[The onset of illness: "it will blow over"]

The onset of the illness of a friend or family member does not always present strong clinical signs such as acute and transient psychotic disorder. It is sometimes insidious. For families, this period is punctuated with fears and hopes. Delusional disorders turn familiar reference points on their head and although the first contact with the universe of the psychiatric hospital remains painful, the institution can be reassuring for families. This article presents a moving testimony of a parent and member of the French National Union of the Friends and Families of Mental Health Patients (UNAFAM).