Best Friend Lost Touch with Reality

[Adenium]

My best friend is over 1000km away so I cannot check up on her. She is late 40s and lives with her disabled son and elderly mother and is somewhat isolated.

For the past week she has progressively lost touch with reality, shutting even her family out. She is saying she is hearing voices and must shut down to concentrate on the voices and is receiving messages about her death and the current viral situation. She says she is mesiah and needs to to save the world.

I'm at a loss as to what I do, as a support person. I cannot travel as there is border closures, I would in a heartbeat if there was the possibility I could help in any way?

I am not sure why I am posting, I have said to her I am here when she is ready to reconnect but it's so sad and stressful to just be a bystander and not know what and if I can do anything.

She has told me multiple times (including when she was well) she is not bipolar even though I never ever questioned her.

Is there anything I can do?

[jess334]

Hi Adenium,

Welcome to the forums. This sounds like a really tricky situation. It's made even more complicated by the fact that she is caring for two vulnerable people.

Do you know any of her family or can you connect to them via Facebook? Maybe someone that lives closer to her and can go over and check up on them?

It sounds like she is really struggling with reality at the moment. I think you have done the right think by telling her you are there for her when she is ready.

However if you are even a little bit worried about how her current situation may hurt her son or her mother, I would really consider making a report to the National Disability Abuse and Neglect hotline (1800 880 052 or send an email to: hotline@workfocus.com), or the police. I know these measures might seem extreme, but these two people rely on her for care and support. At the very least they can check up on her and make sure everything is ok and perhaps provide her with support to get through this difficult time.

[therising]

Hi Adenium

It must be incredibly challenging for you not to be able to travel to see your friend, given your growing concern. My heart goes out to you.

I'm wondering about the lead up to this current state your friend is in. Was there anything significant you can pinpoint, looking back over the past few weeks or months that might give you some clues, little things she may have been saying based on her mood or ideas on life?

Look forward to hearing from you.

Take care

[Guest_4643]

Hi Adenium, welcome to the forums. I'm so very sorry about your friend and family. That's very sweet of you to look out for them. It's an unfortunate time because of the isolating things. Is there any way you can contact them, maybe ask someone to do a wellfare check on them such as the Police? Just say that you did that because you were very worried and that they wouldn't contact you. I'm not sure, I hope you, her and her family are alright. Thanks for looking out for them and being a good friend, I'm sure they appreciate it a lot.

Take care, best of luck with everything. I hope they're alright.

Tayla