[gilgil]

I have a 29 year old brother, who is suffering from a mysterious mental disorder.
He has seen dozens of psychiatrists, received many kinds of medical treatments, was hospitalized in mental institutions, but nothing helped and no one manages to properly diagnose him.
The expression of his disease seems to be physical. He is acting like he is physically disabled, hardly walking, sitting, eating or even talking, clamming that every activity, even as simple as watching T.V, or using a computer causes him physical pain.
Doctors have conducted all relevant medical examinations, and have rejected any physical problem. All doctors and family, including myself are 100% convinced that the problem is in his head. Throughout the years he has had ups and downs, but in general is worsening constantly. the prognoses seems to be a very sad and pessimistic one.
Although the doctors attempted different approaches of treatment, all of them have said, they have never encountered a similar case.

I would like to share his story with some more details:
My brother is extremely smart. Constantly under-stimulated at school, he started his B.A in computer science by the age of 12.
He was a strange boy, always had communication difficulties and was extremely opinionated from an early stage.
By the age of 15, he stopped talking with his brother and hardly communicated with his father. His mother was the only one he was really close to.
There was no specific reason that one can point for his brother and father's excommunication.
It was more or less, at the same time, that his physical complaints started.
He had difficulties walking long distances. Could not carry more than few grams, but he was still functioning pretty normally.
He enlisted to the army like every 18 year old boy in Israel, but after a frustrating experience rebelled and was dishonorably discharged.
By the age of 19, he left his parents house and moved to Jerusalem, where he started M.A in Mathematics. He felt isolated and couldn't stand the loneliness and quit after 6 months.
Throughout the years, his physical complaints have become progressively worse. He tired all kinds of natural and holistic treatments. He was convinced he is suffering from Chronic fatigue syndrome, a diagnosis that has been rejected continuously by all physicians.
7 years ago, our mother died from cancer. He was very close to her.
Surprisingly, the year after her death, was a pretty good year for him.
He started working in Hi-Tech company, was very appreciated and enjoyed his work very much. He lived alone in a small apartment near his work.
1 year later things started to deteriorate. He couldn't work more then few hours. He had to rest most of the day. He attended work less and less, worked from home, gave telephonic support, until he had to quit.
He was lying in bed almost all day long, doing nothing. His feeling of weakness got so extreme, that sometimes he couldn't even lift up a cup of water.
My father visited him, cleaned his apartment, managed his technical stuff, but he never agreed to take him home to live with him.
After my brother quit his job, he hospitalized himself in a mental institution. He got medical treatment with no results. After 5 months he was released and moved to protected accommodation. A few month after his relocation, he had a suicide attempt. He overdosed on a multitude of prescription and non prescription medications, some of which he had and some of which he bought from others.

Since then, he has been hospitalized again in a different mental institution. The psychiatrists determined that his is not psychotic or depressed and have stopped the anti-psychotics and antidepressants.
They believe he has some kind of personality disorder intensified by a great deal of loneliness and anger, especially towards his father.

In the last few months, his situation is worse then ever. He doesn't eat by himself, hardly talks and cant even go to the bathroom.
He functions like a baby. He is very irritated and almost impossible to communicate with.

It feels like he is terrified by the world around him.

As desperate as it feels, i am sure there must be something or someone who can help him.
If anyone is familiar with a similar story or has an idea, new direction, anything, I will greatly appreciate if you can share it with me.

[kindachaotic]

Hello & Welcome to PC!! Lots of info & support here.

So sorry you're brother is in such distress.
We're not professionals so can't diagnose but know you won't give up!
Just wanted you to know someone read your post, (I'm from US).
Keep posting & update on your brother.
Take care.

[Rose3]

Has he ever worked with an art therapist?
Art therapy can be a nonthreatening way for a person to tell their own story and find ways to express themselves that are meaningful for them. When working with an art therapist, the person would meet regularly, probably weekly or every two weeks for about an hour each session.
I read your post and felt concerned about your brother. Hope he's ok.