Why do some families of the mentally ill turn their backs on them?

I worked for two years in a therapist's office and they saw patients with all variety of mental illnesses. It exhausted me being around the mentally ill. They absolutely exhaust you, and require so much attention.

I am not saying it is right, but I can understand the exhaustion of family members having to deal with it on a daily basis, especially schizophrenia and ultradian bi-polar disorder. Those poor tortured souls require so much attention and vigilance that often family member become worn out--mentally and financially. Often it has to be done to give some kind of life to the remaining children at home.

Again, I'm not saying it is right, but I can understand the temptation to step away from a mentally ill family member--but I don't for one minute think that the family feels good about it, or has forgotten them.

A lot of times when people don't understand something they want nothing to do with it. It's easier that way. If a person they know and care for has a severe mental illness, it would be easier to let the experts "deal" with it so they don't have to.

Some may even find it an embarrassment that someone of their gene pool ended up that way. They have a mental illness so "it's not like they are going to care or notice anyway. " It's such a horrible way of thinking, but it happens.

Although, not as severe, my husband and twin sister are both bi polar borderline schizophrenics and my youngest son has aspergers. There are days when I have to make a conscious effort to sit back, take a deep breath, and understand what is going on. It can be complicated, but there is no way I would ever even think of turning my back on them.

I think a big factor is fright. Mental illness is rare, uncharted territory, and not many people know how to deal with it or what is the best way to approach the situation. Media also exaggerates mentaal illness as well, making it seem like mental patients are dangerous, manipulative, and completely unaware of anything.

Its very sad, but I don't really blame families of mental patients for being scared and unsure of what to do.

You simply cant help someone who isnt willing to help themselves turning your back on someone is wrong but there is a very fine line between enabling someone and helping them I myslef suffer from a mental illness and I know first hand the devistaing effects it can have on famliy members and the one suffering sometimes the best thing for one to do is get them the help they need its unhealthy for the famliy as a unit to take on the responsiblity of handling someone who is unstable on there own this can lead to dependence on both sides however sometimes some familys do tend to take the easy way out and lock the pearson up this isnt an act of love but I can understand how hard it is to see someone suffer not only hard but scary.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.