Anonymous female author

Mary

My brother has been diagnoised with schizoprenia for the last 10 years. I was 26, and he was 24 when he first got ill and was hospitalized.

Since then, he's had two major relapses and is now in recovery. Earlier this year he switched onto a new medication which has brought him back to around 90% of how he was before he got ill. I have one other brother and sister.
 
I'm writing this blog for the next month or so to share some of my experiences and thoughts about being a sibling. It'll cover some of the stuff me and my siblings talk about, plus some of the hard things and some of the good things about our specific journey. Every sibling experience is different, but I hope you find some of the things I write about interesting and maybe helpful.

Posts by Mary

One of the hard things about my brother being ill was how withdrawn he got

09 January 2008 | Posted by Mary | 6 comments
Topics: Siblings, Carers, Family and friends, Medication and therapies, Recovery, Social issues
Before he got ill, he was one of the most energetic and talkative people I’d ever met – full of life, cheeky and always taking the mickey out of me or anyone else he met.

Nothing can prepare you for the first time you visit your brother or sister in a mental hospital.

18 December 2007 | Posted by Mary | 6 comments
Topics: Siblings, Family and friends
I went for the first time this year when my brother was admitted while he switched his medication. Apparently because of the possible side effects of the new drug, they had to keep him under observation for two weeks. And they felt the best way do to this was in hospital.

My brother loves to work.

10 December 2007 | Posted by Mary | 7 comments
Topics: Siblings, Family and friends, Work and money, Stigma and discrimination
He hasn’t always been well enough to work, but when he is he really loves it.

Welcome to Rethink's first siblings blog!

27 November 2007 | Posted by Mary | 2 comments
Topics: Siblings, Family and friends
I’d like to start by thanking all the many people who’ve been involved in getting Rethink Siblings launched. We’ve been working on this for a year and a half and it’s incredibly exciting that we’ve launched the site at last! I hope you find it really helpful and informative.