One thing you can do is go to a support group. I go once a week and sometimes people come and say that they have no support at home. It really helps to just be with other people that have similar diagnoses and the discussion can start from there. Family may never even TRY to empathize, but you can move forward with your health. Take care of yourself.

I know exactly what you are talking about.  It is frightening and very, very lonely.  But realize, you may not have alienated your family.  Their own inablility to deal with the situation and hear about it may have caused their withdrawal.  I have the same problem.  That is one of the 1,000 reasons we don't talk about it.  We perceive that people don't want to know - and we may be right.  Also, we isolate ourselves from former aquaintances and from making new friends because we don't feel comfortable talking about this very big part of our lives.  So don't beat yourself up.  I think you're reactions are normal.  It's hard to have a diagnosis like ours and deal with other people on equal footing.  I wish I had an answer as to how to go about bridging that gap though.  I could use it myself.  I have no support group either.