Last year, my 23 yr. old Great Niece came to live with her father (my nephew) after her mother kicked her out. She had not had any contact with her dad for 20 yrs. She is a loving girl and goes to Adult Day Care 3 days a week and then at home for 2 days alone until her dad and step-mother come home from work. She has been hospitalized twice in the past year for attempted suicide. She has been diagnosed as Bipolar, Schizophrenic with ptsd from apparent sexual abuse from her step-father which her mother denies.
When she spends the day with me we have a delightful time, I taught her to do her nails, style her hair, take her shopping and out for lunch. She helps me in my flower garden. She sees a psychotherapist once a week. She will go for days when things are going her way and be happy as a lark. My nephew and his wife NEVER leave her alone on the weekends and it is mainly doing what she wants to do. I feel like they are consumed with her and have no time together. My nephew now seems depressed and withdrawn. Last week she had a breakdown at Adult Day Care and they called me and then she ran away (which she does quite regularly but comes back right away). I asked if I should come and get her and the Counselor said "no, she is fine, now" but she called her Dad and he left work which is 50 miles away and came hurrying home even after I told him what the Counselor said. I know he is sort of "guilt" parenting because he and his wife had a bitter divorce and he never saw his daughter while she was growing up. I get so upset when I go to their home for dinner, her dirty dishes from breakfast still on the table and she has slept the day away.

I have had no guidance on how this type of mental illness works. Lately she says to her father that the "voices in her head are back" but when she and I spend the day together she never acts out or mentions anything of this sort. All of this keeps me up nights as I worry about the family. Do I distance myself from them, do I just let everything keep happening or do I insist we all go to family counseling. I feel so bad that I am so ignorant on this disease but the more I read on the computer the more confused I get. Any ideas??