She laughs uncontrollably and talks to people who aren't there. She has giant emotional swings and goes from uncontrollable laughing to crying. She always wears at least 2 skirts and 3 usually 4 shirts. Yesterday she snapped her glasses and threw them away and laughed. Then she started playing with the light switches and talking about random things and often incoherently. She has obsessions with the number 3 and always being in the middle. Does this sound like typical schitzophrenic behavior? She blurts out strange things and has everyone around her worried. She wanders around a lot and often disappears and comes back with wet hair. She will take about 30 car ads and go sit on them outside and throw everything out of her purse and stare at the empty purse. This is not normal.

We have started getting some counselors to talk to her. She has been in rehab before so they must know something isn't right. She always has these giant bruises on her legs. Our biggest worry is that she could turn violent because she is in a very fragile state. I have heard that she has tried to commit suicide before. She is clearly not in a normal state of mind.

She is 18 and spent three hours in the counsleor's office today and has gotten many of the teachers concerned. Half of the time I don't think she knows what is going on around her. She seems very possessive because she always wears so many clothes.
We've thought that maybe she was on drugs, but wouldn't that be more random? Her delusions are more structured. She always includes the number 3 and "middle". But our area is full of crystal meth. I'm leaning towards psychological, but I have talked to some people who think it is drug related.

Answer 1

Your friend is defiantly in trouble...it is unfortunate that she is 18 because it will make it very difficult to get her help if she refuses to accept it. schizophrenia is of course a possibility as are, bipolar disorder and a few other ones, but it doesn't matter really what the diagnose is she sounds as if she needs immediate intervention. First of all you should try talking to her, ask her questions, see if you can better gage what is going on. Tell her you are concerned and want her to get some help. If she refuses or blows you off then your choices become limited. Who does she live with and does she have a decent relationship with her parents? you or one of her other friends can try talking to them, if you didn't feel comfortable doing it in person even write them a letter describing why you are worried about her. If she has been in rehab before than more than likely she is defiantly using again, but with people with extreme emotional/mental problems (especially teenagers) it is very common, almost the norm, to use substances to try to control her mood swings, delusions, depression etc. She probably isn't even aware she is self medicating. If her family is either unhealthy or unresponsive try taking your concerns to a school counselor. Good Luck...I was in your situation when i was 17 and i said nothing to his family....my friend tried to kill himself...this is in no way to say you can be responsible for the actions of another person, especially an unstable one...the only thing you can do is talk to her, her parents, or your counselor...after that its up to them and her

Best of Luck to you...remember the thing she needs most is love...even though its damn hard to love an unstable person at times

Answer 2

I'm a little unsure about what you're asking so I'll just imput a little and give a few suggestions.

First off, there is obviously something not normal with her, whether a true diagnosis would turn up Schitzophrenic I'm not certain. She may be suffering from something entirely different, such as abuse at home that has caused her to become careless about reality. She may be suffering from depression. It might be that she has too much pressure placed upon her that her mind is incapable of handling all of it and does wierd things to vent it. It could also be that she has and is suffereing from bi polarism and in the past was able to supress the disease but for some reason she has either stopped trying to supress it, or is unable to supress it. Heck, she might even be one of those people that went through their whole lives believeing one thing, but then discovered something that clearly disproves their beliefs and is now unable to accept both her previous beliefs and the fact that they are disproven (if that makes sense).

Anyway, schitzophrenia may be what she has or it might be something worse.

My suggestion to you and whoever else notices her behavior, is to just be nice to her. Be her friend so she at least has someone she can come to if she wants to tell you anything, or if she doesn't want to tell you (or if there's nothing to tell), then at least she has someone she can rely on.
I've found that it's better just to be nice to everyone, and give them the benifit of the doubt, and any pity that goes along with it, than to be mean, rude, selfish, or otherwise inconsiderate of other people.

Answer 3

Yes, this is all typical behavior for a person who has schizophrenia, right down to the fact that she is wearing too much clothing. Unfortunately, counseling will do very little for someone in her condition. She needs to be on medication. The problem there is convincing her to take the medicine. No one can force her to take her medicine, unless she becomes a harm to herself or others. The laws regarding people in these situations are archaic and based on a false sense of respecting that person's freedom, when true respect would mean restoring the person's health, so they would be able to make rational decisions.

Answer 4

It sounds to me like she most certainly is schizophrenic. From what you are saying, I am almost certain. She needs professional help. She must have that first and foremost. She could harm herself and this is very serious. Without the right kind of treatment, especially medications, she will only get worse. She can also become a danger to others, but mostly herself.

Answer 5

that's a time period it quite is transforming into out of date and could shortly be challenged for its legality - in reality that's a non clinical time period in preserving with a collection of indicators and in case you tick the psychiatrists container for over 6 of them you used to get labelled schizophrenic - It used to point that you had breaks with truth . the challenge is that fairly some the inhabitants might want to tick those bins yet in elementary words those who seem on the psychiatrists get said as schizophrenics yet probable no longer a lot longer via the indisputable fact that's being shown to entice fairly some stigma and isn't any longer precise adequate.

Answer 6

Well....if you see her acting bizarrely in public, and you don't have contact with her family...and you're worried about her well-being or that of others, it would be best to contact the police...even though I hate to suggest that because the poor thing will be terrified...awww. It doesn't sound schizophrenic to me...it sounds more bizarre....and she could really be in dire straits. Be a good samaritan and follow through either with family or the police.

Answer 7

how well do you know this person? it definitely sounds like something is wrong. is it possible that this person starting using some kind of drugs. i think the schitzophrenia fits except that it seems like it came on suddenly. im not so sure that schitzophrenia happens like that. maybe you guys should take her to a hospital where she can be examined, especially if she is a minor.

Answer 8

Don't be deviant with this person with their mental illness. Hopefully once she is treated and you talk to your teacher/guidance councilor about it. You will be educated on what its like to be in her situation. Yes if your life is in danger then I would be afraid at that moment. Good Idea to read about it before you consider someone crazy. From. ~someone who studying to be a social worker~

Answer 9

You need to help get counseling. Talk to her parents and tell what she is doing they need to get her serious help.

Answer 10

she could be manic