My brother, a long time witness who has been disfellowshipped, shunned and treated like shit by the witnesses for the 10 yrs has been committed to a phsyciatric wing of our local hospital. He has been having delusions saying he has been chosen by Jehovah and will be taken up by the archangels in to heaven. He has also been hearing voices of demons and and blames Satan for being responsible for all the troubles he has had in that past 5 yrs or so. He hasn't been able to hold down a job because he says that Satan has spoken to the people responsible for his employment and he has told them to fire him from his job because he believed in Jehovah. What can I do to help him? I have already done a lot to enable him to see that this "cult" has brainwashed him into many of his irrational beliefs and to stay away from them. I feel that those bastards have a lot to do with his feelings of paranoia and also have made him feel worthless. Can anyone give me any advice as to what to say to him when I visit him? I am at a loss and he needs help. Thank you.
My brother was committed last week
by hoodwinked 13 Replies latest jw friends
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lazyslob
Sorry about your brother. Sadly I have no ideas about how to help him.
Lazy
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Narkissos
Sorry Hoodwinked. Over the years I have met several JWs or xJWs with some kind of religious delirium. I don't know if it happens more often than in other religions though. Usually the psychiatrists know how to deal with that, sometimes we can help them to understand some background. Mostly I only sat for hours and listened to an endless monologue, with very few open "windows" for me to reach them. It's a sad situation, and I really hope your brother is given the right treatment and gets better soon.
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Satanus
Well, it sounds like he might have schitzophrenia. If so, things he needs are medication, and get on welfare, since he probably won't be able to work. If he refuses to take his pill, then you need a court order to make him take it. I know a schitzophrenic who went this route, and is doing ok now. He also smokes weed every day to calm him. Once he is stabilised, you might be able to deprogram the wt crap in him. I think the best deprogramming is the drip method, very slowly.
S
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jgnat
Please forgive my gallows humor, hoodwinked. I am speaking from experience and sympathy, being surrounded by the mentally ill. My mother and maternal grandmother has/had Bipolar Disorder. My ex-husband, son, and son-in-law all have Schizophrenia.
You can't reason with a person who is in the depths of their delusion. It is kind of like trying to talk sense with a happy drunk (or a mean drunk, depending). Wait a few weeks for the drugs to kick in, and then have the serious talk. In between times when you visit your brother, give him hugs, reassure him that you love him, and respond with "Hmm hmmm that's interesting" to the delusional talk. No matter what he promises you, don't help him break out of the psychiatric ward. Even if he offers you a million dollars, do not bring him his street clothes. If he gets hostile and says horrible things, let it wash in to your "sea of forgetfulness". Because I promise you, he will have forgotten all about it when he gets better. You won't get an apology.
His screen name wouldn't happen to be brownboy, would it?
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Incense_and_Peppermints
Well, it sounds like he might have schitzophrenia. If so, things he needs are medication, and get on welfare, since he probably won't be able to work. If he refuses to take his pill, then you need a court order to make him take it. I know a schitzophrenic who went this route, and is doing ok now. He also smokes weed every day to calm him. Once he is stabilised, you might be able to deprogram the wt crap in him. I think the best deprogramming is the drip method, very slowly.
that's excellent advice. just let your borother know you love him and are there for him, and let the professionals help heal him.
hmm i wonder if you could sue the witnesses...
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ColdRedRain
HW, PM me anytime on anything having to do with your brother's mental illness. I can give you some pointers.
When I was first put in the psych ward (There's a reason why I have the word "psycho" on my avatar, folks.) , I saw this one JW who I knew from a long time. It was a sad sight actually. She claimed to have been visited by demons and she had a severe coughing problem. She was coughing really hard to get the demons out of her body.
Mental illness and cultic behavior aren't a nice combination.
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gypsywildone
Sorry about your brother, & I hope he gets on medication & gets stable.
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outoftheorg
Sorry to hear of your brother and the inherent problems that brings to you.
You have gotten some good advice. The only thing I would say and it has already been said, is to consult with the psychiatrist about how to deal with these things.
I think there are groups like A-A that work on helping the relatives cope with such things.
If it were me I would use their information and being in a group with similar problems, you then have a support group. They then could benefit from your knowledge as you move along in life.
The wbts teachings or should I say demands, aren't the source of his problems but they certainly add to and amplify the schizophrenia.
I see it as, the jw's add another form of insanity into the mix.
Outoftheorg
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seeitallclearlynow
I'm terribly sorry that your brother has had to be committed, hoodwinked. Hopefully he'll get the care he so much needs while there. I don't have any knowledge of the subject though; cannot advise.