Mental Illness and Family Role

Introduction

With the ingression of a mental illness (such as anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia) in a family, it is not the patient/sufferer who gets affected alone; the family members are also impacted emotionally (and financially). Considering the unique domestic dynamics and circumstances of such a household, family members make endeavors to help the affected by seeking psychological assistance. Thus, a family system is considerably impacted when a member experiences psychological problems (May, 2018).

Issues Faced by the Family

Several issues could be faced by the family members while handling mental illness. In most cases, the mental illness becomes the principal focus of the family ultimately making other issues insignificant. A major issue is that such a situation creates rifts among family members as each member perceives the mental illness differently failing to think of a unanimous decision about the treatment/resolution of the illness. Almost all households wherein there is a mental illness case, the prevalence of feelings of vulnerability, frustration, hurt, and guiltiness prevails (May, 2018). It needs to be mentioned here that family structure and domestic environment play a significant role in contributing to the mental health and behavioral patterns of a person.  Non-supportive families can diminish or neglect a member’s psychological wellbeing ultimately contributing in the causation of a mental illness or its deterioration. In a majority of scenarios, psychologically victimized individuals are dependent on the support of their family. In the absence of this reliability, the entire process of recovery is affected in a negative manner (Boyd, 2018).

Hereditary Mental Disorders

It seems that bipolar disorders, autism, and schizophrenia affect the brain in a similar manner. For the same reason, gene activity is often analyzed by the researchers as a measure to comprehend the causative factors of such psychological states. Individuals who have particular gene variants by birth are more vulnerable to get affected by autism, schizophrenia, and other bipolar disorders (Hamzelou, 2018). It needs to be mentioned here that “scientists have discovered that no single gene is responsible for a mental disorder, several susceptibility genes may interact with one another, and the environment influences genetic expression to increase the risk of developing a mental disorder” (Ritter & Lampkin, 2011)

When things fall apart and personal disaffection or distancing happens, it may not be a continuing process. Time heals the hurt and resentment. Similarly, motivational approach and honest efforts could be used for correcting the biased views concerning mental illness. It is the family that decides what is best for the healthiest environment within the four walls of its home. Motivated people can surprisingly change their thought processes.

Awareness and Acknowledgement of the Illness

Families are irreplaceable. An individual with a disturbing mental condition may get the best treatment when supported by the family. There are a number of ways family members can cope with a mental illness. To begin with, the family members need to learn and acknowledge the diagnosis. However, it is necessary to never describe the patient as the illness. Also, it is extremely important to maintain a positive relationship with the sufferer by being encouraging, supportive, and spending quality time with him/her. Most importantly, a person suffering from a mental illness needs to be understood by his/her family members as his thought process is abnormal. A family needs to be mindful of the patient’s condition and encourage him/her to participate in daily life activities. It is also indispensable to understand that such patients could employ violent means and may attempt suicides. Therefore, it is required to be aware of the nearest mental inpatient facility where the patient could be taken in such a dreadful emergency (May, 2018)

References

Boyd, M. (2018). Psychiatric nursing: Contemporary practice. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer.

Hamzelou, J. (2018, February 8). First glimpse of how genes may cause mental health problems. Retrieved April 15, 2019, from https://www.newscientist.com/article/2160697-first-glimpse-of-how-genes-may-cause-mental-health-problems/

May, J. V. (2018, October 18). Mental Illness Affects the Whole Family | Pine Rest Blog. Retrieved April 14, 2019, from https://www.pinerest.org/mental-illness-affects-whole-family-blog/

Ritter, L. A., & Lampkin, S. M. (2011). Community mental health. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett.