My mother is in her 50's. She's living on her own in her apartment and gets her monthly disability checks. She's also got health insurance. She doesn't work. She has deteriorated over the years. As far as I know she has schizophrenia and or multiple personality disorder. She doesn't bathe regularly at all. Weeks can go by.

I'm concerned that she may be using bleach to clean her skin with in the shower or bath. She has hypothyroidism, diabetes type 2, cholesterol 290 and I don't know what else. Oh just the other day when I called her to see if I could take her to the store to pick up things she needs she refused siting she had lice. Before this for years she would tell me she had some highly contagious skin infection that kept recurring. She seems to be isolating herself more. She doesn't seem to want to go anywhere with me or for me to come to her apartment.

She has all the classic schizophrenia symptoms. She isn't taking medication for any of her conditions. I'm concerned that the choices she is making are putting her at risk of some type of complications of those illnesses.

She has had this stubborn skin rash that at times she'd pick at for hours on end every day. As far as I know it has cleared up. Her body is riddled with scars though. But it isn't bacterial at the moment. The recent diagnosis of high cholesterol she is blaming for all of her physical ailments, skin rashes, diabetes. I can't seem to talk sense into her to get proper treatment. She feels she has it under control. She doesn't check her blood glucose level daily or anything. The other day when I called she had been on pretzels and coffee for days. I asked if I could bring her something but she refused.

She mentioned not having taken a shower for a week and needed bleach. I'm just at my wits end. I don't know what else I can do for her. I am married and have two children. She just won't listen to any reason.

She has gout too in her knee or something to that affect that she is taking a medication for that she feels is causing her hives that itch. She has a medication from her bacterial skin infections to ease the itching. It is like a high dose benadryl or something like that it sounds like. She will take two of those for the itching and it makes her sleepy. She goes to sleep and if she wakes up itching she will take another and another until it stops itching. She told me of a recent time she slept for nearly 5 days to catch up on sleep. I think she may be abusing the medication for whatever reason. I don't know what to do. I have called mental health services but they say she has to consent to get help.

She doesn't want help. She thinks her life is normal. She thinks she is doing good. I don't what I can do to help her have a normal life. Has anyone had a similar experience or have any ideas. When it is time for a yearly inspection of her apartment she spends hundreds of dollars to get it ready. Last word was that she hadn't done her dishes since, it's been months now. She hasn't washed her clothes in a while. But if the need arised for someone to inspect her place she'd somehow get it ready through hell or high water. Long enough to make it look like she has everything in order. It's so frustrating but I feel totally helpless.

My suggestion..this is TOO MUCH for one person. Call the County she lives in to get resources. They should have a 24-hour 7-day a week crises team...that will go to her place and check on her. Also, try to acess case manager services,who will help her manage things. Also, senior center (when things calm down) may have case manager help, also meals...if she is 55 qualifies as a senior. Try to find resources...often there is an 800 number to call in the community,

I agree that this is too much for one person to deal with. I've wasted most of my adult life caring for a mentally ill mother. In a sad way it is a no win situation. I believe they have to be a threat to themselves or others before they can be forced to accept outside help.

What you are going through is sad and difficult for others to understand. Remember to put yourself, and your immediate family first.

Call for help. Get her to a doctor. Do something to help her and yourself. My mother went through 14 years of delusions, paranoia, and complete isolation from the rest of the world, and I didn't figure it out. I was very young so I guess that's an excuse. My father left her, and all she had was my sister and myself. Her delusions took over her life and our lives too. She got what turned out to be cancer and violently, vociferously refused to go to the doctor, so she slowly died of it. I understand now that she was afraid a doctor would tell us and her that she was mentally ill, so she wouldn't go anywhere near a doctor. She had a cat that she adored and even let him die a horrible, slow, agonizing death because she she was so afraid to go anywhere near any kind of doctor. She did terrible things to my sister and me, scarring us for life in many ways, and I'm only now beginning to understand what actually happened. But the one thing I do know is this: that first day when I saw that first delusion, I should have screamed for help and forced her to go to a doctor. I was 22 and my mother had always ruled with an iron fist, so it didn't even cross my mind to override her commands to me. But if I could do it over again now, I would absolutely MAKE her get help!!!!!