Relatives of Schizophrenia patients - tips and advice

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Information sourced from schizophrenia.com.

 

The following tips can help family members of mental patients in dealing with the disorder, which can prove difficult not only in face-to-face dealings with it but also in the social stigma attached to schizophrenia and other neurobiological disorders (NBDs).

 

  • As a family member, you cannot cure mental illnesses, especially not through talking alone – these are physical conditions in the same way as diabetes or colourblindness.
  •  Further to this, the symptoms of the disorder will, over time, improve and deteriorate, and this must be accepted. Symptoms may also change periodically but the disorder is likely to remain the same.
  • Resentment in a carer or family member is a sign that they are doing too much for the patient. It is not a necessary side effect for the family member’s needs and wants to be ignored in the course of helping the affected individual, though compromises will of course have to be made.
  • It is not completely necessary for absolutely everybody involved to fully accept the NBD in their friend or relative, though it will of course be helpful. It is just as difficult for others to accept the disorder as it is for the individual.
  • When the affected individual becomes delusional, it will not be possible to negotiate rationally with them. Discussion of a delusion is generally therefore pointless.
  • The disorder will bring about effects on the person you love, as will the medication they require. It is important to be able to separate the individual from the disorder and its effects, and to further differentiate between these and the side effects of medication.
  • NBDs are nothing to be ashamed of; nobody is to blame. However, the reality is that you may encounter discrimination and prejudice from the public, who will tend not to know as much about the disorder because they have never been exposed so thoroughly to it.
  • If the affected individual is your brother, sister or parent, your chances of getting the mental illness as an adult are between 10% and 14%. Over 30, this is greatly reduced. In turn, your children have a 2-4% chance of having schizophrenia at some stage. This is comparable to the 1% chance that a member of the general public has.
  • Never forget your sense of humour when dealing with NBDs. However, it is often necessary to reconsider your emotional relationship, and to revise your expectations of the affected individual.
  • Success is different for each individual, but you must acknowledge the courage they display in dealing with the disorder.
  • Resist the temptation to shut down your own emotional life, because the inability to connect or talk with people may leave you stuck or frozen.
  • Family relationships may encounter something of a reshuffle following diagnosis and the ensuing years of living with the affected individual. Close siblings will become enmeshed while much older and younger siblings will often become estranged.
  • When the individual behaves strangely, you must remember it is a symptom of the disorder rather than anything personal. However, if this strange behaviour becomes dangerous or violent, it is important to maintain your own personal safety. You cannot look after anybody else when you cannot look after yourself.
  • Don’t shoulder the entire burden of caring for the affected individual. Work with social workers and carers, and maintain your own role as a parent, sibling or child, rather than taking on a different role in the person’s life. They are likely to need all the stability they can get.
  • Mistakes will be made, and the people around the disordered relative will go through peaks and troughs of their own. When these mistakes are made it is important to show forgiveness all round and to move on, learning from them.
  • The needs of the affected individual, while important, will not always necessarily come first. Boundaries and limits must be set in order to maintain quality of life for all involved.
  • Limited capabilities are not the same as no capabilities. While the person may have diminished capacity for things they are not useless.
  • You will experience a lot of emotions as a result of treating the affected individual, but it is important not to let this spill over into your dealings with people outside of the illness, endangering other relationships.
  • Don’t be afraid to talk about self-harm or suicide. While it is a taboo subject, there is also a dangerously high risk that your loved one could be harbouring suicidal thoughts and it is an issue that must be addressed.
  • You are not alone! Don’t be afraid to seek help for yourself when you need it, in order to provide the best care for your relative that you can.


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The Have I Got A Problem website is a free online resource to help people better understand any issues or concerns they may have about mental health or addiction. The website includes resources specifically focused to; general Mental Health, Depression, Stress, Anxiety, Insecurities, Self-harm Schizophrenia, Bipolar, Anger Management, Eating Disorders, Coping, general Addiction, Alcohol, Smoking, Gambling, Drugs, Cocaine, Heroin, Marijuana (Cannabis) Ecstasy, PCP, Mephedrone, Ketamine & Crystal Meth.

The site was created to give the public information to help them understand mental health and addiction issues and to assist people in making better informed decisions about their life and personal choices.

www.haveigotaproblem.com was created and is run by 'Advising Communities’, which is a UK registered charity (Charity No. 1061055)

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