I would entreat them not to be devastated by our illnesses and transmit this hopeless attitude to us. I would urge them never to lose hope, for we will not strive if we believe the effort is futile. 38, No.5, May, 1987. The typical family of a mentally ill person is often in chaos. The parents look frantically for answers that usually can't be found.
Hope turns to despair, and some families are destroyed no matter how hard they try to survive.
Parent of a child with schizophrenia When a family learns that their child has schizophrenia, their emotions are similar to those experienced when a major illness, a catastrophe or accident occurs. In other words, they feel shocked, sad, angry, and dismayed. We feel like we lost a child. No one can understand. We can't talk without crying.