I can relate. I am 53 now and have had to tolerate and suffer with my paranoid schizophrenic mother all my life. We're at the point where she has to live with me now and my life is officially over except for taking care of her in her waning years. I can relate to everyone here with respect to all of the problems resulting from being an offspring of a mentally ill parent - I can empathize and give plenty of similar examples, so I know your pain and feel the same. However, you females are more articulate than I and are more articulate in return to give support to each other. Good for you, not so much for me. I've gone through much of the same pain you have, but when I say so, I don't seem to get the same reciprocation... not even a thank you for the support I offer. So remember that the concept of empathy and support is not or should not be gender specific - it's not about who sounds most pathetic, or about backing up your sisters because you think guys don't feel pain or they aren't supposed to or if they do there must be something wrong or inappropriate with them. So you're just making it worse by making guys like me feel this way. We don't feel like opening up and joining in because this is what happens when we do... at best nothing happens. I have enough problems with women because of my mother without having to feel even more isolated or ignored by women who are virtually in the same boat with regard to dealing with mentally ill parents. Take and use that for what it's worth, because you can cry yourselves a river without me and probably most men in your lives, unless they are your poor daddy who came to your rescue - which seems to be the only kind of way you're generally willing to accept a man.

Jenn, my rant here is from a build up of frustration because of many others and my own life, not you personally. I simply reached my breaking point. All of what you said is typical suffering and circumstances, for me too, but for which I have received little support if any, so feel free to ignore it - that would be typical too. No one cares to hear my support anyway, let alone my grief, so it doesn't matter either way. I am perhaps jealous that you will get the support you need, and I won't no matter what I say, so what's in it for me?