Overlooked Siblings

Overlooked Siblings

Life as a brother or sister of a mentally ill child

In the shadow of attention

They usually only get to play second fiddle: siblings of the mentally ill are often left alone with their needs and successes, their worries and their anxiety. For some, it lasts their whole lives. They are the children who ‘function’, the lucky ones, the mediators between parents and siblings. Their relationship with their mentally ill sibling is complex - sometimes they have strong protective instincts, other times they suffer with grief. For some, the responsibility has made them strong, others feel deprived of their childhood years.
Jana Hauschild gives these adult siblings a voice. Showing great empathy, the psychologist describes the life stories of these overlooked ones, reveals their feelings and accompanies them on their way to discovering themselves.

• Millions of people have mentally ill sisters or brothers
• Based on interviews with experts and reports by those affected