a wrong portrayal

It's okay if we are in the wrong, and if we apologise next time to said person. That way we feel better dear beautiful @TAB. But your father should not have gone balistic at you luv, no matter what you did. And maybe you feel u should not have to apologise because he was in the wrong to get angry with you, I understand.

Ya my mother would get angry and say hurtful words to me. But your father probably would not say mean things to you, like my mother. But I don't know.

The main thing is that your father has no right to go balistic at you, no matter what you have done. I would naturally give your father some space when he is angry and retreat somwhere where things cannot get out of hand. But forgive him. Remember, your father loves you dear @TAB. He is just finding it hard to control his feelings. I often would pray about said stuff, and that way God impresses upon the parent or person what they have done wrong to you.

Ya dear @TAB, I had 4 fathers by the age of 18. It was unsettling for me. The step-fathers and my mother were overly strict and there was some domestic violence going on. Ya being too strict is bad too. I remember that they would hardly talk to us kids.

Ya one of my step- fathers is a good friend of mine now, which is good.

I'm glad your father tried to apologise dear @TAB.

Cuddles for you. Your dear friend BambiFawn.

hello @Queenie

Reading your words makes me so sad.....

I still become distressed when I hear of how insensitive and cruel supposed loving families can be...in most cases it is fear of the unknown....fear of them not being able to have control....

my family have never been comfortable with my illnesses....at one stage last time that I was in hospital...they invited my husband for a meal....they then talked about how I was....

my husband explained this to me later...when I was well enough to take it in....

he said to them that they have to accept me as I am....I am mohill (nearly said my name)....that I have had a horrible life in so many different ways....I am who I am though and that he loves me as I am...

tears flew hard and strong then ...he is my rock

they then said to him that they had no idea how bad things had been.....

my mum and my twin said that!!!!!! they didn't want to know....

they never visited me in the hospital during all of my visits...so I made a decision to not let them know...even though we had always promised to not keep anything from each other....

my sister rang infuriated that I had not told her....no how are you? are you feeling better? ..I replied that as she and mum showed no interest in my mental health I would not be talking about it to them...

when my son was diagnosed a year ago ....they told me that I must not think about it...I must get on with my life with my husband now and I still have my other younger son....

what the?????????? how can anyone stop thinking about it?????how can feelings be switched off like that???he is still my son...he is the same person whom I gave birth to......he is still a huge part of my life even though I can't see him..... I love him no less....if possible which I doubt I love him even more....he has always been my child who was different....like me....

I am so impressed that you are doing so much to rid our world of such horrid stigma of mental illnesses...hate that term...I can't find a term that fits actually. which to me makes sense because they are just words....cannot even come close to the depth of emotions and struggles people experience..

I am so sorry ...I probably should not have written this on here..

I am so sorry queenie....

I am just hurting so so much

stuff the living in the now...it is not working today....today is tears flowing....pain...anguish...disbelief....hurt....anger...

the systems!!

sorry if you want it removed ...I understand...

just not really fitting in anywhere

There's no way in the world I'd want this post removed @Former-Member. I think it is very important that our stories be told, they are part of us and sometimes our levels of distress can be explained by traumatic experiences we have received at the hands of those who we love and who are supposed to love us in return.

Mr Mohill sounds like an amazing man and wonderful support for you. I have the support of my Mrs (who'd I be entirely lost without). I am sorry your family aren't so forthcoming with support and unconditional love. Tears form at my eyes when I think somebody has had to endure a similar story to mine. I feel less alone though. With regards to your son, I am utterly in shock that 'they' expect you just to stop loving him because of his diagnosis! You're his Mother and shouldn't be expected just to turn off feelings based on what doctors have said. As you say you love him more because he is different. Surely you'd think in this day and age, the powers that be know that recovery rates are better with family support? Stigma is just a disgraceful thing! I say love your son, no matter what. Underneath his diagnostic label, he is still the same person as you say.

I once saw an Australian movie that was in the cinemas not too long ago which portrayed mental illness badly. I felt like reporting it to Stigmawatch, but my friends talked me out of it. It supposed to be a comedy but I was hopping with rage at the stigmatising material it had in it's contents. The shame of a family member in hospital for mental health being seen as "on vacation in Wollongong" instead of the God's honest truth. It's just so wrong!

Never be ashamed for who you are I say. Mental illness needs to come out of the shadows.

Gentle hugs

@Queenie, @TAB, @Former-Member, @Former-Member,

Ya the good recent news is that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and royal family are trying to heal the stigma of mentall illness now and educate people about mental illness, so that is great. It's gradually getting better.