Having a roommate or two is definitely a plus when it comes to modern living. Mostly, it’s the lessened financial burden of having a nice and convenient place to live in. But there’s more to it—constant company, the potential for adventure as cohabitants, stuff like that.
But that also comes with the more unexpected twists and turns of living in the same place. It’s stuff like slamming doors seemingly unprovoked and complaining about shaking that isn’t really happening, forcing you to reach a point where you suspect your roommate is going bonkers.
Having a roommate can be great, but only to a degree where you don’t have reason to believe they’re going mad
Image credits: Los Muertos Crew (not the actual photo)
One Redditor shared how his roommate seems to be going mad with all the things she claims are happening when they really aren’t
Image credits: Yan Krukau (not the actual photo)
Image credits: RDNE Stock project (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Andrew Neel (not the actual photo)
Image credits: _castin
While the story isn’t conclusive, the author of the post is considering moving out at this point
The story goes that Redditor u/_castin moved in with his close friend, who was living with his mom at the time. Everyone and everything was chill until the friend moved out one day, and things seemed to be going downhill from there.
The mother, i.e. the roommate, started complaining about shaking that never ceases. It became so bad that she would begin slamming her door in the middle of the night. The woman first blamed it on her boyfriend who was a temporary roomie, but it wasn’t.
The screaming and door slamming never really stopped. There was one time when OP approached the roommate’s door to ask of she’s OK, which felt tense to say the least. And on another occasion, the roommate asked OP to come over to her room and check if the he feels the shaking. Alas, no shaking.
The roommate even talked to the neighbor about it and they never felt any sharking. OP also put down a glass of water to see if it has ripples caused to the vibration, but that too proved that it was not the building—it was the roommate.
Folks online had loads of questions and an equal amount of ideas and speculations
Throughout the comment section, OP was responding to people asking questions and suggesting possible triggers.
OP elaborated how he did talk to his friend, but he didn’t seem to care—he actually cut ties with the mom.
A lot of folks suspected that it is some form of a mental discrepancy: sundowning, delirium, auditory and visual hallucinations, bipolar schizophrenia, drugs and the like.
Things like the AC running on full blast was not the culprit, as she had shut it off and the shaking persisted. And seeking professional help was likely not an option for her—OP explained that she is unreasonable, coming back with backlash, guilt tripping and gaslighting whenever the idea of seeking help is suggested.
Needless to say, dealing with mental illness, no matter its manifestation, is difficult, but not impossible
If it really is auditory or visual hallucinations, it might help keeping some things in mind.
The person experiencing hallucinations might not be able to concentrate well, so speaking clearly and keeping sentences simple might go a long way. It’s also important to respond in a way that doesn’t validate the person’s belief that the hallucinations are real, e.g. don’t argue back to the voices they might be hearing.
Another thing to avoid is denying the person’s experience—instead, suggest your own perception. So, use language like “I understand that you feel worried. I don’t see or hear anything, but I understand that this might be difficult for you.”
Because the person experiencing hallucinations can distinguish between what’s real and what’s a hallucination, help them identify the triggers and guide them through managing it. This includes keeping the room lit, isolating it on an acoustic level or explaining unfamiliar things or noises in the environment.
Another thing that might help cope with them is providing diversions, like taking on simple projects or physical activity. The Queensland Government has more suggestions and advice on how to tackle hallucinations listed in their dedicated case study on caring for people experiencing hallucinations.
So, what are your thoughts on any of this? Any ideas on what could be the best approach for OP in dealing with the situation? Share your takes and stories in the comment section below!