Re: Delusional individuals and how to deal with them

["Charles Meyer" <Charles.Meyer@tdh.state.tx.us>]

> Date:          Fri, 18 Sep 1998 16:02:59 -0500 (CDT)
> Reply-to:      radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu
> From:          "Hans Messersmith" <Hmessers@isdh.state.in.us>
> To:            Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
> Subject:       Delusional individuals and how to deal with them

> We here at the Indiana State Department of Health have had dealings of and on for several years with a gentleman who believes that he has been exposed to radiation from varying sources, and who profe> Of course, from his point of view, he is perfectly sane.  He obviously lives in constant fear of future exposure and frustration that no one will believe him.  His life must be completely miserable.
> 
> Has anyway had to deal with this situation before?  What suggestions do you have?  Is it better to assist the person to get bioassays or other tests, even though they are not indicated at all?  To i> 
> My intention is not to open a forum for "war stories" regarding this issue, but to find out how best we can help this fellow.  If anyone has any suggestions, please email me.  If there are any radiat> 
> Hans J. Messersmith
> hmessers@isdh.state.in.us
> Indoor and Radiologic Health
> Indiana State Department of Health

Hans,

Whe I worked in Houston, I had a few people with these kinds of 
stories call me, some on a routine basis.  Only one was of such 
distress that I felt compelled to take some additional action, 
besides trying to alleviate her fears over the telephone.  In that 
situation, I contacted the City of Houston Mental Health Department 
and arranged to meet one of their case workers at the lady's 
apartment.  I called the lady back and explained that I would come by 
to perform a radiation survey and would be accompanied by a lady from 
the City of Houston.  She agreed.  We went to her apartment.  I 
introduced the MHMR case worker and myself proceeded to perform a 
radiation survey while the case worker started talking to the lady.  
The case worker was great by the time I came back to the living room, 
she had found out what medications the lady was supposed to be 
taking, who her doctor was, who her closest relative in Houston was 
and proceeded to contact that relative by phone and advise her of the 
problem.  The lady was a paranoid/schizophrenic and did fine as long 
as she followed her prescription regimen.  Most of the other 
callers, especially if they called routinely, I think were just 
lonely people whose imaginations would run away with them until they 
could talk to someone for a while.

Russ Meyer


<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>            
<>    Charles R. (Russ) Meyer                  <>
<> Email:charles.meyer@tdh.state.tx.us 
<>     Phone:(512)834-6688                       <>
<>        Fax:(512)834-6654                        <>
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
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