Having a relative with a mental illness is not always an easy situation. When that person is our parent, it becomes even more complex, as we have to juggle the parent-child authority relationship as well as the challenges posed by the parent’s illness. A young person in this situation must know how to surround himself or herself with the right people and put strategies in place to maintain a good relationship with his or her father or mother, but also to preserve his or her own health. Our psychologists offer some advice for young people growing up with a parent who has a mental illness.
Mental health problem: a special reality
Mental illness, when experienced by a parent, directly affects the child’s life. In most cases, children begin to see the subtleties of their parent’s mental health problem in their teens. For a child, it is easy to feel helpless in the face of the family situation and to experience a range of emotions, such as anxiety, anger, shame… One may feel alone and not know where to turn for help. In addition, as the child gets older, he or she may develop better cognitive abilities than the parent and realize that he or she is better able to make important decisions than the parent.
Although this is a difficult reality to live with, it is possible to cope with it. This is why our psychologists, who offer online psychological consultation services, wanted to present some general tips.
Tip #1: Learn about the mental health disease
First and foremost, it is important to learn about your parent’s mental illness. This will help you better understand your parent’s reality, emotions, choices, etc. This will help you be better prepared and more confident in dealing with the ups and downs of everyday life. Look for information everywhere: books, video clips on the web, conferences, etc. In addition, there are many support groups for loved ones of people with mental illness.
Tip #2: Speak freely to people you trust
It is essential to surround yourself with trusted friends and family who can support you. Of course, this support includes listening carefully. It is important that you be able to express yourself freely to one or more people close to you. It is perfectly normal for you to experience difficult emotions, but you must absolutely avoid isolating yourself with them. For some people, the support of a psychologist may be relevant, to benefit from the listening and advice of someone outside of family life.
Tip #3: Take care of yourself
If you want to be there for your loved one, make sure you don’t put too much pressure on yourself and forget about yourself. Taking care of yourself includes eating properly, getting enough sleep, and getting regular physical activity. This is very important to maintain good physical health, but also good mental health. In the case of mental health, do not hesitate to seek professional help if you are experiencing emotions or a situation that seems impossible to overcome.
Tip #4: Seek professional help
Mental health professionals are there to provide support to a variety of clients. The loved ones of people coping with a mental health problem can benefit greatly from their guidance in navigating through the difficult parenting situation.
A psychologist can help you respect your own limits and better identify and deal with difficult emotions. In addition, his or her advice can help you better address family issues, one step at a time. The psychologist can also direct his client to relevant resources or support groups that will allow him to meet people who are going through a situation similar to his own. In short, the psychologist’s intervention is designed to help the person better deal with his or her family reality, which will remain a challenge for life.
Approuvé par Francis Desjardins
