Mental illness??

I have a 16yr old friend who lives at home with his parents he doesnt go to school and is currently looking for a job. he has his own sleep out and has been turning all the power off out there and locking all the doors. Its almost like hes scared of something or someone. I dont think that there is anyone there that is a threat to him. today his parents came home to find him in his sleep out with no power they went out to talk to him and he jumped out and tryed to stab his dad with a knife.. its starting to scare me a bit i tryed to talk to him about it but denies it all and said his dad beat him up witch to me seems impossible they are a loving family and wouldnt do that to him! im not sure what is wrong with him. But theres definalty something wrong there he is by himself quite alot as his sister goes to school and his parents both work i was wondering if there is someone that could help me with this?
c0nfused

My big question would be: why isn't his FAMILY concerned enough to be getting him professional help?

Sure, he may not re very receptive to it (since it sounds like he's got a lot of paranoia), but... whew! If he's pulling a knife on own family, what might he do if someone else encountered him.

If the family isn't getting him any help it might be time for an outsider to alert the Department of Social Services. Seems to me a case of child NEGLECT (if not downright abuse).

Glad you're thinking about him -- hope he can get some help (the whole family, for that matter, will probably be needing some).

it isnt child neglect they love him to bits but dont know what to do. he took off after that and is now at a friends house... They have had him to his family doctor before and perscribed him some anti depressants which he refuses to take! I truley believe he needs help but i dont kno how to get it for him as he doesnt believe he has a problem and is lieing about what really happened last night. What do we do next? we dont know how to get him to anywhere to get help!

1) A "family doctor" often isn't savvy enough to handle the behavioral, psychiatric-biochemical, and family issues involved.

2) The boy's problems could be anything ranging from chemical-imbalance-induced hallucinations (i.e., schizophrenic) to well-hidden scars from abuse by the family.

3) My parents, for example, might have helped be get prescriptions from a family doc... but would never have wanted a really gifted therapist to make a good connection with me and uncover the ^%$@$ really going on in the family.

4) To all appearances they may "love him to bits"... but so did my sexually abusive father... and he was a psychologist (so of course *he* couldn't have anything to do with my problems )

5) The whole family might need therapy. ...and also might be very averse to it.

6) Sorry: it's really hard to guess how to be helpful. But it's super hard to guess (from the outside) what's happening with him or how to be helpful. For one last thing: why does he not want to take the prescribed antidepressants? Because hallucinations are telling him not to? Or because he has genuinely been harmed in the past by his "loving" parents - and has reason not to trust any "help" coming from their choice of doc.

Whew! what a hard place for *anyone* to be in - and for anyone to try to help. I'd be putting them all on a prayer list.

Anybody else got ideas?

Your friend sounds depressed over something, has there been a loss in his life ?, as I have felt this way before just I was a little younger than your friend as someone I loved went from my life.

I would take your friend saying "his Dad beat him up" seriously and as a guide if not 100% as to what is happening, listen to him.

Try to be around his Father and get a feel for him, does he seem the type, even the slightest bit the type that would abuse his son in any way.

Also is he trying any drugs ?

I need more information to be able to help you more, Sorry