To Melinda re neighbor

[Guest guest]

Dear Melinda,

Is it possible that your neighbor is mentally ill? Some of her strange

behaviors (paranoia, hiding, leaving her porch light on for days, messy

housekeeping, not keeping an eye on her son) sound like those that often

accompany a mental breakdown.

Police often fail to do anything when they are called about such people

because they can't find evidence of actual criminal behavior. Also, signs

of mental illness alone aren't enough to cause people to be committed to a

mental hospital -- unless their behavior can be shown to endanger someone

else.

Jill