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Hope
Ruth Kannai , and colleagues
Background A family physician tells the story of a young female patient who had 4 siblings diagnosed with full-blown schizophrenia and the woman's all-consuming fear that the mental illness that afflicted her siblings would touch her as well.
What This Study Found Although the patient's family seemed like any other family, the patient (Hope) was keenly aware that the statistics were against her, and she worked tirelessly to create a fortress of sorts to protect her family from her past and her fears of the future. She describes the unsettling anxiety that consumed her patient whenever she or her children experienced any difficulties--shyness, provocative behavior, hostility, or isolation. The author reflects on how she feels she isn't able to offer much to the patient other than to hold close her darkest, most painful secrets and offer reassurance and a safe, nonjudgemental, and accepting environment. As a family physician practicing in a small community, the author concludes that psychiatric, social, and family issues are family medicine concerns.
