More Thoughts About The Article

Many of the things Anonymous Mom wrote about were problems I think everyone touched by mental illness would agree on.  It is too difficult to get help.  If a person with a mental illness is so bad they need help, they are going to be the last to know they need help.  Their thought patterns will be completely jumbled.  They are probably consumed by something that makes no sense at all. 
One of the best ways I can describe schizophrenia is, when you are thinking things to yourself, you know those thoughts are you own and not necessarily real.  A person with psychosis cannot recognize their thoughts are not someone else talking to them.  I might think, I forgot to go to the video store.  A person with mental illness would take that statement and make it a conversation. 
Why didn't you go to the video store.
I thought you were going. 
I did not have time.
It is normal thoughts that go around in all of our heads.  We are able to recognize the thoughts as our own. 
My son laughs to himself quite a bit.  I might mention to him.  I am hearing lots of laughter from you.  Once in a while he has answered with, "I can't help it, I am super funny."
Some of the delusions my son has can be traced to real things in his life.  He used to think he was Al Capone.  When mental illness started to really take over my son's world he was doing a report on Al Capone. 
My son does not face paranoia very often with his illness.  In the last year that changed.  He was very concerned that people were trying to get into our house.  Since he was very young he had issues about sleeping near a window.  He heard people discussing a child that was kidnapped from their bed and it stayed with him.  To this day, he is most comfortable sleeping in a basement.  Makes him feel safer.
I worry that in the article by the other Mom, she focuses on violence.  Unfortunately, we are made aware of the very violent acts caused by a few mentally ill people.  There are many mentally ill people walking around that are not violent.  My son has never become violent with us.  There have been times he was aggressive.  Most of those instances were because he was doing terrible and we were trying to push him to get help.  I would guess there are probably more people that suffer from mental illness that are curled up in their beds not wanting to face the world.  I do not want people left with the impression you need to fear every person that suffers from a mental illness.  It is just not true. 
I wish it were easier to have a family member hospitalized.  Normally, by the time they can be admitted they are in very bad shape.  Takes so much longer to get them back.  I wish there were group homes available for mentally ill.  A nice environment where they can be kept safe but also kept busy.  Right now when Uncle is doing well, it is hard to find anything to keep occupy his time. 
I am going to end on a positive note.  Tonight Tink performed with the high school cheerleaders at half-time.  The Kid played some basketball.  Sitting in the stands was a proud Uncle.  He decided on the spur of the moment to attend.  The bleachers were packed.  I told him he could not go outside to smoke.  He had to make it two hours sitting in the bleachers.  I am pleased to say, he handled it great.  He did not seem nervous.  He intently watched the game.  He was proud of his niece and nephew.  When he and I were walking to the car he said, "thanks for bringing me with you."  It was a good day in our world.