Hiya Lil_bit sorry I have not answered earlier. I can honestly tell you I know how you feel. At one point my dad did not believe that mental illness was an illness, he just wanted me to get a hold of myself. He has changed a lot now and we have great talks together and he is great. Then again he had to go through extreme personal tragedy for the change to truly come about. Well, in all fairness he had started slowly changing before personal tragedy but that pushed it along. I wouldn't know what to tell you except to tell you to either learn to ignore it or get those kinds of people out of your life. Some of them will change with time and education and some won't. My husband's family didn't get it at first either kept whispering in his ear he could do better and it almost worked. But my husband is super understanding and such now. I don't know how his family feels about me now but I just kind of don't care anymore. Anyway, I know this answer is very little use to you. I don't have any solutions. Educating people and talking openly with them and hoping they get it, is still the best way to deal with this. But if that fails you are left with the choice of ignoring what those people say or just cutting them out of your life if at all possible and that is up to you. But no matter what happens don't let anyone put you down or bring you down, you are beautiful and precious and don't let anyone tell you differently. -Diva

Lil_bit, Perhaps in this case it may be best to let those types of hurtful comments go in one ear and out the other. For some, it's hard for them to be empathetic towards something they've never experienced. Try not to let her get you down and if you need to vent, you know where to find us. :) Danielle _____________________ The PC Support Team

I don't know what her mind set is. I've tried to figure it out and I just don't have the patience to. She's gone online and read everything she could find about it, so I'd like to think she's been educated on it, I mean she's even spoken to my previous therapist about it and seen me have panic attacks. I don't know...I guess I just have to look at this as part of the healing process, huh? You know, what doesn't kill me only makes me stronger kinda thing. I guess because I'm not bleeding out of my eyes or falling down because I can't walk, then there can't possibly be anything wrong with me. Maybe she needs some therapy herself.

Lil_bit, First off, please know you are not alone. Many members have dealt with this problem and will be along shortly to share their experiences. In the meantime, you can search through our forums for past threads. Is it possible she lashes out at you in frustration? Do you think she may benefit from further education as we do have a section here to healthcare professionals that explains the cognitive and physiological causes of panic. Danielle _____________________ The PC Support Team

people that don't understand what you're dealing with or don't even believe you at all? My mom doesn't believe that there is anything wrong with me and that the reason I moved home is because I lost my job and had no money, and basically that I'm "faking" all this so I don't have to go back to work. What she seems to forget is that I had a job when I moved in here but lost it very shortly after getting here, because of the anxiety, and that this isn't the first job I've lost. It's getting to the point that I'm afraid she's going to kick me out and I'll have no where to go because she doesn't believe theres anything wrong. She did an about face a few months ago where she decided that she did believe me and even told my therapist at the time, but quickly went back to her original opinion when I changed therapists (which was partly at her suggestion) I just don't know what to do anymore...everything I say is a lie (or so she says) and I just need to get over it and get on with my life. Um, hello...does she think that it's fun for me to turn down every invitation that I get? Does she think it's fun to live with my parents at 26? I just don't get the hot and cold thing with her. She's totally unsympathetic even though she researched panic and anxiety online. She thinks it's all made up, and the worst part is, she has worked in the medical field for many years. She says she understands bipolar, OCD, and skitzophrenia, but anxiety and depression are made up disorders. I'm one of five people in my family that has dealt with this and apparently we're all just in on it. I don't understand how someone so intelligent can be so...well, ignorant. I found a new therapist, and have only had one appointment so far, but this next appointment isn't going to be all about basic info so I think I need to explain to him my situation and that I need therapy at a more intense level than bi-weekly appointments because of my mom and the fact that I might get kicked out. I don't know what to do anymore, and sometimes I'm really afraid I'll have a nervous breakdown because of being here. I have had a friend offer to let me come stay there, but because of specific phobias it's just not an option. Have any of you had to deal with something like this? Even if you