[Flutterby11]

so none of my family knows i have ever been psychotic or any of the details they dont really know anything about my mental health issues i dont know how to talk to them about it. my mother makes all these comments like "at least you arent really crazy like psychotic people" or "its not like psychosis though cause that would be bad" and it makes me feel like i cant tell her anything or she will never look at me the same again. my dad is just a mind over matter person and thinks i am just after attention so i dont think i even want to tell him i also have sisters and i just dont know how to talk to them.
has anyone else ever talked to their family about psychotic experiences? how did it go? how did you start the conversation?

[Victoria'smom]

I've never told my parents but I think my mom looked up or knew (she's a nurse) what meds I'm on. My dad use to steal them when I was visiting because "I didn't need those." but now my mom is real serious about me and my meds and they don't go missing when I visit.

Now I've told my mom when manic all about what was going on but I've always kept the psychosis close to me. Only my husband, son, T and pdoc know. I don't feel parents should know unless they're part of your treatment team.

Can you just tell you mom "Mom stop." when she says insensitive things? If not talk to your T and bring your mom into T with you one day.

[BeyondtheRainbow]

I agree that having them come to therapy can help. My therapist all but forced me to bring my mom in to talk about suicidal ideation when I was very sick and she was not getting it. She didn't completely get it after that but at least she heard it from someone besides me and after I had an extremely bad episode about 14 months ago where she didn't know how to get me help she is much more on-board. It also helped my therapist to know what I was dealing with.

[jacky8807]

This is a tough one. My mom witnessed my psychotic break including me thinking she was poisoning me etc but she couldn't deal then or now. She swept that so fast under the rug it's like it never happened. It triggered her when I brought it up in the past
So it may not do any good telling her if she's the queen of denial like my mother
If she's more open it may help

I also give a nod to taking them with you to therapy.

Visit your local Mental Health Association chapter. Arm yourself with all you can find regarding resources, flyers, pamphlets, etc. They might even be able to put you on to a family support group you could encourage your parents to attend with you.

Is there a support group pertinent to your mental illness. I belong to a mood disorders group and we encourage new members to bring family or support persons to a meeting. I think many get relief out of seeing how many people with mental illness can lead regular lives - and the importance of good family support in their doing so.

It may just be time to be blunt with them. When mom makes some outrageous comment about mental illness that is your cue to say, "Hey mom, stop right there, you couldn't be further from the truth."

Bon chance!

[Flutterby11]

thanks. it is difficult because half of me thinks she wouldnt even believe me if i told her some of the things that had happened. she thinks i just have mood issues and thinks i am totally functional which is not at all true. i am getting sick of hiding things though and having to go along with the stupid comments but maybe this is just too big of a subject.

[Nammu]

Years ago my mum went to NAMI s educational group for families of mentality I'll persons just so she could understand better. It helped us both. Perhaps you could find out if there's a chapter in your area and ask your family if they would be interested in attending?

[Flutterby11]

Maybe I am also scared though that if she knew she would never look at me the same way again. this is a hard subject but i feel like if more people talked about it and everyone was more open about it then maybe it would be easier.