Recovery for Relatives and Carers
Severe and enduring mental health problems have profound effects not only on the person who experiences them, but also on those who are close to them. A mother whose son has psychosis said,
"I'm a very strong woman; you know normally, nobody can keep me down, but over the past five years, I mean I'm just finished".
Stress and anxiety can start long before your relative reaches crisis point - as you try to understand the cause and meaning of unusual behaviours.
You might start to lose hope and meaning in your life as you share in the isolation, helplessness and fear that is often associated with severe and enduring mental health problems.
Relatives and carers of people with mental health difficulties have said that they need to recover too.