How to Educate Others:
You might ask why you should even let anyone know that your child is suffering from
psychosis, never mind educate them. After all, mental illness has carried
with it a significant stigma and fear over the years, and it is a very personal
illness.
Please bear in mind that before discussing your child's illness with others you should attempt
to get "buy-in" from your child with the awareness that the recovery process can be enhanced by knowledge and support
of friends and family members who can respond with the compassion deserved.
In my opinion there are several good reasons for bringing psychosis into
the open and educating others. In fact I consider it to be essential:
- The more people understand, the more they can help the actual recovery process.
- The more people understand, the more they can help dispell the myths and stigma.
- The more people understand, the more chance that funding and research will improve.
- The more people understand the easier it will be for you to bear the burden.
Let's look at these issues in a little more depth.
1. Psychosis affects many, many people. Figures given by the mental health
community show that greater than three percent of the population will experience a psychotic
episode in their lifetime, and about one percent will develop schizophrenia. But what do
most people really know about mental illnesses, and how to handle psychosis? Do they for example
understand that people suffering a psychotic episode are often very scared, disoriented
and are more of a danger to themselves than to others. I believe that quite often when
problems occur, street drugs or attitude and behaviour problems are immediately suspected
rather than a mental illness.
And how effective can it be trying to handle someone when you have a misguided idea
of what the problem is. Instead of distain and discipline, compassion and caring could
be required. (How successful can treatment be if the initial diagnosis is wrong?)
So how does
education help in the recovery process? Psychosis is a neuro-biological condition which occurs
in episodes. Current thinking, backed up by increasing evidence, suggests that early
diagnosis and treatment greatly reduces relapse and the level of permanent damage to the brain.
Accordingly, the more that people understand how to recognise psychosis, about how they can best deal with
someone experiencing a psychotic episode and about what they can do to help, the more they can
assist with the recovery process.
2. We all know the way that mental illnesses have been unfairly portrayed in the film and
news media in the past; Psychotic killers creating fear, institutions full of crazy people
providing laughter and people with multiple personalities betraying our trust. These portrayals
have helped to create myths and stigma's which can seriously impede people who are suffering from
psychosis from re-entering society. Certainly there are often grains of truth or reality upon
which the movies and news reports are based, but the sensationalism and hype betray the more
common sad truths of the real illnesses. For example one of the most common misconceptions
is that schizophrenia means split personality. This is not the case, and only education can help
correct this and other misconceptions. Where does the real problem of the stigma attached to
mental health lie? Unfortunately, it is that many people may hide the fact that they or a family
member suffer from mental illness, and not get the help that is available. Some may be
embarrassed or fearful that people will associate the illness with them, and that they will
be ostracized or treated differently. Let us educate as many people to the truths of mental illness
as we can, so that
sufferers and their families will be able to get all the help and compassion that they
deserve.
3. Illnesses and medical conditions get tremendous funding and research opportunities,
both from the government and the private sector. This funding and research has a large
impact on the levels and quality of treatments and cures. Not all illnesses and medical
conditions receive the same levels of funding, especially from the general population.
The reasons for the different levels of funding are as varied as the illnesses involved. These reasons can be things
like the prevalence of the illness, the severity, the communicability, the cost to the
health care system and a hundred other reasons.
I feel one of the main reasons however, is the 'popularity' or media attention given to the
illness or condition.
By educating more and more people about the truths of mental illness
and the devastation it can cause, especially if it is left untreated, awareness can be
raised and hopefully an increase in funding and research dollars will become available.
4. If people understand the illness and some of the circumstances surrounding it, then
they will be able to understand and allow for inconsistencies in your life. As a parent of a
person
with mental illness your life will be disrupted during times of crisis, you will need to adjust
your schedules or availability. You will not always be operating at your normal level, your
thoughts will be with your loved ones rather than on your job and you may need allowances to
take care of priorities. Employers and co-workers will be able
to understand why you may not always be available or particularly joyful. They will be able
to show caring and compassion instead of impatience and frustration, they will be able to ease
your burden by helping in small ways rather than criticizing.
Just having people aware of why you are the way you are right now is a help in itself.
One of the important considerations of course, is how much do you tell about your personal
situation and to who? With practice and learning you will hopefully uncover novel and
interesting ways to educate people about mental illness without having to let them into your
personal business. Initially you may have to tread carefully because of the stigma's attached
(many of which may only be in your own mind), but remember the statistics quoted at the beginning
of this page; you are not alone and you will find there really are a lot of compassionate and
caring people around you.
I trust my experiences can help and guide you in some of your decisions regarding psychosis.
I
do however counsel you to get medical help from competent professionals who are
up to date with current treatment methods.
If you would like to share your idea's please email pspops@psychosissupport.com
Note: We will only contact you if we decide to use your idea and need clarification.