Well, that's a touch question to answer Ebpm. You seem like you're pretty smart about these things your friend is going through right now. I'm sure you know by now that there are special hospitals for these kinds of things.

Nowadays, there are specialized hospitals and clinics for just about everything: skin clinics, sexual centers, heart and circulation issues, hospitals for people overweight, orthopedic hospitals, and even hospitals and clinics for people with our types of issues.

I can remember that, not so long ago, having a heart attack could mean a week or more in the hospital. Nowadays, if they catch it early enough, they can treat it in just a couple of days. For people with mental issues, the same thing is true: what used to mean months of treatment can mean just a few days or a week or two. Plus families and friends have a MUCH better understanding of what to do and how to do it.

The most important thing to understand is that he's coming back to school because the doctors at the hospital say he's better. It sounds like he spent some time at one of the specialized hospitals I talked about earlier: they had the time, the expertise, and proper tools to make him better.

Being treated for what your friend has is just like any other illness: not every treatment is exactly the same. Think of it like this: if two people break their left arm, but in different places, the cast will probably look the same, but you don't know what is under the cast.

Remember that you and your friends need to be supportive of your friend. If your school has a counselor or a nurse, talk to them, I'm sure they can help. If somebody is talking about making fun of or picking on your friend, tell a teacher or the principal privately before your friend comes back...make sure somebody in authority knows who they are.

It sounds like your friend has a lot of friends he can rely on. Support your friend, but don't push them too hard or too far. Be supportive and be a friend.

Good luck to you!

Metro