Families of persons with psychiatric disability: Concerns and way forward

The mental illness of a family member can have profound effects on his/her family. Families are often placed in the position of being the primary caregiver for their ill family member. Families of the mentally ill persons are frequently confronted with the need to deal with problems and requiring practical coping skills. People involved with mental illness note that the family is under a great deal of stress every day. While any member in the family is affected by a serious physical illness, family goes through enormous distress, similarly when someone becomes mentally ill the feelings, emotions and the emotional state of mind is very much different among the family members. Disbelief and denial are the first to appear, followed shortly after by blame and anger. The pointers below will help families to understand the feelings of loss, blame and sorrow are quite normal and that there are ways of overcoming them in time.