The Effects of Mental Disorders on Family and Friends

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By Kyle Russell

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There are many different kinds of mental disorders, from schizophrenia to anorexia. Mental disorders can affect the mind and the way a particular person behaves as well as their entire lives. Mental disorders can be treated with medication and therapy, but most of the time they never go away. These can be extremely harmful to the person, leading them to starve themselves, hear voices, or even commit suicide. It can especially affect family or the guardians of the mentally disabled person and even close friends. Offspring are more likely to inherit a mental disorder from their parents if it runs in the family or if the parents of the offspring have a mental disorder.

 

Siblings, spouses, or parents of a mentally disabled person often feel guilt, as they feel they are to blame. With siblings, they may feel personal shame or ‘survivor’s guilt’. Siblings can feel embarrassment when being with a mentally disabled brother or sister. They can even feel jealous of a mentally disabled sibling because they get more attention from their parents. This is quite understandable because as little children, we seek attention from our parents.

 

It can be even tougher when a parent with a mental illness has children to take care of. For example, if a parent of a child or children is bipolar (a mental disorder marked by alternating periods of depression and elation), what if that parent forgets or decides to stop taking their medication? They could suddenly become so depressed that they can’t get out of bed to attend to their child’s needs, they could have a manic episode where they become easily irritable, or a parent with schizophrenia could begin to hear voices, telling them that their child is in danger even though they aren’t.

 

Even though it may be tough to deal with. There are numerous ways to make the lives of those diagnosed just a little bit easier. You could get help from a therapist, or other family members. Parents could practice letting their child know that they are not at fault for a mental disorder that a sibling or a parent or a relative has. The parents could help their children to know that they are someone that can help them through it.

 

There are many different malicious mental disease. Some biological, some psychological, and others, environmental. Sometimes people with mental disorders are shunned and ridiculed. You know...called “crazy or psychotic”. They are, of course, not crazy or psychotic. They can’t help that they are just born that way or how life changing events have affected their brain, or how they become depressed during some seasons and not during others. Maybe if we all try to help those who are mentally disabled, then maybe we can learn a little more about them and about ourselves.

 

Works Cited

"Living With Mental Illness: A Guide for Family and Friends." How Mental Illness Affects Family Members. Web. 09 Mar. 2017.

"Parenting." Mental Health America. 08 Oct. 2015. Web. 09 Mar. 2017.