Hope

Abstract

A young woman in my care had 4 siblings diagnosed with mental illness. The story describes how, along normative family-cycle situations, she struggles to define and keep her sanity. I reflect on the shared anxiety of both the doctor and the patient of her losing her mind. As a family physician practicing in a small rural community, I believe that psychiatric, social, and family issues are also family medicine concerns.

Keywords: family health; mental health; primary health care; rural health services.