Everyone agreed that living with someone in the throes of severe mental illness is difficult. Billy advised being as patient and understanding as possible but warned, “Mental illness can be mean and ugly.” Walk away when it gets too rough, if you can. “Don’t allow the person to abuse you,” he said. “You just have to play zone defense and contain it” as best as you are able. Having a sense of humor is helpful, too, Billy said. “Not to be flippant or dismissive but just as a reminder that our time is limited and precious and shouldn’t be lived wallowing in misery and self-pity.”
