Ok, so basically a long standing mate of mine came down to London this weekend for a big party that we were having, only to confuse and worry everyone (well, me) by behaving in a very odd way.
For someone who I've always known as lively, sociable and self confidant, he was being: extremely vague, seemed to have difficulty in making any kind of decision (from choosing a drink in the pub to deciding when to cross the road) without prompting from me or other people, responded to my questions with mono-syllabic answers or with peculiar non-verbal facial gestures which I could not make head not tail of, and spent most of the night standing on his own and staring into space. At one point I asked him outright if he was on drugs (which was almost funny considering that I was), because he just looked completely smacked out. In short, he was not on this planet.
Unfortunately, we were not really in the right environment to attempt a major heart to heart conversation. Although I've only seen him about three or four times since October last year, he has deteriated very noicably. I tried to extract some information from him, and got as far as finding out that he hadn't really spoken all during January, and that he considers his ability to now string half a sentence together as an improvement. His parents have told him to see a therapist, but he either does not want to or does not think he needs to.
There is something seriously wrong, and it doesn't take a genius to work it what it is. He spent most of last year doing an internship at an architectural firm in New York. From what I can gather, it sounds like an absolutely incredible experience. He sorted it all out himself, went out there with next to no money, met some amazing people, worked in a bookshop to make ends meet, lived in numerous cupboards in Manhattan, everything. And so it was that in the very final week of what must have been a quite profound year for him personally, that he witnessed the WTC attacks.
Before he left my house yesterday afternoon. I told him he should speak to a professional. He insists he's alright though, even when he quite clearly isn't. I told him to at least go back home and speak to his parents, but he drove back to uni in Manchester.
I can't think what else could be causing his decidely weird behaviour other than some long delayed/repressed trauma stemming from September 11. Does this sound like an accurate assessment? Furthermore, what should I/can I do to help him out? I'm convinced that this is some kind of mental illness that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later, and I'd be really grateful for any advice or thoughts barbeloids could dispense. |
