Hey /adv/, I've got some heavy stuff to ask about tonight.
A few nights ago, I met-up with an old high school friend of mine. We go to different universities and have only seen eachother sporadically over the past three years. I'd been hearing about his worstening mental health and substance-abuse issues and, after seeing him in person, am convinced that he's a threat to himself and possibly others.
He and I aren't very close anymore but this is what I know.
>raised in a catholic family with a history of substance abuse
>been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and has struggled with anorexia and bulemia since adolescence
>uses alcohol, marijuana, cocaine and NO2 daily
>takes LSD and other psychotropics regularly
>has used Aderall, Xanax and heroin periodically
>lately has been prone to paranoid outbursts and increasingly unpredictable behavior
Basically my other friends and I want to get help for him before he ends up in prison or the morgue. I know "interventions" don't work very well outside of TV, and want to know what /adv/ has to say.
>>17159503
I have a friend like this. I feel your pain. I don't know what to do. He'd just lash out and get angry.
>>17159518
That's what I'm afraid of. It's evident that he cares a lot about his friends, but none of us can seem to get close enough to convince him to stop.
>>17159503
If you try to help you'll probably push him away and make him feel more isolated and more justified in his self -destruction.
Or he might cave in and start sobbing like a baby and ask for help. Probably the first, though
>>17159531
My friend just lies to himself a lot. He drinks and smokes to numb his pain and he just has himself convinced that he's okay and I can see him giving up on life
So don't just take this advice and run with it because i mught be wrong. From my experience, the only way i know how to break someone out of a cycle extreme emotional response. I'm not talking about tearing up a little and then going home. I mean everyone in the room needs to be bawling their eyes out. If you and/or your friends don't have that much emotion to give him, then i don't know if you can help. Again, though, that's just my experience
>>17159541
I've been thinking about that. He's been depressed and apathetic toward his health for a long time, so there's a real risk that he'll pull away.
>>17159550
This as hell, though I'm afraid my friend may have already given up and just plans to keep dancing until the music stops.
>>17159561
Interesting idea. My guy cares about others, but I'm not sure if anything could make him care about himself again.
