Watching a loved one struggle with any severe illness is stressful and worrisome, but when a family member has schizophrenia the illness presents special concerns. The stigma surrounding mental illness is a concern. People with mental illness face discrimination, misunderstanding and stigma, and too often, families and parents are blamed for mental illness. Families may internalize this as guilt or resentment.
At the onset of the disease, schizophrenia symptoms may be challenging for family members to cope with. In the early days, the patient's family may be in denial, believing that the illness is something that their loved one just needs to "get over" or "snap out of." Symptoms of schizophrenia are also challenging for family members to deal with, especially at the onset of the disease. In the early days, the family may be in denial, believing that the illness is something that their loved one is doing on purpose, and just needs to "get over" or "snap out of." Symptoms like hallucinations and delusions can be confusing and frightening, and cognitive deficits, fatigue, and disinterestedness can dramatically change personalities, leaving family members to grieve for the loss of the person they knew.
About half of people with schizophrenia cannot recognize that they are sick. This symptom, called anosognosia, has serious consequences. People who don't know that they are sick will not seek treatment. Watching a loved one refuse beneficial treatment can add a layer of heartbreak and frustration for families of people with schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia in the Family: The Caregiver
Each family divides up the tasks of caregiving differently; in the majority of families, parents and step-parents are primary caregivers. But being the primary caregiver also worries about the future: 90 percent of primary caregivers express concern about what their death would mean for the person with schizophrenia in their care.
Caregivers spend much of their time tending to the medical needs of their loved one, often leaving them no time left over to tend to their own needs. Sixty-three percent of caretakers report not having time for themselves, and 55 percent admit that they don't have time to manage their own health. Sacrificing sleep, good exercise and nutrition, and routine visits to the doctor can have lasting consequences for caregivers' physical health. There are mental health consequences for caregivers as well, including an increased likelihood of depression, insomnia, and anxiety.
Schizophrenia can cause relationships within the family to suffer. Family members who do not understand the nature of mental illness may feel embarrassed or ashamed of their sick loved one. Or, the primary caregiver may have no time left to spend with other family members. Partners and other children often feel neglected by the primary caretaker, which can lead to resentment of the person with schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia in the Family: Solutions
Shifting the responsibility from one caregiver to the entire family, and including even younger children in family discussions, can help foster a sense of team involvement; a "we're in this together" attitude can strengthen family ties.
Families need help and deserve care. They may need "vacations" from thinking about schizophrenia and support from other people who have been there. The right support group can help families sort out their initial feelings of guilt, confusion, and anger, as well as hep them and develop techniques to deal with the stresses inherent in having a loved one with schizophrenia. Making time for self-care and support keeps individuals healthy and relationships strong, and can help prevent caregiving burnout in the long run.