NAMI helps the entire family, not just the person with the diagnosis. One of my mom's friend's helps run the local NAMI bipolar family support group. She started attending years ago when both of her children were diagnosed bipolar. She and her husband have had absolutely horrible times with their two adult children who are bipolar. They raised their grandson because his mother was always going on and off her medications, getting stable just long enough to get custody back, then going off of medications and going psychotic and trying to hurt the boy, etc... The Grandma went to NAMI to get help for her daughter, and stayed because she got help for herself. She now runs a lot of the services for NAMI in our area as a volunteer.
What you will learn at NAMI will help everyone in your family. It will eventually even trickle down and help the mentally ill person. At least it will help you detach and help them not be codependent on you, which in the long run is best for both of you.
