As Dahmer entered first grade, Joyce began to spend an increasing amount of time in bed recovering from weakness. Lionel's university studies kept him away from home much of the time; when he was home, his wife—a hypochondriac who suffered from depression—demanded constant attention. She reportedly worked herself into a state of anxiety over trivial matters simply to earn appeasement from her husband. On one occasion, she is known to have attempted suicide with Equanil. Consequently, neither parent devoted much time to their son, who later recollected that, from an early age, he felt "unsure of the solidity of the family", recalling extreme tension and numerous arguments between his parents during his early years.