So this has been going on for some time, even though there was some bullying that set it off. Or maybe she was chosen as a victim for bullying because of how she reacted, it’s a chicken and egg question. However, this is not a very recent thing. That could be important in getting a diagnosis.
A quick google search found me some pointers on how to deal with paranoiain a loved one. They are a bit superficial though. You might find more with a more thorough search, including pointers on how to get her to a doctor.
Unfortunately, it seems the paranoid have many more resources available to them now to confirm their delusions. I recently saw a website dedicated to exposing government mind control techniques, which apparently involves satellite technology used to implant thoughts and commands into our heads. I initially thought it was satire, as the website was actually rather well designed (unlike, say, the Time Cube guy’s page) and seemed to have a fairly active member base (assuming, of course, that all the users weren’t the webmaster’s socks) discussing ways the government had attempted to control their thoughts and perform PsyOps on them in order to make them believe they’re insane. But it became apparent that it wasn’t a joke.
I know nothing about anything, but if/when you’re positive that this isn’t in fact happening, I’d probably take the line of ‘Look, this situation is obviously - and naturally - making you really, really stressed, and until you get it sorted out, I think it’s very important that you talk to someone who can help you find ways to get through it with the minimum amount of anxiety.’ Convincing her that this isn’t happening is the doctor’s job, not yours.
I don’t want to scare you, but is there any possibility of schizophrenia? I’m asking because a few years back, a friend and I ended up spending eight hours trying to convince a schizophrenic I’d never met before to stay in the emergency room till a doctor got around to seeing her (long story), and a lot of the stuff she said was along these lines. She was convinced that everyone ‘knew about her’ and had seen her on the telly and was talking about her. A couple of nurses walked by talking, and she was positive that whatever they had said was about her.
Not quite. But yes… I guess. They don’t keep any pictures you upload, and you can’t see or search anyone else’s uploads.
But yes you either have to upload a pic or point it to a URL of a pic. It takes a fingerprint of a sort and compares that to other images online. I’ve used it to find and remove copyrighted pics before.
Post her picture here. Surely the collective hive mind of the dope will be able to track down this doppelganger as we’ve seen damn near every naked picture on the internet. And I’m sure it won’t bother her a bit that you’re posting pictures of her on the internet!
If I were you, I’d try to find out what the laws are regarding having a person taken in for a psychiatric evaluation in the community she lives in. This does sound like a serious mental health issue, and I’m sure you don’t want her to end up hurting herself or someone else because of these confusing and frightening delusions.
Where I live, if you have a reason to believe the person may be a danger to herself or to other people (or incapable of caring for herself because of mental illness), you can call the police to have the person brought to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation. I think you should look into this if she doesn’t seem to be in a mental state where she would be okay with going to the hospital on her own.
Oh, and don’t waste time trying to reason with her about why the delusions aren’t true. People who are in this sort of mental state usually cannot be “talked out” of these beliefs and will just get upset if you try to explain why it can’t be true.
My sister has quit her job and is living the life of a shut-in. She won’t even venture out of her room, convinced that everyone knows her ‘shady past’ which has been fabricated by her vengeful ex-colleagues.
The thing is, she is showing no sign of psychotic breakdown or panic attacks. Just that she refuses to go out and believes that somehow every newspaper report is about her. She adamantly refuses to see a doctor. She has bad experiences with psychiatric ward before.
However, she began to take some old medication, due to stress with her husband (a divorce is pending). I am trying to use that angle to get her to see a doc. Taking medication after a long break may cause some side effects, she ought to see a doc to make sure she isn’t suffering from any.
We could drag her to the hospital, but she isn’t causing herself harm (yet) and could function; but just not out of the house. Is there anything else I can try to convince her to see one?
at least once, nobody noticed. It was during a Spoken English exam: I got a 4/4 on grammar, 3.5/4 on vocabulary but was told my “heavy Spanish accent” was a problem (to which one of the other students, a graduate of Shanghai University, replied “sorry, I in wrong place? This not Miami?”)
other times, people thought I was angry. Yeah, yelping and jumping back is exactly what I do when angry… not.
Sounds like she’s not having short-term panic attacks so much as living in a plateau of terror. And it’s not her you need to convince (it won’t work), but your mother.
I’ll also note to the OP, of course, to remember that since you’re not in the U.S. (at least, I assume since you aren’t, your sister isn’t), and most posters responding seem to be American, your options may differ slightly from what said posters are describing, both in terms of medical and legal resources available.
Huh? Irrational paranoia and delusions aren’t a sign of a psychotic break?
Mental illness doesn’t always manifest as overt fear. (Hell, some people have pretty awesome delusions, but believing you can fly/that you’re Napoleon/whatever can get you in trouble in the real world.) This aside from the fact that she’s apparently afraid enough to refuse to leave the house.
Involuntary commitment may be needed; it’s probably a good idea to at least call a doctor and ask what your options are.
The second sentence contradicts the first, because in my experience, your sister’s behavior is a classical sign for a psychotic break. I’m very much reminded of my own case of an psychotic episode, which also happened in my early thirties (which is typical, as another poster already mentioned). I was lucky that during my weird delusions and paranoia, I had some lucid intervals, during which I could be convinced of my illness and to get medical help by my family and friends.
During my therapy, I met many fellow patients who resembled the state your sister’s in even closer than my own, so please try to get her medical help.
As I can tell you by my own history, it’s worth it. My psychotic break was 11 years ago, and it never happened again. After the therapy, I returned to be a full functional, working person. Your sister, with the help of her loved ones, can do the same.
I can’t say for certain, but I’m willing to bet there wasn’t any real workplace bullying. Or a real feud. It is highly likely that she was exhibiting this kind of behavior at work, which probably led to people actually starting to talk about her, but not about porn and abortions and such.
Like the others have said, what she’s doing right now is quite serious behavior. She is experiencing major, persistent delusions and (probably) hallucinations.
Yes, there is. Contact a psychiatrist IMMEDIATELY and schedule an “Intervention.” It’s a specific procedure – not the same as a 5150, it’s merely a means to establish a sit-down and urge her to seek immediate aid. No matter what (unless she DOES become a threat to herself or others) it will legally remain HER choice to seek help. The Intervention’s primary purpose is a way to inform her that she has friends who care for her and are willing to help, but the final call is HERS, and hers alone.
I have discussed the problem with a couple of people whom I can trust. I guess we’re going to persuade her to see a doctor, because of her medication and our concerns, and I will give my mother the number for volunteer counselors.
Thanks for all the suggestions; I try to get some help for my sister.
I guess you’re right; she is having a breakdown. My mum just says that she’s not crying, or threatening to kill herself but just want to stay in her room. A very quiet breakdown outwardly, so to say
Sure, they say they didn’t keep the pics of my butt, but how do I really know? My butt could go viral!
I found it easily defeated. My company licences stock photos for background images in publications. I search a few that we’ve used on the covers. Not a single one showed up because the text interferes with the search. So the image that we licenced turns up, but the cover of our publication which is the image + text does not.
So there could be pics of the OP’s sister with “We’re watching you!” typed over top and it wouldn’t turn up.
Often people who are having a lot of auditory hallucinations will be very quiet and withdrawn because they are so distracted by the disorganized mess in their heads.
She needs to see a psychiatrist. This is not the sort of problem that talking with a counselor will help with.