At first I was angry with my family, especially siblings, because they seemed oblivious to my pain and to my need to talk about my symptoms.  Later, I learned that they were just in denial.  It upset them and made them sad to think I was suffering, so it was easier for them to act as if nothing was wrong.  I can accept that.  My mother has "come around" over the years and now understands quite a bit of what I have been through/am going through.  She no longer makes a big deal of it when I cut back on meds or stop taking them on my own.  I have explained to her about how I hate the med side effects, and she said she would hate them, too.

 

I have found that when I seek support from close friends, every time I bring up sz (very rarely) there is a totally blank look in their eyes like they have no idea what I am talking about.  And I guess that is true -- they don't know.  But I have a bipolar friend who understands, and once in a while we commiserate with each other.

 

Carolyn

My family has never fully grasped that I have a SZA. They have never supported me or even talked about my SZA. That bothered me for many years. I have accepted that they will never "speak" of me and my SZA. However I have support through my wife and this site. Christina once wrote that we can have two families, one being biological and the other a chosen family. My chosen family has helped me so much over the last two years. They have made all the difference in how I feel about myself and how I feel about my biological family. Dave