I offer your brother no prayers. My prayers have not been effective.

I can attempt to offer you hope.

Get medical treatment for him ASAP. Medical treatments are very sophisticated. Has shock treatment been considered?

I just saw a few days ago, there is a portable shock treatment electronics a patient can apply by him self at home.

A harmless thing to try out. Get some powerful balanced lights in case he is made worst by S.A.D.

Sounds easy, but I know it isn't.

Best of luck.

dcarch

Susie, you and your family are so much in my thoughts. Many years ago my family dealt with a member who was severely depressed. It was like she was in a black hole where no one could reach her and she simply could not see the light. I truly believe the brain chemistry gets out of whack, set off by some very sad or overwhelming event.

I am appalled that the ambulance would not come. I hope with all my heart that you and your brothers can get him to a place where he gets the help he needs. Medication can work wonders.

You are doing all that you can do. Chris is fortunate to have a supportive family. I am hoping for the very best outcome.

The police did a welfare check on the home at 11 and he did come to the window so all is good right now.
We siblings have met via the phone and at 3 pm my sil who heard the suicide threat is going to file a report. The police will then gain access to the home and take him to the hosptal where he will be held for the 72 hours again.

At least this will give us time to weigh our options.

He will not pick up the phone when I call.
Oldest brother (the trouble maker) and 3rd brother each live about 2 miles from him so they have been back and forth.

I will post again when I know more, keep us all in your prayers today pease!

Thank you.
Susie and family

Sending prayers from the west coast.
Hang in there, Susie, I know what you're going through.

Adult...can't help unless they want it...yada, yada.
It sucks.

Hopefully someone at the hospital will see that he's a threat to himself and require hospitalization and/or meds to help the depression. No guarantees. Can a family member talk to the Dr. that does the evaluation? Sometimes they "miss" the fact that this isn't the first time.

Deanna

Oh, Susie. I'm so sorry. Of course you have my prayers, my best wishes and any other form of strength I can send to you and your family.

I hope your brother gets the help he needs.

Susie, I am so sorry. I am sending all the healing thoughts and prayers I can to all of you.

I, too am apalled at the ambulance refusing to help. Medical teams are supposed to help first and worry about gettin the bill paid second. At least that's how it works in the two hospitals that I work in!

Good luck in getting him the help he needs. Take care of yourself, too. You need to stay strong for him.

Linda

Susie....you are in my prayers... and your brother too.
I am praying that he can get the help he needs....

Susie, I'm sorry you have to go through this... and him as well! I will send some positive thoughts. Hope everything turns out OK.

Susie you are in my prayers as well.... I am so sorry you are going through this with your brother and hope he will get help.

Alexa

Susie, I will be thinking of your brother today, and hoping for the best. This is just so difficult for all involved.

Sally

Susie, this is a very hard thing to go through....both your brother and the family....I know first hand. After my mother's mother (my grandma obviously) passed away my mom had a very hard time and was suicidal. There were times I pleaded with her and followed her to the river to prevent her from jumping...and I was only 16 years old. It was one of the worst times of my life along with my mom's. I know on her deathbed she was ashamed of putting me through that......but I forgave her and told her I thought she was a great mom....and she shook her head 'no'....

...anyway...not to make this about me. Take your brothers threats seriously and if you can do it and it would help get there...and whatever else just be supportive.

..oh on a sidenote my mom did get the shock therapy and that eventually did bring her out of her deep depression...although she got way more than she was supposed to and to this day I wonder if that contributed to her blindness later in life.

It's just a helpless feeling and I will keep your family in my thoughts and prayers.

Duane

Praying for all of you Susie! I hope your brother gets the help he needs! Depression is a horrible disease that affects the whole family!

Gina

Hoping to find positive news...your family is in my thoughts.

I'm so sorry you are going through this. Best of thoughts for both you and your brother.

Susie, what a horrible thing for you and your family to be coping with. Your poor brother too, to be so mentally isolated from the family who loves him by his depression.
WRT the ambulance issue, is there some way you can all pool together to pay the previous bills? Do they have ambulance cover medical insurance in the US (they do here)? If so, could you take some out in your brother's name so it's not an issue any more?
Does your brother not answer the phone because he doesn't want to talk to you specifically, or because he doesn't know who's on the phone? If the latter, could you get caller ID on the phone for him so he knows it's you?
I do hope your brother can be persuaded to accept treatment and that his life improves. Depression is cruel.

Well thing are ok for right now.
We finally made contact with Chris yesterday and he is very ill.

My sil never went to file the report...so she has been trying to talk to him.
Best as I can see she is not a doctor and her interfering is not helping.

I made some calls and spoke to a doctor from Eagleville Clinic and she gave me some info about manic depression and how in many cases it goes hand in hand with substance abuse. They can help him but he has to.agree to treatment.
Its my.prayer that today will be the day he agrees to admit himself!

Peace,
Susie

I'll be thinking of you today, Susie.

Sally

Hope everything works out. The feeling of being so helpless must be terrible.

Susie, I also hope your brother will decide to help himself. Until he does, there's nothing anyone else can do, except try to keep him safe from himself. I don't know what the heck goes on in some places, here the Judge would declare him "a danger to himself or others" and order a 30 or 90 day placement, without his consent. Here, though, an ambulacne wouldn't be called except for medical emergency, then they have to come, no matter what the bill. They wouldn't come for a suicide threat, though, that would be the police.

Annie

Hope he seeks help....