brother with very negative symptoms

This sounds like an awful situation and I am surprised that your parents are not taking a firmer line with him. You must tell them how anxious YOU are feeling and perhaps this will shift them into gear.

It is very hard on everyone but they are adults and you, if you will forgive my saying, sound quite young still. They may be taking it all in their stride but it is not good for you to watch the disintegration of your brother's personality. Here in the UK you can legally be forced to take your meds if you have a severe mental illness bit I am not sure about the US.

Good luck and let us know what happens.

Unfortunately, no one can MAKE him take medication (in the US) or get treatment at all unless he is dangerous.

Also unfortunately, medications for schizophrenia often have terrible side effects that make the person who has to take them not want to.

Perhaps have a heart to heart with your parents about your fears? He might be able to see his doctor and find a medication that they can both agree on- there are tons of different medications out there.

If you are young, remember that maybe your parents are worried, and they are doing everything they can, but they are hiding it from because they think you wouldn't be able to understand/deal with it, or they are ashamed. Talk to them, it's the best thing you can do.

I've told them my fears countless times and they just keep saying, "I'll make him an appointment tomorrow." Tomorrow seems to never come. He had a very bad episode almost two years ago in which he attacked my other brother. My dad had to wrestle him to the floor and then when he got loose and I was in the way, he attacked me. We called the police and he was in a ward for four days. He would call and be terribly scared and during that time, my dad would just lay in bed all day and acted as if my brother had died because it killed him that he was “locked up“. After that, was when my brother started on the medication but as I said, it made him gain a lot of weight. Since he's stopped taking the meds, he's going back into his old habits. Being loud for no reason, laughing out of the blue, having no sympathy towards anyone, saying random things, being very paranoid, taking off in the middle of the night. Basically my dads reasoning for not taking more action is that he thinks he's not a danger because he hasn't done anything yet. The keyword being yet. He doesn’t want him to be locked up because of the last time, he knew how scared my brother was so he doesn’t want to do that to him again. My mother agrees with me but untimely it’s up to my dad and he just doesn’t understand.

Well, I mean, he should get an appointment not just to prevent him from harming himself or others, but simply to have a better quality of life. I'm sure he's not living life to the fullest with the disability holding him back.

He won't get locked up- if you're in the US, you can't hold someone against their will unless someone is in immediate danger. Just being schizophrenic and untreated is not reason enough to hold someone.

Unfortunately, a person who has schizophrenia needs constant maintenance and communication with his doctor to adjust medication as needed- throughout his life. It's not a one-time fix.

Hopefully your parents will come around- all I can say is keep bugging them- not just for your peace of mind, but to help your brother out. He doesn't seem to have much of an advocate right now. He needs someone who is concerned about his well being.

http://www.mind.org.uk/Information/Bookle ts/Rights+guide/RG3.htm

This is the legal situation in the UK regarding compulsory medication etc.