I am looking for any input or advice. I have a neighbor who is dealing with schizophrenia. I first learned about her DX the first time I had her over at my place, we got to talking about medications and pdocs. I myself have DX of ADD, Depression, Anxiety. She sort of casually mentioned that she has auditory hallucinations. We didn’t really get much into it, as at the time she was talking about some things in her life that had her feeling really down, etc. After that, it was pretty normal neighbor banter, how is school, how are you feeling, come say hi if you ever need to talk, etc. After a couple of months though we started hearing a lot of arguing and screaming. It took a couple days to confirm that she was alone, and in fact battling with voices. She has confirmed this. My issue is that there was an incident where she hit me. Somewhere during our conversation, something got confused, and the whole mood changed, and she became violent, breaking a glass, and then getting very physically close to me and hitting me on the side of head. At the time I just got out of there quickly, feeling that she most likely couldn’t control what was happening, or didn’t realize? I just know that I want everyone to be safe, her as well, but the situation has just seemed to escalate more and more. I live directly above her, and the screaming is nearly all day and sometimes during the night. It is getting exhausting for me, so I can just imagine the turmoil SHE must experience. I may have a way to contact her family, but I have hesitated to do so. I also feel like I cant just stand by and watch and do NOTHING. Everyone knows how to deal with people when they are depressed etc, but tend to turn the other way with SZ? I hate to see anyone in pain, but I am also frightened to get involved or “blamed” for any outcome that may come from contacting her family.
Call the family maybe they can get her to seek help…ask them to not reveal you called…just give her room i wouldnt try to engage her if shes violent…but it sounds like shes going through a hard time and may not be able to get help on her own…
God if there anything that I just can’t say enough to people…
IF YOU SEE, HEAR, KNOW SOMETHING… DO SOMETHING! You could be the difference between life and death, right and wrong. YOU have the ability to change things.
Maybe asked her if she want you to help her « snap out of it » when, and only when, you realize or feel like she might be in need for such an intervention.
The word « crisis » comes from a-nomos (nomos, being intangible law between man and woman, heavily relying on the predictability of our nieghbours behavior, hence allowing a certain level of trust and security). When they talk about terror, they mean something that would lead us into not having that trust among each other, that our behavior would become unpredictable. When they talk about horror, they mean something that could actually and physically touches you. Crisis is a lost confidence in human nature, in neighbors behavior. As in a-nomos, crisis is the deprivation of nomos, of culture, of what makes mankind unique in the animal reign. Best
strange. from what I recall on this post, the neighbor, this poster and her/his downstairs neighbor talked about mental conditions and psychosis,
then shortly after, all this activity from the neighbor that exhibits it. Not sure the sexes here, or the friendship, but it may be clearly an open affront on proximity.
I’d like to know more about what you’re saying - English is not my first language, so I can’t read that well in between the lines. Anyhow, if you have some time ahead of you and feel like it is appropriate, I’d like to know more about what you’re suggesting / saying. Thanks
That might have been true years ago, but not anymore.
I lived in apartment building for 7 years. People have attractions, friends, and casual aquaintances,
I fear this is the attraction that garners nearly living together separated by mere walls,
because if she was sick, it wouldn’t be just now, but a long progression of illness.
We are both straight women, and I live with my BF. There is not an attraction. Our condos are situated such that her unit and mine are the only ones on that one side. Despite that, other neighbors DO hear what is going on. Unfortunately we happen to live in a complex that has more than what I would consider an appropriate number of “events” with its tenants, so I don’t think it’s so out of the ordinary from their perspective. They hear the screaming, but can’t hear the details as I can. They don’t realize she is alone. As I type right now, I have my TV on at a pretty good volume and can still hear her yelling that “they” aren’t welcome. I just wanted advice on what to do because I imagine certain interventions are much more helpful than others. It’s hard to listen to, and difficult to be startled constantly when doors are slamming and the screaming starts. And I’m concerned for her. We don’t know each other well, but I would really hope someone would reach out to me if they saw me struggling.
Thank you, I appreciate it sooo much! If there is also a place in THIS forum where this is more appropriately housed, please let me know, as I am looking for feedback from anyone that may be able to help, especially those that have first hand experience in how they would want to be approached, and/or the BEST way to get my neighbor help without making her situation worse. I may not know what she is going through, but I DO know what it is like to be in a dark place and feeling hopeless and alone.