What happens when you mention illness to a hypochondriac?

This evening I was not feeling well due to a sore throat. Not long after mentioning this to my mother, not surprisingly, she said that she also was getting sick. Ah, the power of suggestion.

Her solution? Colloidal silver. Eww. Turning blue does not look very appealing to me.

In search of a cure

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, "an estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older — about one in four adults — suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder." Mental illness is very prevalent in our society, yet far too often goes undiagnosed and untreated. My family and I have been greatly affected by this disease. Here I hope to share my story, not so much in an effort to entertain potential readers, but with the hope that I might find and offer support to others who have been affected, and that I myself might be able to find some way to help my family.