My husband has been out of work for a year due to bipolar II and not having it under control enough but his therapist thinks he may have to accept that he won't be working for a long, long, time. He's at therapy (group, individual, & family) about 10 hrs a week for the past year. His parents and my parents do not feel bipolar exists, in us, and we should not take medication, or be in therapy.

This bothers my husband, he feels they are calling him a lazy liar. His family's opinion is that everyone has mood swings and "We're fine, we wouldn't have as many mood swings if we had our finances under control" (okay, you control bills with $700/ month w/ $550 rent). Mind you our son is staying there because of our recent episode. I did not feel we could care for his general needs right now and we have yet to schedule his return. It's to the point if my husband has to get hospitalized I am to Face book his mom as him and say that he's busy doing something when she calls. My family's even worse.

How do we educate them about the seriousness of this w/o scaring them to bad or thinking we shouldn't have custody of our son? They already went to one funereal because of mental illness this year, you would think they'd be more accepting.