I would appreciate it if nobody talked about my mental health problems behind my back or without my permission, but my mother loves drama and to gossip, so sometimes she gushes to people about how messed up I am for attention. I’ve accepted it as just one of many parts of her own dysfunctional issues that she is like that, though. I don’t tell her very much, though, as she can’t be trusted.
@Turnip Thank you for sharing. I believe it can be very upsetting… people do strange things to receive attention from others, to be “interesting” in the social circle. Hope you have some trusty people around. Take care.
Mine are as secretive as CIA or NSA. I’m really disappointed by it. My mom always says that it’s better not to tell the truth. It makes me really mad. I couldn’t maintain my school friends nor develop new friends because of it.
My father is slowly coming to grips that when me or my moms meds don’t get filled bad things happen next. It’s been a big learning process. Hopefully one day he will understand. It’s tough caring for yourself and two others meds but even tougher when you have family that don’t know the half.
@Geeknoid your and my mum have sth in common then. She is a constant “truth concealer” and the best thing is she thinks it’s for everybody’s benefit. Her motto is: the less someone knows the better. No wonder I am such a fan of truth then…
So as the Griffin the arcanian said,“The truth is the only path”
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Yeah. Well I got these papers in the mail to apply for disability for myself. I’m not sure if I want disability yet though I want to try and get a job again first. Other than that, not really sure what to do to help my situation.
When I was first diagnosed(with schizophrenia) my parents were very open with other people about it. They were also very negative ie saying things like “It’s a shame,maybe in a hundred years there’ll be a cure” .
Nowadays family hardly talks about my mental illness. Although I have updated them about diagnosis father tends to think I’m bipolar because I was on lithium and brother often talks in terms of schizophrenia.
My immediate family likes to think of me as having bipolar - schizophrenia or schizoaffective freaks them out for some reason.
They are ignorant when it comes to understanding the schizophrenia aspect to my illness.
My Father thinks that all schizophrenics run around naked and talk to themselves.
My brother also tends to ignore the fact that I could very well have schizoaffective disorder.
I try explaining the SZA diagnosis to them, but I don’t get very far with them.
It is frustrating.
@StarryNight I do not know where you are from but there are some places you can get some help for your mum I believe… it’s not ideal for you when just recently having recovered to look after your mum. Have you talk about it with your pdoc? Maybe to involve some social services so she can get treatment it seems she needs… from my experience ill person can be quite a trigger. Especially that with our illness we should avoid stress. Wish you all the best.
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@Wave yeah, social stigma is very powerful. All the movies, news give very negative picture. England is in the stage of talking about it since recently. But still the talks are the most about depression, ED, bipolar. I haven’t seen yet any person having schizophrenia to be invited to news program. Maybe soon. This campaign has just started…
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I told my family and I regret it. First they asked me if I was possessed. Then they treat me like I have leprosy.
My mom refuses to accept my illness, and acts like I made a bad choice most of the time (not her fault, she has her own issues and has hard time accepting that I have mine)
The only member of my family who would talk about my illness without acting like it was a choice or a ‘demonic’ thing was my stepdad’s mom, who passed three years ago from cancer. Strongest woman I have ever known, and the kindest and sweetest. I miss her everyday. She talked about my illness with and even though I am not Christian, she never judged me on it and only told me that what ever I believe, the powers that be will one day heal me. She was always supportive. She never told anyone other than her husband about her cancer until the year she decided to stop Chemo. TWELVE YEARS she hid this from everyone, never complained, said her hair loss was from old age, her weakness was from flu/pneumonia ect.
My stepdad’s sisters, two of them are okay with me, the other two treat me like an IT. They think it was a mistake for my stepdad to marry my mom, or at least to marry her without making her ‘get rid of the ■■■■■■■’. I have my issues with my stepdad, but he accepted me as his, and that means something. He may not be ‘supportive’ of m illness, but that’s only because he was raised by a man who honestly believed that mental illness was an excuse invented by doctors for kids with no work ethic…
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my parents don’t tell people too often about my illness. Which is surprising since my mom told everyone about my brother’s illnesses. my partner is unashamed of my illness and tells people at her work about my illness when they ask what I do for a living.
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My family has been really awesome with all that has been going on. I am really open with my schizophrenia. Most seem to be in disbelief that I am suffering from it, but none have shown that they are embarrassed to be around me.
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@Sheryl I am really sorry to hear that. I believe it comes out of ignorance and lack of knowledge. I hope you have some nice supportive people around beyond you family. Wish you all the best in life. Take care.
@Dremulf your stepgrandma sounds like an amazing woman. I am sorry for your loss. As in regards to your stepdad it really shows how sb’s believes re mental issues impact their perception of it. That is why I am so happy that more and more there are informative talks about the nature of mental health problems to destroy common misconceptions… try not to take to heart these terrible women who say such poisonous things to your stepdad. I really do believe in what goes around, comes round… Take care and good luck.
It is very difficult but it could be worse. I don’t have to believe her when she says she doesn’t love me or that I’m not her daughter recently she was acting like she wished I was dead. She’s agreed to have someone come to the house and clean, so a caretaker, and then eventually I will find a way to move out. I have support and my dad’s paying for a few classes if I want I want to work though, I just need to take a few classes so I stop being here all the time…it’s ok, not that bad things are getting better.
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Well, when I was first diagnosed, my dad didn’t believe it. He sent me to some high-faluting neuropsychiatrist and he ran all kinds of tests. I was 14, and it came back in strong confirmation of schizophrenia, proving once and for all to my dad that it was real. He had a hard time believing anything anyone would tell him without confirming it with 3 independent sources first. My dad was all about that logic…or something.
He went on to keep it hidden like a guarded state secret, ashamed. These days I have no family left save for one uncle on my mother’s side, and I don’t trust him with a firecracker.
My wife obviously knows, but we keep it hidden. Nobody here in the Bible Belt wants to hear about it, and if they do, they’re ready to “lay hands” on you. Ack!
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that sucks, I used to deal with a lot of bible pushers…should have seen those catholic door to door people RUN when they found out I had voices in my head…The LDS people were fine with it, surprisingly, and the Jehovahs love it, say its angels talkin to me…but those Catholics…and the Baptists…and the worst of all the Presbyterians…those guys threw me out o their church when I asked to be healed of it…like screamed at me to never ‘defile their sacred ground’ again…