Ask Me Help Desk - Claims Zombies are eating her brain

My friend who is female and 40yrs old, has previous drug abuse history claims that while she was in rehab 2 months ago someone put a "zombie" curse on her and it is eating away her brain. She is super depressed has trouble eating or sleeping, and truly believes that she is dying do to this. Her dad told her he was having her committed to get her some help and she told him if he did that she would make up lies about him molesting/abusing her as a child and tell the police. She keeps telling him she is dying and the front half of her brain is gone. She has lost interest in her 2yr old says she doesn't want her and wants to adopt her out etc. It is scaring all of us, she truly believes that this is all happening to her. She had claimed at first that bugs were crawling all over her, she was picking at her face, we need some advice on what to do. She was or is a heroin addict who has been on methadone for a long time, not sure if she is still on it, (since rehab) as she has been having to take drug test for CPS (child protective services) she is also known to do some pills. Can anyone please help us

Let me get right to the point about the need for specialty medical intervention:

The timeline you have provided, re-hab two months ago, indicates that the hallucinations and delusions may not be drug induced.

The key to this distinction is time since withdrawal.

During detoxification, particularly from heroin, these type of psychotic symptoms are common and even expected. That they appear or persist months after detox could indicate a separate condition which developed during or pre-dated the addiction.

As a practical matter, that distinction is unimportant and shouldn't detract from the need for immediate attention.

Your friend needs to be assessed neuro-psychiatrically If she cannot be convinced to submit that will probably require involuntary commitment (not an easy task).

I'm not overlooking your mention of methadone maintenance and "pills" These factors are undoubtedly related but would not independently explain the psychotic symptoms.

I believe her dad is correct and she needs to be committed for observation and testing. As soon as possible.

Thank you so much, I just got off the phone with her and she corrected me in saying it is called the "zombie Virus" she claims she can't eat and has not truly slept in months. Said she walked 7 miles yesterday just to get tired, she can't feel any human emotions and her gums are receding? She said she has been to the hospital and they can't find out what's wrong and don't believe her when she mentions the virus. I have never heard of such and we can do is try to get her somne help I guess. God Bless and thanks for your answer, it was well received. Has anyone else heard of such a virus?

You're being a wonderful friend! There is no such virus. It's a virus she has concocted in order to explain her various difficulties.

The best thing you can do as you talk with her is to buy into the virus conversation. You'll only upset her and make her angry if you tell her there is no such thing. Also let her know that there are doctors who deal with these kinds of virus problems. Has anyone (you? Her dad?) found a psychiatrist yet who will talk with her and help her heal from her virus?

Thank you for your help. I appreciate it very much!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edensmimi

Thank you so much, I just got off the phone with her and she corrected me in saying it is called the "zombie Virus" she claims she can't eat and has not truly slept in months. Said she walked 7 miles yesterday just to get tired, she can't feel any human emotions and her gums are receeding? She said she has been to the hospital and they can't find out what's wrong and don't believe ehr when she mentions the virus. I have never heard of such and we can do is try to get her somne help I guess. God Bless and thanks for your answer, it was well received. Has anyone else heard of such a virus?

Given your update on your friend's description of “zombie virus” I decided to run it as a descriptive metaphor. For instance, I have heard of “zombie like” used to describe some behaviors related to sleep deprivation.

That didn't provide anything usable, but I accidentally ran across information on a zombie virus that was widely disseminated during 2009 It was an internet hoax but cleverly executed using faux new articles and other authoritative looking resources. It evidently gained widespread currency before being exposed. A brief outline of the hoax can be found here User:JL 09/H1Z1 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It's possible that your friend may have read something on this or that someone she knows could have provided her information on the condition. While this doesn't alter the other behaviors it might indicate that the zombie virus she mentions isn't a fabrication or delusion but may be traced to an identifiable source that was believed by many. Probably worth exploring when speaking with her. i.e. Where did she run across that term?

As Wondergirl noted, and I concur, there is no such virus. It certainly wouldn't be identifiable by any doctor she speaks with and, consequently be misinterpreted.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrBill100

It certainly wouldn't be identifiable by any doctor she speaks with and, consequently be misinterpreted.

If it's a doctor worth his salt and who has read articles/stories by the famous neurologist Oliver Sacks*, he too will buy into the virus conversation and help her identify the source of the name (why she's calling it that) and figure out ways to defeat it.

*Has worked with patients struggling to live with conditions ranging from Tourette’s syndrome to autism, parkinsonism, musical hallucination, epilepsy, phantom limb syndrome, schizophrenia, retardation, and Alzheimer’s disease.

We have yet to contact a doctor, we are trying to get her to go to our county mental health clinic, we appreciate all the great advice and will keep you posted, thanks a million!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edensmimi

We have yet to contact a doctor, we are trying to get her to go to our county mental health clinic, we appreciate all the great advice and will keep you posted, thanks a million!

Terrific! My uncle was connected to a psychiatrist through our county health department and was very happy with her, so hope your friend finds someone helpful. Yes, please keep us informed.

I am sorry to report my friend was found dead last Thursday, she shot herself in the head. Her dad is blaming himself for not having her committed. He tried and tried to get her to go voluntaringly she refused. I offered to take her, she wouldn't go. They had the priest go to her house and talk with her, and the priest said for them to not call the police to commit her, but to cut her off and let her hit rock bottom. Well hit rock bottom she did, and now will never come up, not blaming the priest so please don't think I am. Thanks to all who tried to help, I printed her out every thing I could I gave it to her but maybe it just wasn't enough. Thanks to all