My brother has paranoid schizophrenia. He's 56 years old. I'm 48- I'm not able to take care of him like our mother could. She died in 2005. She paid all his bills. My brother inherited the house he lives in , but doesn't think it's important to pay his home taxes or utility bills. When I tell him it's important, he says --when he's ready. When his utitities get cut off, he says people are f***ing with him. He thinks the whole town is out to get him. Last year he went without heat and water during the winter and said the utility companies were messing with him.
I'm tired of trying . I've had him put in the hospital twice and they always release him - and I'm always there to pick him up. No more. The hospitals keep him 5 - 7 days then release him (it's the law). He's threatened to kill me before, I'm afraid of him and I'm tired of having to pick him up. I want them to keep him 'til he's really capable of tending to himself. He always tells the doctors that he'll "do the right thing"- go to River Edge Hospital and take his medicine and clean his house. His house isn't fit to live in - it hasn't been cleaned in at least 10 years. He lies, but the doctors believe him or pretend too. I've tried for years to make things better for him.
He won't and can't help himself (won't more than can't - I believe he chooses what he wants). He'll never take his medicine - that would admit that he's ill. Instead, he wants to think that since 1965, people have been poisoning him and screwing up his life.
I'm done - I can't try anymore.