My brother got a swastika tattoo; I feel sick

My brother got a swastika tattoo; I feel sick (Full Version)

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kalikshama -> My brother got a swastika tattoo; I feel sick (2/8/2013 10:02:05 AM)
Apparently, when my 37 year old mentally ill brother's meds were off recently, which I write about here, he got a swastika tattooed on the top of his head. I called him to ask him about it just now and he volunteered that he would wear hats but would not get it removed. (This was not the point of my call.) I asked him a couple times why he had done it and he kept saying "I don't know." I don't know what to think or do because he is mentally ill and was under-medicated at the time, but I am sick at the thought of a family member doing this.

Lynnxz -> RE: My brother got a swastika tattoo; I feel sick (2/8/2013 10:03:18 AM)
Ohhh... Yikes. Is growing his hair out an option?

ShaharThorne -> RE: My brother got a swastika tattoo; I feel sick (2/8/2013 10:14:33 AM)
Is it still illegal to beat the shit out of siblings for doing shitty things? I want another tattoo but it is for medical purposes (a DNR tatto so the medical profession does not have to do heroic effects to restitute me in cases of cancer, stroke or heart attacks.). I am saving up for that after I get Lizard her new bed. Being mentally ill does not excuse stupidity...

Lynnxz -> RE: My brother got a swastika tattoo; I feel sick (2/8/2013 10:22:13 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: ShaharThorne Is it still illegal to beat the shit out of siblings for doing shitty things? I want another tattoo but it is for medical purposes (a DNR tatto so the medical profession does not have to do heroic effects to restitute me in cases of cancer, stroke or heart attacks.). I am saving up for that after I get Lizard her new bed. Being mentally ill does not excuse stupidity... For that to be even considered, you'd have to get the entire order, complete with signatures inked on you, AFTER you got the proper paperwork signed and filed. Even then, I do not know if it would be considered valid without accompanying paperwork.

cordeliasub -> RE: My brother got a swastika tattoo; I feel sick (2/8/2013 10:22:25 AM)
I take meds every day, and this is my take: When I miss a medication, even if I do not realize it right away, pretty soon my body does. So there is no way I could accidentally go off meds or not be aware that I had gone off meds. Stopping meds, other than the occasional "oops I fell asleep on the couch and missed it" is a conscious choice. To me, that means I also understand that by consciously choosing to go off the meds that my brain needs, I am responsible for whatever I do once my brain goes off the rails. I know a lot of people do not agree, and that is fine. Yes, medications have side effects. Yes, when one is used to riding those ups and downs and using them for creativity, excitement, etc. then giving up the ride is an adjustment. Yes, it stinks to have your thyroid trashed, your body chemistry altered, causing you to gain weight and then have others call you "fat." BUT....an untreated mental illness is not just dangerous to the ill person, it can be dangerous for others, depending on the ilnness. So meds are a must. I read your other post about all the red tape and ball dropping of medical professionals. Sadly, this happens all too often. I sure hope they get their crap together and get your brother the help he needs. He may feel differently once he is stable again about getting it removed. I applaud both you and your mother for trying to help your brother and caring for him. Living with someone who has a mental illness is not a picnic.

kalikshama -> RE: My brother got a swastika tattoo; I feel sick (2/8/2013 10:26:18 AM)
quote: Is growing his hair out an option? Since he started balding, he's been shaving his head. So I'm not sure if he'd want to or if his hair growth would be sufficient. He has a lot of other, random, tattoos, and looks like a skin head :(

Level -> RE: My brother got a swastika tattoo; I feel sick (2/8/2013 10:29:18 AM)
Are you two close?

kalikshama -> RE: My brother got a swastika tattoo; I feel sick (2/8/2013 10:31:45 AM)
quote: Being mentally ill does not excuse stupidity... Well, it kind of does - he has a thought disorder. (And a mood disorder.) His therapist and psychiatrist dropped the ball on the periodic tests he needs to make sure his medication is adequate.

ShaharThorne -> RE: My brother got a swastika tattoo; I feel sick (2/8/2013 10:32:35 AM)
Which is why I am going to the doctor when Mom comes back. I want the DNR, she wants one as well. I have seen my father suffer from heart attacks and strokes and he had to deal with being half the man he was. I don't want to go through that mess. We are also going to draw up our wills. Through my brother is beneficiary to my life insurance, my daughter will get it instead since she is now an adult. She has showed me that she can handle money when she got her grant monies for college.

FelineRanger -> RE: My brother got a swastika tattoo; I feel sick (2/8/2013 10:33:39 AM)
If he was off his meds, whose responsibility is it to ensure he takes the right thing at the right time? Either it's time that person was shown the door or it's time someone was hired to ensure correct medication. Otherwise, you just have to live with his action. Bill

ShaharThorne -> RE: My brother got a swastika tattoo; I feel sick (2/8/2013 10:40:30 AM)
I said that because I am bipolar with oral schizophrenia, BPD and PTSD. I know right from wrong. I have my mother as my payee and guardian and one thing I do is make sure I take my meds and see my doctors. Getting the symbol is stupid unless you are a part of the Aryan Nation. Me getting a tattoo when I was younger did not make me a biker chick...even though I love Harleys.

kalikshama -> RE: My brother got a swastika tattoo; I feel sick (2/8/2013 10:43:13 AM)
quote: I read your other post about all the red tape and ball dropping of medical professionals. Sadly, this happens all too often. I sure hope they get their crap together and get your brother the help he needs. He may feel differently once he is stable again about getting it removed. I applaud both you and your mother for trying to help your brother and caring for him. Living with someone who has a mental illness is not a picnic. Thanks... He has been considered disabled, has subsidized housing, and does not live with either my mother or myself. We are all in the same county. I saw him a lot during the nine months I was unemployed but not as much now. I'm in town most Sundays for church and dinner, but he doesn't always chose to go back to Mom's with us.

LafayetteLady -> RE: My brother got a swastika tattoo; I feel sick (2/8/2013 10:46:13 AM)
Well, it all depends on the thought disorder, you know that. Is it possible that he has some of those beliefs and feelings and being off his meds just led him to do something like that?

LafayetteLady -> RE: My brother got a swastika tattoo; I feel sick (2/8/2013 10:50:51 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: ShaharThorne Which is why I am going to the doctor when Mom comes back. I want the DNR, she wants one as well. I have seen my father suffer from heart attacks and strokes and he had to deal with being half the man he was. I don't want to go through that mess. We are also going to draw up our wills. Through my brother is beneficiary to my life insurance, my daughter will get it instead since she is now an adult. She has showed me that she can handle money when she got her grant monies for college. You do know that saying your daughter is the beneficiary in your will doesn't change the policy, right? You need to change the beneficiary on the policy as well, and then there is no need to mention it in your will.

TheLilSquaw -> RE: My brother got a swastika tattoo; I feel sick (2/8/2013 10:53:44 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: FelineRanger If he was off his meds, whose responsibility is it to ensure he takes the right thing at the right time? Either it's time that person was shown the door or it's time someone was hired to ensure correct medication. Otherwise, you just have to live with his action. Bill Unless there is a court order, the mentally ill person is responsible for taking their medication. Now if they don't think they are fit to make those decision they need to get a court order that says he can not make those decisions. You can't force feed someone medication. There are a lot of reasons people with mental illnesses go non-compliant. In a real sense, they (the family) do have live with his choices but so does he. They are his choices. The tattoos and the medication. Are all his choices. ETA: OP... I'm sorry if my response to the above came across harsh. I wasn't trying to be.

ShaharThorne -> RE: My brother got a swastika tattoo; I feel sick (2/8/2013 10:55:40 AM)
I am going to discuss it with Mom when she comes back from Arkansas. She has her policies going to my brother here and the property going to all 3 of us when she dies. She just needs to get witnesses for her holographic will (Hey, I actually remember something from paralegal classes)...

TheLilSquaw -> RE: My brother got a swastika tattoo; I feel sick (2/8/2013 10:58:12 AM)
Shahar, I have a DNR and a mental health advance directive. The paper work isn't hard to file but it has to be done correctly. It has to be filed with doctors, hospitals, you should have a copy and so should your emergency contact(s).

Lynnxz -> RE: My brother got a swastika tattoo; I feel sick (2/8/2013 11:10:41 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: FelineRanger If he was off his meds, whose responsibility is it to ensure he takes the right thing at the right time? Either it's time that person was shown the door or it's time someone was hired to ensure correct medication. Otherwise, you just have to live with his action. Bill Ah, that's the thing. There is no one but family. There is very little to no follow up with mental illness- which is why the streets of large cities crawl with indigent people unable to hold a job, (or form a sentence properly on occasion). They have a bit of a snap, are taken to a nearby hospital where they may be transferred to a behavioral health facility for a week or two, and then put right back out where they came from. OP's brother is extremely lucky to have such a well involved family. Welcome to the US, our mental health services blow. I suppose the man in question could always get the tattoo covered up...?

DarkSteven -> RE: My brother got a swastika tattoo; I feel sick (2/8/2013 11:19:59 AM)
is it possible that he is friends with skinheads or neoNazks?

kanedesade -> RE: My brother got a swastika tattoo; I feel sick (2/8/2013 11:33:57 AM)
The Swastika doesn't have to mean Nazi, they took a Pagan symbol and corrupted it. Actually, did you know, in Japan, it's a symbol of good luck?

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