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Parents of people with serious mental illness have often spent a lifetime caring for the special needs of their children. What type of support do these parents need as they age and have special needs themselves? In families affected by individuals with serious mental illness (SMI), caregiving often falls primarily to the parents.
- Victoria Maxwell
- Stop the power struggles(or judgments) with your daughter or son. How do you do this? Listen to what your adult child is telling you. Don’t correct them, don’t try to change them or convince them.
- Remind them (and yourself) you are both on the same team. But don’t just tell them, show them. Show them by working collaboratively: listen without an agenda; partner in decision-making, set boundaries when necessary.
- Recognize you might not be the best person to help them. It may not be fruitful to say you are on the same team. Sometimes there’s too much animosity, so much trust broken (on both sides) that your adult child only sees you (at the moment) as an enemy.
- Ask your adult child what they need to feel safe. They may not know. They may not be able or want to calm themselves down to express what they need. It may be about helping them learn to calm their anger.
When a friend or family member develops a mental health condition, it’s important to know that you’re not alone. Family members and caregivers often play a large role in helping and supporting the millions of people in the U.S. who experience mental health conditions each year.
Mar 10, 2024 · Parents with mentally ill adult children feel chronically worried and guilty. Parents need help learning how to lovingly engage or set limits. Mentally ill adult children may be more likely...
Feb 25, 2022 · Many studies have documented how mothers negatively react to problems in their adult children’s lives. They experience distress and feelings of failure that can undermine their maternal identity.” 3. “A mother’s self-blame and her internal mandate to protect her children do not disappear as her children age.
NAMI Family Support Group is a peer-led support group for any adult with a loved one who has experienced symptoms of a mental health condition. Gain insight from the challenges and successes of others facing similar experiences.
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In Adults, Young Adults and Adolescents: Confused thinking. Prolonged depression (sadness or irritability) Feelings of extreme highs and lows. Excessive fears, worries and anxieties. Social withdrawal. Dramatic changes in eating or sleeping habits. Strong feelings of anger. Strange thoughts (delusions)
