I can’t thank you enough for your replies. Yes, I suppose she did. Although I worry I’ve blanked a lot of it out. I remember being told to leave home a lot. She was furious with me for breaking up with my ex. My ex’s father was terminally ill – she accused my dad of having an affair with his mother, and told her she never wanted to know our children (even though we’d broken up). She accused my dad of ‘showing himself’ to myself and my friends. For quite some time, when it was at its worst, I lived in perpetual fear that everything and anything I did would be interpreted the wrong way – a bad way – and it would tip her into a rage. I had one eye on me, and one eye on her. There was one look. One facial expression. Which I knew meant game over – that was the evening/ day/ weekend ruined. We were always accused of saying things. Telling people, ‘spies’ about her. She often heard voices. But this was years ago. I constantly had to cover for her behavior when we had people around. I would distract my aunties and uncles when I could hear her screaming and screaming in the garden. It was like a dirty secret. She refused to seek medical help. She is much better now, and I love her to the moon and back. How can this be effecting me now? And how is this impacting on my current relationship?