If your loved one has just been diagnosed, I think the most important thing you can do is educate yourself, whether you go to the bookstore and get books on schizophrenia or if you do your research on the Internet or join a support group or go to NAMI [National Alliance on Mental Illness]. You've got to educate yourself about the illness and how you can best support your loved one.

After my husband and I got over the initial shock of this diagnosis, we found out about a class called Family-to-Family that was offered by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, sometimes called NAMI, and that was very beneficial to us, as well, very cathartic, knowing that we're not alone.

I think that it was probably 10 weeks of very difficult information. I cried every session and went home exhausted, but the information that they imparted in their class was so beneficial to us. They spoke of the symptoms, how to talk to your loved ones, what your loved one needs in the way of support. We talked about finances and how you can help support your loved one financially.

I would highly recommend that if you have a loved one diagnosed with mental illness that you take the Family-to-Family class. It was so beneficial to us that my husband decided that he wanted to teach the class, so he took the training to do that and has taught several classes. And it just gives you an overall picture of the reality of life with a mental illness and how to deal with it and have hope.