I know how hard it is to deal with family that doesn't understand. I went through a really, horrible time after my Dad's suicide, and finding him, and my family just couldn't understand why I was doing so poorly with it after so long. It was me who took him to doctors, specialists, helped him daily and watched him become more and more depressed, as he'd never been sick in his life until this new blood disease. I knew he was afraid and didn't want to put the rest of us through watching him suffer. Anyway ... I handled it, at first, by completely isolating ... I was in no state, really, to even care I had family.
They all had someone to turn to ... I was alone. But then, as you say .... the questions started .... so, when are you getting back to work, what have you been up to, etc. etc. I couldn't go back to the ambulance then on emergency calls as I was getting absolutely no sleep d/t anxiety and depression, so I just started back to taking transfers back and forth to the city. Then I began making dolls ...... of all things! I never had, or played with a doll in my life, but have always been artistic, so painting, baking and making these dolls was somewhat of a time-filler and therapy for me. And at least I could tell them I was busy, busy! (exaggerating, I wasn't all that busy) making dolls to sell. I also started doing books again for a small oil company which mostly doesn't take too much time, but they don't have to know that.
I guess, really ...... I have no advice other than to try not to let what they say bother you and DO NOT EVER FEEL GUILTY for not achieving what they say they have. It's sad there's such a stigma still attached to depression and ptsd, etc. because it's no different than having any other illness that needs treated, and your family would do well to educate themselves on it, because it can happen to their own children, or even themselves. I hope others have good advice.
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