Relative's family heads towards destruction

[Anonymous]

I am visiting a close relative and personally feel that her family is heading towards total destruction. They have a 25 yr old child with serious anxiety who has seldom left the house in the last 6 yrs. Her husband had a serious of affairs and is now living with a mistress who is almost the same age as the child. My relative is a stay-at-home-mom to care for the child but now has developed psychotic problems with schizophrenia symptoms.

You may ask why don't they get a divorce? The short answer is that both my relative and her child depend on the husband for financial support. Their problem is compounded by the fact that her child hates his father and that my relative does not realize she has schizophrenia and depends on other people to feed her medicine.

I love my relative and her child and try to help her, but because of the schizophrenia she does not trust me (or anyone who tries to help her) very much. The kid is very much spoiled and has the emotion maturity of a 10 years old and will unlikely to help her. I just don't see how my relative and the child will survive.

Can someone give me advice? share a similar experience?

[Anonymous]

What I want to ask is why you referred to a 25 yr old as a "child" SIX times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What I want to ask is why you referred to a 25 yr old as a "child" SIX times.

The 25 yr old is literally a child, has the emotional maturity of a 10 yr old as I wrote in the op.

[Anonymous]

Why don't you talk to adult protective services in their state?

It sounds like both adults in this situation need serious help.

[Anonymous]

Middle aged people don't develop schizophrenia. Please don't diagnose her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I want to ask is why you referred to a 25 yr old as a "child" SIX times.

The 25 yr old is literally a child, has the emotional maturity of a 10 yr old as I wrote in the op.

That word literally doesn't mean what you think it means.

And this family is not headed for destruction - they've arrived, bought a house, and taken up residence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Middle aged people don't develop schizophrenia. Please don't diagnose her.

late onset schizophrenia
http://www.schizlife.com/late-onset-schizophrenia/

[Anonymous]

I do not think her husband can divorce her if she is mentally ill. Have her contact adult protective services or you do it to get both of them help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do not think her husband can divorce her if she is mentally ill. Have her contact adult protective services or you do it to get both of them help.

Incurable mental illness is allowed as a cause for divorce. It's no longer necessary to lock Mrs. Rochester in the attic.