B
Blue Nude
Guest
husband and I went to our first NAMI (National Alliance for Mental Illness) support group meeting last night. There were 6 people in attendance. Three women with adult children with mental illness; one woman with adult siblings with mental illness; and husband and me. The other ladies were dealing with bipolar, schizophrenia, borderline personality. Our difficult child with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), ADHD, depression seemed mild in comparison.
My hubby found it very helpful and was really relieved to meet other people who have been living with this for many years and are surviving, etc. I think I found it more frightening. Two of the women had their adult children living at home with them. One refuses to take his medications and thinks he's just fine. One had been living independently, but stopped taking his medications and the parents had to bring him back home. He's doing better now, but he still can't live independently.
It scares and saddens me to think that my daughter might not be able to be independent. But then again, maybe she'll grow up to be a brilliant yet quirky artist living happily in SoHo.
My hubby found it very helpful and was really relieved to meet other people who have been living with this for many years and are surviving, etc. I think I found it more frightening. Two of the women had their adult children living at home with them. One refuses to take his medications and thinks he's just fine. One had been living independently, but stopped taking his medications and the parents had to bring him back home. He's doing better now, but he still can't live independently.
It scares and saddens me to think that my daughter might not be able to be independent. But then again, maybe she'll grow up to be a brilliant yet quirky artist living happily in SoHo.