I belong to a family who strongly believe mental illnesses don't exist. Recently one second cousin got diagnosed with schezophrenia.She told me that she suffered auditory hallucinations from teenage. Her parents thought she was acting out .Her behavior was chalked out as attention seeking.She developed paranoia and couldn't sleep.She was put on sleeping meds.Her parents tried exorcism, shamans, tarot readers,self proclaimed alternate therapists,ghost busters and others.Any one but a regular doctor. Now after suffering a lot,she finally got the diagnosis.She confided in me and it looks like she didn't tell anyone else.
I have always doubted my mum had something. A cluster B may be. But everything is normalized by everyone. Mental illness is a myth,they strongly believe that.