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My mother has always been a highly intelligent and professionally successful person who battled mental illness and always refused to seek treatment. She will have bizarre delusions of persecution, but she normally kept this under control until she was highly stressed. She is currently 72 and I believe dementia is playing a role now. She generally has a nasty disposition and is very combative, people generally don't like being around her. Everyone has abondoned her, including my dad, except for a couple of people. Her delusions got her kicked out of one retirement community a year ago. She believes someone is stinging and burning her with emp attacks to kill her. She says the person is above her apartment shooting the beams at her and she can hear them above her at night. When I went with her to her apartment to help her move out, she said they were shooting her with the beams started yelling and ran out of the apartment. She says she has nonexistant burns all over her body, doesn't sleep, and drives around at night to avoid her attackers. She has reciently attached the owner of her previous community and a local politician as her attackers and started sending out harassing emails to them personally and to different government agencies saying they are trying to kill her. My mom is still highly functional in every other aspect of her life, she still works with a young business woman writing grants. My mom is also addicted to Tramadol (prescrition opioid) and carries a loaded gun with her at all times. I'm concerned that my mom is a danger to herself and others and I'm not sure how to proceed. She is very controlling and will not tolerate anyone taking control of her life management functions. I don't know her doctors and she won't tell me. She's also a hypochondriac, seeks unnecessary medical treatment, and makes up illnesses (I'm assuming she does this to get access to Tramadol). The previous owner who she is harassing sent me the emails and they sound like the ravings of a crazy person. I believe the owner of her previous elderly community should file a lawsuit so she can get a psychological evaluation and I could come in and take control of her life management. I know if I initiate this process she will never trust me again, but I also know this can't keep going on. Also my mom is being scammed by a woman who is taking advantage of her delusions....this has been going on for at least 15 years, but because of my mom's high functioning professional success everyone thought it was real. She convinced people to give her 1000s of dollars to give to this lady. No one knows who the lady is and my mom won't say. I know the woman is real because I've heard them speak on the phone. I have no access to her phone or emails. Last time I saw her I tried to look into her phone but it was password protected. I am really at a lost for what to do here and I don't have time to take off from work to deal with this. I am contemplating asking the owner of the elderly community to start a legal proceeding, but I don't want to have to testify in open court if it comes to that. She always tells me it hurts her so much that I don't believe her delusions and if I had to testify it would totally crush her and she would never trust me again. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

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The people she attacked should bring charges against her. I would report her carrying a loaded gun. Tramadol can cause hallucinations. This may be part of her problem.
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Please please report your mom to the cops' this is murder of innocent people just waiting to happen any time. Be a squeaking wheel and save some lives. And I don't believe you should expect threatened people to step up to file charges if you are going to refuse to testify. Your mother is dangerous and I believe it is unfair to encourage others to take risks you won't take.
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Your mother is mentally ill. Someone I once knew did similar things and was paranoid schizophrenic. Is anyone her PoA? If not and she refuses to assign someone, then "someone" will eventually become her guardian. I'm not saying it needs to be you, because I don't think it should be you. Even if you called APS it sounds like they'd be hard-pressed to find her a "vulnerable" adult, so county guardianship is not likely until something profound happens.

If you find she is not keeping up with her ADLs (Activities for Daily Living) then the county could step in. Until then, she will run free causing havoc and there's nothing to be done about it except have your boundaries firmly in place.

Has she ever been to a psychiatrist or psychologist? You may want to consider getting some advice from a therapist who is experienced with people like your mom. They can help you find boundaries and give you any resources for how to practically help your mom.

Depending on what state she resides in, if she has a break from reality you can Baker Act her and call 911. Once she is in the hospital you will need to move quickly to speak to the medical staff about her issues. They may be able to get a social worker involved, but not sure. This may be the best "opportunity" to intervene.

I'm so sorry you have to be folded into this situation. I believe that people with mental illness don't choose it, but then their illness prevents them from getting the help they desperately need.
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