On a different forum I read such a sweet post from a teenage girl who was sad that her older sister was in the psychiatric hospital for the second time. She was asking the forum what more she could do to support her sister. She listed so many things that she has done in the past, and it really warmed my heart, but reminded me how so few people in my family supported me at my worst.

During a four year period I was hospitalized 10 times, half for full blown mania (some w/psychosis), and the other half depression (some with psychosis). Only my husband ever visited me, despite my dad and siblings living only 35 mins away. My husband would call my dad and tell him (again and again) that I was in the hospital, and all he would say was "Give her my best, and ask her to call me when she gets out." I remember that often when I got out, I didn't even bother.

I'll admit that sometimes when I was in the hospital, perhaps my mental state would have frightened them. But other times, not so much. Or when I got out, there were many days I could not handle basic things like cooking dinner or running errands. So often when people are sick, families rally together and help the sick member with these basic things. Instead, my husband did almost everything.

I will admit that there was one occasion when my husband was on a business trip that he asked my brother to stay with me. I was still very unwell. Luckily my brother did, and I think that finally his eyes opened up a bit.

My nephew was hospitalized nine times in his short life. Other than my sister, and occasionally my b-i-l, I was the only relative that visited him. No, once my dad actually did, but only because the psychiatrist requested it because my nephew had to live with him after the hospitalization.

Something I really regret is not visiting my nephew during his last hospitalization. I called my b-i-l and he told me my nephew was getting out that day or the next, and not to bother visiting him. That ended up not being the case completely, but my nephew's stay was pathetically and tragically short. If I knew what was to happen, I would have spoken my mind to the doctors and nurses at that hospital.