Mental Illness and Loved Ones

I've been reading so many articles concerning mental health this month.  It's great to see some information out there and to hear people sharing the way they have been.  It makes me know that I'm not so alone, and it also validates the reality of bipolar disorder for me.

My family doesn't really think much at all of this illness.  They've helped out on a few ocassions, but for the most part they really have no involvement.  Sometimes I try and reach out to them to talk about it but they don't really have any helpful words or support.  I told them about starting a new med on Friday and just got crickets.  One brother always says he'll talk to 'someone he knows' about the psych meds I'm about to try, but I've learned after following up with him over the years that he never ends up finding any information for me.  Maybe he's embarrassed to ask, I dunno.  I have thought on ocassion that my parents don't think my illness is real and they shove it under the rug.  I have one aunt who tells me I'm 'fragile' all the time, and other aunts who have been there for a brief moment in time but then disappear to their own lives and issues.

My grandparents were supportive.  My grandma knew depression and sometimes she'd just cry with me out of the blue.  Pain.  She understood my pain. Her dad had la depression nerveuse and was hospitalized for it in his later years but she didn't know much of the details.  I spoke about my depression with her family in France last time I went to stay with them for a few months.  My cousins also suffered depressive bouts and sought treatments.  They were very supportive.  It's too bad that part of my family is so far away.  French family is very loving and warm and communicative though.  In the States we don't do that much.  At least in my family.

I read an article about marriage and mental illness this morning:

http://m.ksl.com/index/story/sid/29912734?mobile_direct=y

It's very helpful information, but I kinda cringed at the use of the word 'caretaker.'  That puts a lot of pressure on a spouse to take on a role like that.  I remember meeting the spouses of my fellow patients during several hospitalizations and saw firsthand what a tremendous support they were.  But it takes a really strong person to deal with all that.  I guess it's one of those things that someone can either handle or they can't.  The Mr. is trying his best, so I'm grateful for that.