I'm really worried about my BIL

[JamesMama]

My BIL (16) was on MSN messenger last night and started talking to me. At first it was normal stuff. Then I noticed his screen name was FIRSTNAME (Founder GLU) so I asked him what GLU stood for and he says German Liberation Unit. : Then he starts going off on how Germany has a facist government and he and the other members of GLU are going to overthrow the faciest government and return Germany to the beautiful country it once was (direct quote) and on and on like that! They are going to prevent the Nazi's from rising again. The German government is destroying the country. Just weird stuff like that. Then he started going on about how Bush is a facist and he is destroying Iraq like the president of Germany is destroying Germany. He started saying how he's fully German (which I know isn't true because DH's mom is part Irish part Scottish and when I told DH about our conversation he called his sister and they figured that BIL's dad (DH has a different dad from the rest of his brothers and sisters) is only part German...and a small part at that.

DH talked to his sister about it and they agree it's concerning. It freaks me out. What 16 y/o talks like that? I think DH should call his mom and talk to her about it, but at the same time I don't want BIL to get mad at me and not talk to me. Especially if he's being influenced by his friends, who are obviously nuts, he needs a voice of sanity in his life, kwim?

Is this just weird adolecense stuff and he'll grow out of it? Or do we have a reason to be freaked out. DH got on MSN and was like "Brother, seriously, if you're just being funny tell me because you're starting to freak me out." and he said he was totally serious...DH even said "Seriously, quit messing around." and he said he wasn't messing around, he swore on their great-grandmothers grave that he's totally serious, then he got upset at DH for not taking him seriously.

I'm freaked out about this, I don't know what to do. I can't call my MIL because she hates me...like seriously she hates me.

[Arduinna]

What exactly are you afraid of? Do you think he is a real threat to any persons? Is there any evidence that he is planning an attack ? Is the kid known for outragous boastings?

[JamesMama]

I'm scared there is something wrong with him mentaly.

I don't know if he's a threat. A really good friend of mine has Schizophrenia and she was kind of like this before she was diagnosed, seeing threats where there were none, and the plotting and stuff.

I don't know if he's planning an attack or anything.

He hasn't ever gone off on stuff like this, DH says he is worried, that his brother has always been different from everyone else in the family, but that he's never been this different...

[Arduinna]

Well lots of sane people in the US don't agree with what has happened in Iraq and think Bush is a fascist, lol so those alone aren't enough for me to think he is mentally ill.

And interesting that he wants to protect Germany from Natzis.

What you have described so far doesn't seem like schitzophrenia to me anyway. But I'm no expert. I only have one friend that was dx with it in HS. And he saw and heard things that weren't there and had conversations with people that were not there and acted innappropraitely like not understanding personal boundries. Touching people that he shouldn't in ways that he shouldn't ect and inabilty to have self control. So far that doesn't sound like your BIL. But as I said no expert.

[BathrobeGoddess]

he got upset at DH for not taking him seriously

Ding, ding, ding, ding!!! We have a winner! Sounds like this is the whole problem to me. Your dh thinks he

has always been different from everyone else in the family

so it sounds like he fulfilling this prophecy. He fills the family role of weirdo and he is taking that to the next level. Speaking this way get a person attention...good or bad , its attention.
You don't sound worried about him actually committing these sort of acts right now. But above all, I doubt he is mentally ill...though this is just based on what you have said here so I can't make any sort of real diagnosis.


And I am an expert....childhood mental health is my field.

[JamesMama]

Thanks! I guess I won't stress about it.

I guess I'm also worried because he doesn't have a lot of IRL friends, he goes into chat rooms on the net all the time and goodness only knows who he is talking to and being influenced by in those chat rooms. His mother doesn't monitor his online activities AT ALL (and don't try to tell her she maybe should a little bit because she just gets pissy)...

[jannan]

just sounds like a normal teen ager wanting save the world but in this case it is germany. if he doesn't have a stock pile or weapons or a plane ticket to berlin i'd not worry about it ........but i'd keep an eye on it.
i was the same way with reagan in the 80's and the central america issue