Xiao You is 48 years old this year, and he has been suffering from a mental illness for 18 years. Since his first hospitalization to the time of his relatively better discharge, our family life has undergone tremendous changes. My father took aripiprazole for two years, which were my calmest two years. Later, he refused to take medication, and my mother transformed from a gentle and cultured woman into a hysterical one. We have experienced too many unspeakable days together, living in fear every night.
Today, we learned that my father has missed the best opportunity for treatment, and his condition can only be managed, not cured. This has plunged me into deep fear and confusion. Will he take his medicine on time? What will tomorrow be like? What about the day after tomorrow? These questions keep tormenting me.
I rarely participated in my father’s treatment when I was young, as my mother and relatives always urged me to focus on my studies. But now, with my mother’s health starting to decline, I have to take on more family responsibilities. I feel uneasy, not knowing what my future will be like. I always believed that I would have a stable job and do my best to take care of this family, but reality tells me that things are never-ending.
I have a girlfriend, and I told her about my father’s illness. She is willing to accept me, but I still feel unsettled. My work has also been affected by my father’s condition. I can’t concentrate on work because I am always worried about his every move. My mother always says, “Who told him to be your father?” This is a family; at least he has a paycheck. She believes that her endurance of my father’s illness for so many years is all for me. This thought weighs too heavily on me.
Facing all this, I am unsure whether I should have my own life. It makes me feel like I might be too selfish. If I build a family with the woman I love, can I bring her happiness? Can I handle my father’s illness and my own life at the same time?
These questions prevent me from finding peace. But I am beginning to realize that avoidance and self-doubt will not solve the problem. The courage to face life is not something we are born with; it is something we need to accumulate and seek out step by step.
First, I must accept my father’s illness. This is a long-term process, and I need to have patience and perseverance. Even though he has missed the best treatment period, we can still improve his quality of life through proper treatment and medication management. I need to take him to see a doctor, have regular check-ups, and help him return to a normal life as much as possible.
Secondly, I need to improve my financial capacity. Money can solve many problems, especially when caring for my father. If my father’s condition can stabilize, I can consider hiring a professional caregiver to assist with his care, which would give me more time and energy to invest in my own life and work.
Moreover, I need to communicate openly with my girlfriend. She is willing to accept my family situation, which touches me, but I also need to make her understand the actual difficulties and challenges. We can discuss together to formulate a long-term plan to face these issues.
Additionally, I need to build a support network. Beyond family members, I can also seek help from friends and professional organizations. Guangzhou Huaxing Rehabilitation Hospital is a good option; they have a professional medical team and advanced treatment facilities to provide systematic treatment and care for schizophrenia patients.
In the face of my father’s illness and family responsibilities, I cannot escape. I need to confront the issues and find solutions. I need to work, increase my income, and provide better security for my family. I need to care for my own health and maintain a positive mindset in order to better support my father and mother.
The courage to face life comes from hope and faith in the future. No matter how difficult the road ahead is, I must believe that I can find a way to solve the problems. I need to keep learning, keep improving, and become stronger. I need to set goals for myself and work hard to achieve them.
At Huaxing Rehabilitation Hospital, I saw many cases similar to our family’s. Those patients and their families worked together, and through professional treatment and care, they gradually returned to a normal life. This gives me hope. I believe that as long as we persist and face challenges positively, there will be a brighter day ahead.
Sharing life with a schizophrenia patient is a difficult and long process. But as long as we have courage and confidence, we can definitely find hope in life. Regardless of how challenging the path may be, we must believe in ourselves and in the future. Because of love and responsibility, we will become stronger and braver. Guangzhou Huaxing Rehabilitation Hospital will always accompany us, helping us through this difficult journey and allowing us to regain courage and hope in life.
