Welcome to Rethink's first siblings blog!

I know that when my brother first got ill I’d have loved to have a site like this to turn to for information and support.

I was in America at the time, working in San Francisco and I’d been there for a year or so. I’d always been pretty close to my brother but living abroad I hadn’t seen much of him recently. So it was a complete shock when Mum called me to let me know that he’d been admitted to hospital and that the doctors were saying he was having a psychotic episode. And later that they thought he had schizophrenia.

I don’t need to tell you what it’s like when you first hear your sibling’s got a severe mental illness – shock doesn’t begin to describe it. I don’t know about you, but I’d never even really heard of schizophrenia - let alone knew what caused it, how it happened to people and or what the future might hold for him and us.

I couldn’t believe it was happening and I couldn’t understand why he’d suddenly got ill. 

Then I remembered something. A couple of years before, he’d stayed round at my place for the night and as we were walking down the steps from my house on the way to work, he’d said to me – “I think I’m hearing voices”.

Do you know what I said?

I said, “Don’t be so stupid, of course you’re not!” And off we went to work.

If only I’d known then what I know now, I would have realised that he was starting to be unwell and would have been able to get him some help much, much earlier. I’d have known to call Rethink and ask for help. I’d have known who to ask to find out about the right services and the help that’s available.

And I’ve known a lot more about how to support him – and not call him stupid for telling me what was happening to him.

That’s why I’m so very happy that we’ve set up Rethink Siblings – a place where regardless of whether your sibling has just become unwell or has been living with mental ill health for years (as mine has) or you’re beginning to think something’s not quite right with them, you can find the information and support that will help you.

I’ll be writing this blog for the next month or so, sharing some of my experiences as a sibling. After that, another sibling will take over the blog to share their experience with you. I hope you find our posts helpful and interesting.

If you do, check back later in the week for the next instalment!