Woman Lives On Toilet - Ap News

[Lisa]

Open Original Shared Link

Perhaps she has undiagnosed Celiac. This is just bizzare.

[ksymonds84]

Open Original Shared Link

Perhaps she has undiagnosed Celiac. This is just bizzare.

That's nuts! Also, no personal hygene during that 2 years!

[lizard00]

That has to be one of the strangest things I've ever read or heard of... WOW!

[jerseyangel]

I can understand the depression and the fear--what I can't understand is how the boyfriend let it go so long before he called for help.

[blueeyedmanda]

we heard this on the radio on the way to work this morning and we were thinking the same thing....why wait 2 years to call anyone for help.

[~alex~]

Wow, this is bizarre ! Hard to even comprehend. I certainly hope she is able to get the mental help she requires and maybe a gluten-free diet as well. It's hard to understand why the boyfriend wouldn't have reached out for help earlier but I guess I don't know what his circumstances are either. Maybe he could benefit from contact with a mental health professional as well; sounds like he was somewhat out of touch with reality. Very sad story all around.

[Mom23boys]

I can understand the depression and the fear--what I can't understand is how the boyfriend let it go so long before he called for help.

Hubby and I were talking about this this morning. We were trying to figure out exactly HOW you would tell someone that your friend would not get off the toilet.

[debmidge]

The only thing I can think of is that when he said to others "She's always in the bathroom." They felt he was just saying what every guy says and he was exaggerating.

[ravenwoodglass]

That story is so sad. I do hope they both get the help they need and that they don't do something cruel like charge him with something....well unless she was chained to the sink.

[confused]

The paper here today said they were thinking about charging him, it is so sad. Im guessing they had two bathrooms and he used the other one since she was stuck on the toilet.

Hubby and I were talking about this today and he said he would of called for help after an week if i refused to leave the bathroom.

paula

[imsohungry]

Huh...

I suppose it's really not that different than any other form of Agoraphobia other than her location.

She chose the bathroom, others choose the living room, bedroom, kitchen, or simply the entire house.

Think for example of the 5:00 news. We occasionally see stories of a person who lived for years never leaving his/her home. The home is often filled with feces, bags of trash, etc. and often, no one is aware of the problem until the person dies in the home. Sad, but true. These examples, of course, are extremes. The manifistations of this disorder exist on a continuum.

Hopefully she and her boyfriend will both get the help they need. -Julie

[flourgirl]

It's my understanding that both of them struggled with mental health/capacity issues. What I find so very sad is that apparently there isn't anyone there for them to care, help or even notice what a bizarre situation they were living with! They can't charge the boyfriend with negligence if he has not the capacity to understand right from wrong, or strange from normal, at least I hope not. We are praying that they get the help they need from somewhere. I would imagine the she will be wheelchair bound; there can't be any muscle tone. I wonder, too about the nerve and circulation damage! Poor people!!

[gfp]

I can understand the depression and the fear--what I can't understand is how the boyfriend let it go so long before he called for help.

Well I guess when she say's 'maybe tomorrow' he's more worried about possibly traumatising her and forcing the issue.

I know its a long time but she was presumably pretty depressed and it can be very hard to choose the moment to 'betray' that person's trust.

Retrospectively with 20/20 hindsight he probably knows he should have done it earlier but when exactly is a difficult question ?

1 Week ? 1 month ?

Having lived with someone manically depressed I know its very hard to make that betrayal ... (as they see it) .. at some point you have to decide for them they are not fit to make the descision about calling in help but in the end it has two outcomes .. they may be committed for their own safety (and involuntary pscychiatric treatment is hardly the most effective and can push them over the edge) or they might come round.

I had to walk away from my ex ... I took the step of informing her parents (which she will never forgive me for) but as someone told me here (no names) she has to make that descision to get help by herself or die.

This guy will get a lot of flack for being put into an impossible situation ... which I'm sure he now realises he could have handled better but after 1 month he had no idea it would go on for 2 years...

[imsohungry]

Very well stated flourgirl!