How Loved Ones With Mental Illness Affect Their Caregivers [View all]
Living with a mental illness is difficult – not only for the sufferer, but for caregivers, friends and family.
In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk how it can be isolating and disheartening to interact with someone who has depression, dementia or any other mental illness – and they offer some ideas that can help.
One of the struggles in caring for friends and family with mental illness is that we have no idea what we’re really dealing with. Unlike seeing someone with a broken bone, we don’t see mental illness. It's more like a cancer in that it affects the whole family and it lasts for a long time.
Another reason is that it is causing our loved ones to act like someone we don’t know. They may say things that might hurt us or do things out of character. Many times friends and family shut down, turn away and avoid conflict – but avoiding unpleasant interactions can further isolate someone who's suffering. So what do we do?
More at http://kut.org/post/how-loved-ones-mental-illness-affect-their-caregivers .
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