My best friend was diagnosed with pnd 18 months ago, and anxiety. She is supposedly "in the system" after she attempted suicide last year, but afaik she hasn't seen anyone from the mh team in months. She has also stopped taking her medication as she says she no longer needs it.
Her dh is none too supportive, refuses to recognise that she is ill and is very cross that she isn't working. (She did go back after ML but was crippled by anxiety and eventually lost her job) I believe her dh is the reason she has stopped her meds etc.
Thing is, she really isn't better. She is obsessed by illness, and is constantly diagnosing her ds's with everything from Aspergers to scoliosis. She researches thoroughly, then goes to the doctors with a long list of symptoms. Invariably she gets them as far as an appointment with a consultant, but is never offered a follow up, because there is nothing wrong.
My friend is also shelling out hundreds of pounds to a homeopath who is "curing" her 2yo ds's nonexistant autism.
The really scary bit though is that her dh is in hospital, with an undiagnosed stomach condition, and I am a bit concerned that my friend could be responsible. She has mentioned several times in the past few days that she hopes it isn't a salt intolerence. She also asked if I thought the doctors might check his sodium levels. He is in isolation on a drip and she keeps trying to smuggle soup in.
I feel like a total bitch even thinking this, but I am so worried about her, and her family, and I feel bloody sure someone who knows what they are doing should be looking after her.
Please tell me what I can do to support her, and how to broach the above without offending her. (She truly does believe all these illnesses are real, she isn't doing it for attention as such)
Thank you