tsunamisurfer - thank you for your beautifully written window into your experience with psychosis. my son has definitely been alienated by friends of late. he has been known to have a large personality with them. ...add a little booze and marijuana use and he becomes the "life of the party", or more accurately, the idiot of the party and "crazy". Sadly, i suspect "friends" may not realize when he has crossed over from being entertaining and the brunt of everyones laughs to literally becoming ill, out of touch with reality, and at risk of hurting himself or others due to the impulsivity/mania. they probably walk away from conversations with him shaking their heads and just wondering what on earth the boy has been smoking.

he needs to start the process of learning who his "friends" are. my husband is infuriated with a few of his friends for taking advantage of him during such a fragile time; my husband has had dialogues with some of them to educate them on warning signs. Husband has been prepared to take a call 24/7 if a friend ever feels they need help dealing with our son but they never called. im not as upset with my son's "friends". these are "kids" in their early 20's that have no real concept of what is going on and i cannot expect them to. i am more upset with my son b/c he needs to take ownership of his life and decisions and then take precautions so that future episodes are curtailed promptly... at least, that would be my "happily ever after" ending.