reader submissions. It is an attempt to allow people to tell their
personal stories, in the hopes of bringing greater compassion to the
unique issues each of us face. If you would like to submit a story to
this series, click here. Today’s guest posts is by an anonymous reader.
Being
the oldest of four girls, I’ve always felt protective of my sisters.
One of my sisters had an undiagnosed learning problem in elementary
school and was made fun of for crying often. I would take her aside at
home and have “dates” just the two of us to help her feel special. After
receiving assistance for her learning problem, she did well in high
school and much to my surprise, was a confident teenager who did not
succumb to peer-pressure; she had a strong faith in God.
After
graduating high school, she went to a one-year bible college program
many miles away. I remember my mother calling me and sharing that she
was struggling in school and that something was not right. The college
and my sister explained the problem as “spiritual warfare”. I remember
getting the news as a newlywed and praying with my husband for my
sister. We did not understand what was going on.
We later found
out what was wrong with my sister: her behavior was a result of
experiencing psychosis rather than spiritual warfare. She came home for
Christmas that year and was diagnosed with schizophrenia. My sister
would tell you that her BIGGEST fear was that of having a mental illness
and her biggest fear came true.
The psychosis actually began in
high school but she thought her experiences were normal. As a
Christian, she thought that hearing from God at times and Satan at other
times was to be expected. In high school, she had a psychotic episode
(a break from reality) at a youth group event and the Youth Pastor and
Senior Pastor chose not to tell my parents. I’m mad at them for not
sharing concerns with my parents as my sister could have received help
much sooner. Instead she suffered in silence and even cut herself at
times to help find mental relief.
Our family has been hurt many a
time by disclosing her illness in the Christian community. My mother
was blamed by a pastor for causing my sister’s mental illness as a
result of her personality and parenting (she is a great mom!). There is
still a huge lack of understanding and an over-spiritualization of
mental health in our churches and Christian communities.
Mental
illness stole her young adult years. She never got to experience being a
“normal” teenager or establish who she was as a young adult before it
hit. If I could choose one thing to change about my life, I would choose
the following: for my sister not to have schizophrenia, and if that
wish couldn’t be granted, I’d want the youth pastor to have had a
conversation with my parents back when.
What broke my heart the
most was watching her personality change after being diagnosed. She used
to have a healthy self-esteem and now her self-esteem is quite low. She
was an independent kind of girl who didn’t need a man to complete her;
she now goes from one relationship to another. She has really lowered
her standards in the type of men she will date. Her faith has taken a
back-seat.
It has been almost 5 years since she was
diagnosed and I still grieve today. I grieve for my sister – I grieve
for the life she could have had without it. I grieve for my parents.
When people would say to my dad, “4 girls!” he used to reply with, “all
that mattered to me is that they were healthy”. I grieve for my other
sisters who were young when she was diagnosed and as a result, they grew
up too soon. I grieve knowing that the general population has a 1%
chance of having a child with schizophrenia, and I have an increased
chance (approx. 10%).
Having a family member with a major mental
illness rocks your world. It hurts deeply and most people do not
understand or empathize with you. It’s something you rarely share with
others due to stigma and gossip. As difficult as it is for me to share
my story, I want others to know that they are not alone.
1
in 100 people have schizophrenia (same percentage whether male or
female). 3 in 100 people will experience psychosis (a break from
reality) in their life-time.
