A parent with a child suffering from a mental illness feels shock, loss, grief, fear, confusion, ambivalence, helplessness, hopelessness, despair and sometimes guilt. Most of my problems in coping with my feelings came from the fact that I was doing all this without the added comfort of extended family and close friends. How could they possibly grasp the enormity of our problem? It had taken us so long to understand it. Some never didl
At the support group I asked repeatedly; “How can I avoid regretting my hopes and dreams for my son that have become so unrealistic?”
Reply: “Don’t wait for your child to fulfill his former expectations. Alter them. Learn to forge new dreams. Take one day at a time.” Of all the advice I ever received, take one day at a time proved to be the most helpful.
