What can friends and family do?
In the early stages of psychosis there may be some noticeable signs that family members or friends become concerned about. A person who is experiencing their first episode of psychosis may not understand that they are unwell or may not recognise that they have mental health difficulties. In many cases the person will resist help from others and in this situation; family members may find it difficult to know what to do.
How To Get Help?
Taking the first step is often the most difficult as you become aware that something is not quite right about the way a loved one is behaving. If you suspect that someone may be suffering from mental health problems and you feel they need to get checked out you should attempt to approach that person identifying your concerns. Having an assessment will help to determine whether the problems that have been occurring are regular ups and downs or if they are mental health problems that need specialist help.
In some cases, seeking out professional help is necessary but the first point of contact is your GP as he/she will have an understanding of mental health problems and can identify signs and symptoms. Your GP will be able to assess the situation, make referrals to specialist services and offer support and guidance. Be clear about what has been happening, your GP can make the best decisions about where to go from here if he/she is fully informed of the situation.
How Should I Approach Someone Who Is Unwell?
If you think that someone close to you is suffering from the types of problems that have been described in this website or this has been confirmed by a mental health professional there are some simple tips that can improve the situation for both you and your loved one.
- Try to gain an understanding of their experiences, you will be able to provide the right support if you are fully aware of the situation.
- Be as supportive as possible, the person experiencing psychosis could feel frightened or scared and will need support and reassurance during this difficult time.
- Try to limit the amount of stress that person is subjected to. This may mean providing a calm and quiet environment, reducing the amount of stimulation in the person's immediate surroundings and reducing noise levels.
- Try to be non-judgemental and avoid critical comments as this could worsen the situation. It is not unusual for someone experiencing psychosis to want to spend time alone, if this is happening try to include your loved one in family activities but putting pressure on a person can often yield more negative results than positive ones.
- Be available to talk to the person about what is happening but set clear boundaries about what is reasonable for the family to do to help. For example, it may be helpful to support that person in challenging themselves or their negative ideas but it could be unhelpful to do everything for that person as this may promote dependence.
- It can be helpful for family members to be involved in treatment by developing a partnership with local mental health services. There can be stress involved in caring for a loved one who is unwell in this way and local services can make suggestions about how to combat this.
If you are finding it difficult to cope with what has been happening to a loved one, there are a number of informative websites, public lectures and support groups that could help. Talk to your GP or a Mental Health Professional about your difficulties.
