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Email of the Day

Battling Mental Illness
10/21/2015

After 13 years of a happy, normal marriage, my husband snapped under the pressure of supporting four kids and a stay-at-home wife.  I didn't realize his mood swings were caused by undiagnosed paranoid schizophrenia.  For over 3 years we were able to hold our family together with treatment and medication, but the doctor adjusted his meds to reduce side effects, resulting in delusions and paranoia.  My urgency to get him hospitalized was dismissed because he had a non-violent history.

Then one night, my husband woke up our children (ages 15, 11, 8 and 5) to pray for their salvation so that their souls passed into heaven.  It was then that my 17 years of listening to you kicked in.  Your words reminded me to record his rants about the end of the world, and his determination to save us all from evil and bring us into God's kingdom.  This recording assured his admittance on a psych hold. It was your guidance that gave me the courage to file a protection order in court the next day.  When I doubted myself, your words reminded me that if I were to err, it was on the side of protecting my children.   Within 2 weeks police detectives arrived to report my husband had been found dead in a hotel room.  When the pain and grief of failing him were overwhelming, it was your voice that comforted and assured me it wasn't my fault and I had no control over his tragic death.  Without your years of guidance, our unfortunate situation would have turned out a lot worse.  

Today, we are a happy, healthy stable, loving family.  I don't date, and I do my best to keep a calm, secure home.  I focus on raising kind, compassionate, strong children.  Keep doing what you do and know you make a difference.

Much love,  

Mica
Tags: Behavior, Health, Marriage, Mental Health, Parenting, Personal Responsibility
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