When a family member is diagnosed with a mental illness, it can be a crisis for loved ones and can lead to a brigade of psychological, emotional, social and economical problems within the family. Understanding the nature of mental illnesses can reduce the negative impact on the caregivers.
Symptoms evident in a person with psychiatric problems may vary according to the nature of the illness and its severity. The patient can be highly disruptive, aggressive, extremely demanding and withdrawn. A patient with severe mental illnesses such as Schizophrenia or Delusional Disorder may claim that he/ she hears voices, has visions and sometimes even imagines that a family member is trying to harm or poison him. Such bizarre behaviour can be extremely puzzling and frightening to the family members. Even when the person’s condition is stabilized under medication, the lack of motivation, apathy, poor grooming, slower speech, tiredness and desire to sleep can be frustrating.
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| Many myths and stigma surround mental illness in our country.
Pic courtesy gamian.org |
Most of the time family members may find it hard to meet their occupational and social demands while taking care of the person with the illness especially if the patient has suicidal ideas and impaired self care. The cost of medication can become an additional burden on the family and this may lead to further crises which they have no control of.
Family members may also go through periods of resentment as their struggle to bring the person back to his normal routine fail; even when the patient doesn’t show any behavioural or other disturbances. Some parents may find it distressing to see other children complete their education, get good jobs and settle into family lives, while their child, who has a psychiatric problem, is left dependent on them.
Sometimes if the patient, be it a father, son or husband becomes too demanding, it can lead to tension within the family and affect the happy relationship among the family members. As the illness takes centre stage, the caregivers tend to overlook each other’s needs and wants. Thus in the long run this can affect their psychological and emotional wellbeing.
A mother of a patient with the Bipolar Affective Disorder spoke of how her daughter’s illness has affected the entire family. The daughter no longer has an interest in completing her O/Ls and has become very selfish and highly abusive when her mother fails to meet her demands as she attends to the needs of her other children. She finds it distressing to see her daughter unusually happy on one day and in a state of depression a few days later. She also gets into disagreements with her husband on the solution to the problem and the fact that she is unable to give him any attention has started to strain her marriage.
Many myths and stigma surround mental illness in our country. Another issue that may create anxiety among the family is the reactions of relatives and friends. Family members may be reluctant to invite people home, fearing that the patient’s behaviour or the reaction of the visitors will create an embarrassing situation. Further they tend to withdraw from previously valued relationships, simply to avoid themselves or their loved one from feeling rejected or being hurt.
Some may also believe that mental illnesses have been caused by an evil spirit or malevolent charms and may suggest that the family members try different methods through which, the illness can be cured. At their wits’ end, the family members may try these methods but this can result in further exhaustion and exacerbation of the situation.
Surprisingly though, it is also common to see a close family member be it a mother or a wife being blamed for the mental illness of the loved one. Such secondary victimization can be even more traumatizing than accepting the fact that a loved one has a mental illness.
Sometimes the patient can become hostile towards all or a particular family member, despite their care, which will give rise to host of emotional reactions.
It is important to know that such behaviours are a part of the illness and the person will continue with certain limitations even when he/she is in a symptom free phase.
“Why a mental illness” you may ask. It is important to understand that, just as other illnesses like diabetes, cancer or strokes, mental illnesses are also just another condition that rests on medically explainable grounds and which can be very well managed by medicines and psychological therapies.
Family members can help reduce the severity of episodes of mental illness by seeking timely medical assistance. It is also important to have faith in the psychiatrist or the therapist since treating certain psychiatric illnesses is a long term procedure.
Sometimes psychosocial stressors can aggravate the symptoms of the illness and the patient may become unresponsive to the drugs which can create a feeling of hopelessness and anxiety amongst the caregivers. Therefore it’s vital that caregivers should know the importance of eliminating or controlling the stressors prevailing in the patient’s environment.
Family members often suffer from a sense of insecurity about their own future as well as the future of the sufferer. Here there should be a shift in attitude. Rather than seeing the patient as a person with diminished potential, it is important to give him the opportunity to explore his strengths which can shape his future. The patient should be encouraged to look into the future with new hope along with a plan to deal with the illness.
Even though mental illnesses have considerable impacts on the lives of caregivers, this can be reduced to a greater extent with a correct awareness and approach and seeking professional help at the right time.
(The writer is a Clinical Psychologist) |
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