15 Ways To Support a Loved One with Serious Mental Illness
15 Ways To Support a Loved One with Serious Mental Illness
Supporting a loved one with mental illness presents many challenges. But one of them isn’t blame. It’s important for families “to learn that they didn’t cause [their loved one’s disorder] and they can’t cure it,” according to Harriet Lefley, Ph.D, professor at the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine who’s worked with families for 25 years.
Still, how you treat your loved one has a big impact on their well-being. “But their behaviors can exacerbate the symptoms,” she said. In fact, Dr. Lefley cited a large amount of literature on expressed emotion that found that patients of families who expressed hostility and criticism toward their loved one (e.g., believing the patient was lazy) or were emotionally overinvolved (e.g., “I’d give my left arm if he’d get well”) were more likely to relapse
1. Educate yourself about the illness.
2. Seek out resources.
3. Have realistic expectations.
4. Reach out for support.
5. Work closely with your loved one’s treatment team.
6. Let your loved one have control.
7. Encourage them to talk to their mental health professional.
8. Set appropriate limits.
9. Establish equality.
10. Realize that feelings of shame and guilt are normal.
11. Recognize your loved one’s courage.
12. Help yourself.
13. Be calm.
14. Convey hope.
15. Get political.
Supporting a loved one with mental illness presents many challenges. But one of them isn’t blame. It’s important for families “to learn that they didn’t cause [their loved one’s disorder] and they can’t cure it,” according to Harriet Lefley, Ph.D, professor at the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine who’s worked with families for 25 years.
Still, how you treat your loved one has a big impact on their well-being. “But their behaviors can exacerbate the symptoms,” she said. In fact, Dr. Lefley cited a large amount of literature on expressed emotion that found that patients of families who expressed hostility and criticism toward their loved one (e.g., believing the patient was lazy) or were emotionally overinvolved (e.g., “I’d give my left arm if he’d get well”) were more likely to relapse
1. Educate yourself about the illness.
2. Seek out resources.
3. Have realistic expectations.
4. Reach out for support.
5. Work closely with your loved one’s treatment team.
6. Let your loved one have control.
7. Encourage them to talk to their mental health professional.
8. Set appropriate limits.
9. Establish equality.
10. Realize that feelings of shame and guilt are normal.
11. Recognize your loved one’s courage.
12. Help yourself.
13. Be calm.
14. Convey hope.
15. Get political.
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