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Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners
What can family members do to support those with schizophrenia?
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There is no doubt that my mother's schizophrenia has not only affected her, but her surrounding family/friends as well. What type of support can we offer? How can we help? -
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Dr Toni Metelerkamp
Clinical Psychologist, Psychologist
As a humanist, I believe everyone wants and deserves happiness, but life sometimes takes us on unexpected paths, making it challenging to be in the … View Profile
Families can best support the person by trying to understand what schizophrenia is like to live with.
The Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia http://www.mifa.org.au/fact-sheets has lots of useful online information while www.schizophrenia.com has online forums for carers and family members.
Families can be helpful, but you will need to talk to the person while they are well to find out how much support they would like you to provide. Families can help with seeking and understanding treatment and with the development and implementation of an action plan for acute episodes. Familiarise yourself with the early warning signs, for example hallucinations or delusions and be ready to implement the action plan when acute episodes occur. Some useful tips include:
· Stay calm and implement the plan that you developed with the person while they were well. Remember, they will have trouble with insight so it may be a challenging time for you. Don’t take things personally and avoid judging wherever possible.
· Ask how you can help, and where possible do what is asked, as long as it is not counter to the action plan you developed collaboratively.
· Have clear boundaries about safety (your and their safety) and clearly articulate the boundaries to the person.
· Limit external stimuli (for example radio, television and shopping centres)
· Use non-verbal cues to demonstrate support rather than trying to engage in direct eye contact. Be willing to sit with them and just be with them rather than trying to direct them. Give them personal space.
· Be willing to discuss any ideas the person has about self-harm. This can be difficult but a psychologist can help you prepare for this discussion.
· Don’t use logic to talk people out of their delusional beliefs; they are only likely to become more agitated.
Remember to look after you too, there will be an emotional cost to supporting someone with schizophrenia. If possible link in with local groups with whom you can share information. You will need to create a supportive environment and face-to-face groups or online forums are a great way to get support.
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Dr Clive Jones
Counselling Psychologist, Counsellor, Psychologist, Psychotherapist, Sport Psychologist
Dr Clive Jones is a registered psychologist specialising in the assessment and treatment of mental health issues and disorders and High Performance Sport psychology. He … View Profile
This is a very significant and important question. I would like to put a bit of a different spin on my answer, Ultimately, first and foremost, family members need to make sure they look after themselves and not allow themselves to be too overburdened. There are are needs within schizophrenia that require a very broad range of support, depending on the schizophrenia and the severity of it. Family members need to support one another as a way of also being able to support the person with schizophrenia, ensuring that they too are coping and dealing with broader aspects of their life.
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