Shadow Monsters

A distant family member is acting crazy. She sees snakes that aren't there. It has been going on for at least 6 months. Will call frightened to death, rambling, pacing, hysterical. She has been told to call the police if she feels she is in danger. And she has. On multiple occasions.

Is it possible these are meth shadow monsters?

Do the same shadow monsters come on each binge?

She looks like shit. She has pushed everyone away who wants to help, because they all want her to go to rehab or a mental hospital.

How, or can you, help someone who doesn't want it?

Tough love?

It's hard to advise someone in this sort of situation.

MrRoboto said:

How, or can you, help someone who doesn't want it?

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You can’t.

Support but under no circumstance enable.

Tough love is the best paraphrase (kudo's to @see4 )

And yes you can have the same recurring hallucinations.

The only thing u can do in this situation is not give up. Exactly what GWN said. Don't enable but NEVER abandon either. Let them know you (or whoever it is closest) will not give up. Support is the key to recovery.

Venus55 said:

The only thing u can do in this situation is not give up. Exactly what GWN said. Don't enable but NEVER abandon either. Let them know you (or whoever it is closest) will not give up. Support is the key to recovery.

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Her 2 grown kids have told her not to call anymore unless she wants to be taken for professional help.

She reached out to me yesterday by telephone. It was very disturbing. I had heard the stories, but it was a whole new level hearing first hand. Bawling, need to get out of here, need money, snake in the bed, I'm not on anything....and lots of crap I couldn't make out.

I said several times "how can I help you?". But it's like it didn't even register. She never shut up. Finally I said I had to go, I don't have any money, but call back if I can help you. She then sent a few blurry pictures of random stuff. One of which being the bed. I assume these were pictures of snakes.

It hurts my heart. Her kids are my age and we were close growing up.

Ive been through something scarily similar with my former sister in law. Complete lunacy.
I think u responded in the right way and that's the best u can do. And maybe just check in on her every now and again with a phone call to say "hello" type thing. That way she knows that there is "someone" there she can talk to and who cares. I know her kids are probably struggling with it but cutting her off completely until she's ready to admit and get better is probably not the way to go....
Hope things get better for all involved eventually....

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