A drug-addicted Melbourne man was crying out for help from hospitals in the weeks before he killed his housemate, his lawyer says.
Hugh William Brown, 45, was found guilty in June of murdering his friend, 43-year-old Steven Warlond, at their Port Melbourne unit in June 2016.
Defence lawyer Michael Cahill SC said on Friday that the ice-addicted Brown's "life was in crisis" at the time of the stabbing.
"There were serious attempts by him to get assistance," Mr Cahill told a Supreme Court plea hearing.
"He was reporting serious symptoms. But he was compliant and co-operative, and they discharged him."
Brown was having suicidal, homicidal and paranoid thoughts, fearing he would hurt someone if he did not get help, the court was told.
He admitted himself to hospital several times and on one occasion self-harmed so medical staff would let him stay.
"There was more than one cry for help and it culminated in these tragic events," Mr Cahill said.
The hospitals should not be blamed, Mr Cahill added, but he questioned the Victorian health system's capacity to support would-be offenders.
"There are not sufficient resources to meet the needs of people who are a threat to themselves or others but not immediately so," he said.
"The state's hospital system can only help people ... in very acute situations."
Justice Christopher Beale noted it was an unusual murder case, but ultimately Brown kept taking drugs despite the problems they caused.
"What do I make of a person who is using ice, drinking extremely heavily and has almost a premonition they are going to hurt someone," the judge said.
"But [he] keeps using ice, keeps drinking whisky until it actually happens."
At trial Brown claimed he had acted in self-defence but a jury found he murdered his mate.
The jury heard the pair injected ice and stayed awake all night watching Xbox before Brown stabbed Mr Warlond with a butcher's knife during a dispute.
Brown is due to be sentenced on September 21.
Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78.
AAP