Well said, ladybug. Family members will often prey on the low self-esteem of someone with a mental health problem --- probably for a couple of reasons. They don't understand mental illness and feel threatened by that person. Or they are using the illness to try to control that person. If you try to defend yourself, they tell you you're crazy.

I'm not saying that your family means you any harm, Sue. But I did have a friend whose family told her she was crazy and threatened to have her "committed" every time she criticized their bad behavior. Very troubling and sad indeed.

When we're fighting a problem like this, the last thing we need is to be sobotaged by those who should be the most understanding.