We recently heard from Charlotte, who finally had the strength to kick her narcissistic son out of the house. Rachel would like to do the same to her son Brad, but she's afraid. Brad was always a difficult child, she says: "He was intelligent but impulsive. He was always fighting and vengeful."

After high school, he enlisted in the Marines but was kicked out. He moved away and only contacted Rachel and her husband, Dan, "when he messed up and wanted money." There were years during which they didn't hear from him.

Rachel says: "The drug use must have started then. It was one mess up after another, always someone else's fault. He married, then messed up that relationship after having two sons. He put us through sheer hell. On top of his mental illness (Brad had been diagnosed with Schizoaffective Disorder, the symptoms of which include delusional thinking and paranoia), he got involved with a bunch of meth heads. He was prescribed every anti-psychotic drug there is, but he wouldn't take his meds. We petitioned for forced treatment at least six times."

Over the years, Brad has been in and out of jail and has allowed his friends to torment Rachel and Dan. "They robbed us and threatened us, both of us disabled," Rachel says. "Brad stood by, saying, 'I didn't let them in, they brought themselves in.' I can never forgive him for that horror in our life. We had to sell our home and get away."

Brad is now 42; Rachel is 72 and legally blind; Dan has Alzheimer's disease. Brad has been living with them since he was released from jail. "I agreed to let him live with us until I found some service to help him get his messed up life back together," she says. "I honestly thought he was ready. A cop once told me Brad was 'a lost soul.' I wanted to prove him wrong. I thought with the right medication, he could recover. But recovery isn't possible for a non-compliant delusional individual.

"Now I desperately wish he would leave our home even though I feel guilty even thinking this. Dan is getting more forgetful and the stress of having our son here isn't helping either of us. I don't sleep well. I have panic attacks because there's no hope for Brad. All the budget cuts have gutted the mental health system. He's been denied SSI and Medicare three times.

"He's a constant unwanted psychotic guest who's taken over our living room couch where he resides day and night. He's either swearing at the computer or monopolizing our big screen TV. I hear it all night. He's verbally abusive to me and makes the most hurtful and false accusations. He makes no effort to deal with his disease. It's shameful and I'm ashamed he's my son.

"To keep my sanity I try to avoid him. I'm a prisoner in my own home. I take Zoloft but still feel so hopeless. I worry who will take care of Dan if something happens to me. I tried to petition the court, but I was told Brad needs to be a danger to himself or others before they can do anything. So I guess I have to wait till he tries to kill me. According to the law he has a right to be crazy."

Have you become involved with a self-destructive person? Send your tale, along with your questions, problems and rants to cheryllavinrapp@gmail.com. And check out my e-books, "Dear Cheryl: Advice from Tales from the Front" and "I'll Call You. Not."