I’ve known Olivia since we were 14 years old. She became part of my family. Olivia was a happy, confident, and content person. When she graduated she was accepted at a college 5 hours away and things were fine until her second semester. Olivia began experimenting with different hallucinogenic drugs and ecstasy. By her third semester she dropped out.
I was going to school out of state but when we had time we would get together like old times. The last time I saw her before she disappeared she seemed like a hollowed our version of herself. She was meek and uncertain. She seemed scared of being out in public unless she was carrying a bible. During the course of my week long visit she continuously tried to proselytize to me (I’m Jewish) and offered to give me her old books that she could no longer have because they were against God. Those books were stuff like Anne Rice works etc. The only condition was that she had to write bible quotes on every page before she gave them to me. I turned down her offer.
She disappeared after I returned to school and her phone was shut off. It turns out she moved away to live with her parents who purchased a farm and she joined a local church. I’m not quite sure all the details but she got rid of her cell phone, social media, everything. I didn’t know what happened to her for 4 years and I worried for her. It wasn’t until I came across her parents newly made Facebook page that they got an answer.
I sent them a message asking how they were doing and sending well wishes to Olivia. They happily responded but also stressed that Olivia was wanting no contact with anyone. She was married and had a son now but she was avoiding any type of contact with people except family. I accepted that just happy to know that she was okay.
Two years later Olivia added me on Facebook and she seemed like her normal self again. She seemed happy and excited to get in contact. We made plans to hang out and we did a lot. She explained to me that she felt overwhelmed with life and had to get away. I didn’t do anything wrong and that she was so sorry. Things seemed fine for awhile but then I got an message from her Dad letting me know she was being institutionalized and gave me the info for the hospital if I wanted to visit her.
Unfortunately I wasn’t able to visit but I asked what happened and they only said she admitted herself due to stress and that she was okay. She was in for a week and got out. She seemed fine again and she was happy.
6 months later she was institutionalized again but then I learned the full extent of her mental illness. Her Mom confided in me that she had a psychotic break and it wasn’t the first time this had happened. Olivia was having auditory and visual hallucinations apparently. It seemed to coincide with stress and her husband pushing for a polyamorous relationship and her young son’s autism and problems with school seemed to trigger something.
I visited her at the hospital and she told me everything that happened. How she felt the electrical grid was giving a stalker from when we were in high school means to harass her, how there were crystal ley lines contributing to it, how her phone was being hacked by an organization. Things that were very conspiracy theory-esque. Things came to a head when her parents and family members found her screaming biblical quotes and chain smoking in the front yard of the farm house. She had lost almost 30 pounds because she wouldn’t eat and would only smoke and drink boiled water.
Olivia felt horrible about what happened and that she was getting a lot of help in the hospital. She felt so much guilt about missing her son’s birthday. They had adjusted her medication and she was in a very structured environment at the hospital. I remember how red and sunburnt her face was and how brown her fingernails were from the chain smoking. She talked about how it all felt so real and in the moment it made sense to her that birds were telling her things about her family. She realize she was sick and was looking forward to getting healthy. She had been diagnosed with Schizoaffective disorder.
Olivia has been doing well. We spent Thanksgiving together and it was a big farm party in a barn. She was so happy and excited. That’s when my husband and I told her we were expecting and that I wanted her to be our baby’s Godmother. Olivia cried from happiness and immediately started planning a baby shower. Things seemed to be normal again. She was so happy with life and her family. Her husband stopped being unsupportive and her son was doing well.
Recently I haven’t been able to get a hold of her. She barely responds to texts and I got worried. I sent her Dad a message hoping that they were doing well during this whole Covid thing and asked how Olivia was doing. He responded that they were doing well and he had her text me her answers were very short but upbeat. A part of me worried something was wrong.
Several days ago she made a lot of posts on Facebook about “electronic harassment” and being a targeted individual. I had no clue what that was and looked it up. It seems that Olivia is getting sick again and now she thinks she is being gang stalked. It made sense why she never answered calls and barely responded to texts.
My heart hurts for her. I don’t know what to do. Her family is amazing and very supportive of her. I know they will do the right thing to help her. Should I take a step back and give her space while this is happening? Unfortunately my husband and I live 6 hours away and we can’t just visit her especially with quarantining and lock downs happening. What is the best course of action to take her? Thank you.
TLDR - My best friend since childhood was diagnosed with having schizoaffective disorder. She suffers from auditory and visual hallucinations much of which revolves around biblical and metaphysical elements. She was getting better but now she is convinced she’s a “targeted individual” and is being harassed electronically. She has a great support system with her family I worry she may be hospitalized again. Should I give her space since the only means of communication right now is through cell phones and social media? Thank you.
Submitted April 05, 2020 at 11:48AM by Thrw-away- https://ift.tt/39GIZmd
No comments:
Post a Comment