Having a member of your family or a loved one with schizophrenia can be difficult sometimes. It is important that relatives find ways to support their loved one with schizophrenia while maintaining a balanced family life. This not only helps the patient feel better, but also makes dealing with schizophrenia easier for the whole family.
Here are 4 tips that can help you be an effective and supportive schizophrenia caregiver:
- Do some research: Get informed about schizophrenia. Try using online resources to read about the symptoms of the disease and other related topics. Moreover, you can also seek advice from a specialist. Being informed will help both you and your loved one know how to deal with the condition.
- Seek counseling: If you feel that you need to talk about your family member’s or loved one’s condition with a third person, you can get support from a councilor specializing on mental illnesses. The councilor will help you resolve issues that are concerning you and can provide you with useful advice.
- Make your home a safe place: It is very important that you create a supportive home environment for you loved one. People suffering from schizophrenia need to feel safe and supported. Avoid stressful or intense emotional situations at home whenever possible, such as arguments, confrontations, and quarrels.
- Empower them: Try to help your loved one feel strong. It is very important for them to feel safe and powerful enough to deal with their condition. Make them feel that your home is a shelter they can hide in whenever they feel the need to. Make them feel independent and social. This will help them boost their self-esteem and might have a positive effect on the severity of the symptoms they experience.
It’s Mental Illness Awareness Week! Let’s all help raise awareness about mental health conditions.
Do you or a loved one suffer from Schizophrenia? See if you qualify for Segal’s clinical research study on Schizophrenia today!
