BEING THE FAMILY OF AN INDIVIDUAL WITH CHRONIC MENTAL ILLNESS

Abstract

Most people with mental illness live with their families, and families often fulfill their role as caregivers without any support. Interactions between family members are very effective in the positive development of the mental health and behavior of the individuals and their adaptation to the society. The person interacts with the environment in a psychological sense. With the experiences in the family, both the psychological structure of the person and the psychological structure of the family are shaped. Family members face some difficulties related to the illness of the individual with mental illness. Families of patients experience situations and emotions such as depression, stress, anxiety, worry, fear, shame, guilt, strain, helplessness and hopelessness. Individuals with mental illness, their families, community mental health nurses and psychiatric nurses should act together and cooperate to achieve the goals. When the social and psychological needs of families in their lives are determined and supported, society and family; When people are informed about mental health and diseases, exacerbations in mental diseases will decrease, sick people will be reintegrated into society, and the mental health of family members living with mental illness will be protected. The purpose of this review is to give information about the burdens experienced by the family of the individual with chronic mental illness and the initiatives of the community mental health nurse.