Reply #26: Similar Situation

[RobinA]

We had the same sort of thing in my circle of friends in college. Guy slowly withdrew. Everybody said "drugs," which, this being the '70's, were probably involved too. However, we were all on drugs, and nobody acted like this guy. Got kicked out of his apartment for slicing up all the upholstered furniture. Had a hunting rifle, so no one would really let him stay with them. Previously was not in the least bit violent. Took to disappearing for long periods of time and then would come back with wild stories about oil sheiks (the bogey man of the time) and pushing people down the stairs in Chicago. Finally was so mentally disorganized you couldn't hold a conversation with him because he made no sense. Drowned several years later swimming on the river in November.

Early adulthood is the age when schizophrenia emerges. Of course, it's also the age when a lot of people naturally act crazy, so it's hard to figure out what's going on.