How to Help a Person with Schizophrenia

The diagnosis of schizophrenia, a major mental illness, in a loved one can be tough to handle. Helping the person can be equally difficult. It is important not to give up on someone struggling with this illness. It takes patience and love to help a person with schizophrenia.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Understand that caring for a person with schizophrenia can be exhausting emotionally and physically. Set aside time for yourself to relax and collect your thoughts.

2. Become a comfort zone for the person. Let the person know he can come to you with problems or concerns he may have about his illness.

3. Keep the person on a daily routine. This will help put him at ease and live life as normally as possible.

4. Assist the person with medication. Help the person remember when to take the medication and help him stay on it when he wants to stop taking it.

5. Remain patient and calm. Remember: you are there to help, and you cannot help someone with schizophrenia if you can't control your own temper or stay on track yourself.

6. Look into joining a support group. This will help both you and the person you are caring for meet people in the same situation. A support group can be a wonderful emotional help as well as a source of practical information.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep conversations with the person simple and short.
• Research the symptoms of schizophrenia and the side effects of medications.
• Become familiar with laws dealing with treatment and mental disorders.
• Never give up on yourself or the person you are caring for.

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[mariea]

on 12/30/2007 In Illinois, there are so few laws that I think if you went through the courts to do anything you could become bankrupt in minutes. How do I become familiar with these laws without an attorney and does she have to approve power of attorney or do they grant it to you? She has a strong record against her for many, many years. [e-mail]

[mariea]

on 12/30/2007 I have a mother that was diagnosed before I was even born. Now, I am the only one to take care of her and so I got her an apt., clothes, food and she refuses to see or accept that she has this disease. I also , since has does not accept the disease can't get her to see a doctor. In turn I have a very big problem with step #5 and I have inthe past raised my voice towards her. I don't want her to think that I am mad but gee-whiz, the lady spent years on a park bench and does not seem to see what I've done for her. Any help? [e-mail]

[ajitkumar123]

on 5/25/2007 gud article...but these artcle deals wid how to treat other...but i think..the article should be regarding self help..so that one can try to overcome the sotutation by self help...

[Domcd]

on 3/24/2007 A very good article. The public needs more education about this illness. The mental ehalth care system in my state is extremely poor. the laws are vague at best and do not address these issues that patients and families are facing during these trying times. Nothing is gueared towards prevention and a major event has to occur before anyone can get help. At that time the patient is handcuffed to be transported by ambulance. All a person has to say is no and no one will transport them. a relase form will be signed by the patient for the refusal to be transported. People at the scene can talk about what they see happening and no one really hear them out. When the extreme is reach, a family member is in the position to fill out a form 5 so the patient can be involontary admitted. Then again on a first admission the patient is release within the 3 days that this form is good for. The family is told that the mental health judge would release the patient anyway. No good discharge planning is in effect, no meds are given, the patient only has to attend the local community sedrvices offered.At that poing there is no access to a pshychiatris due to the state cutting fundings way down and the mental health clinic only having a 1.5 physhiatrist. A few days later the patient is readmitted to the hospital, a state hospital since there is no insurance involved. The hospital is very old and has very dull surrendings. Then the patient is kept in there only for the reason that a family member has gone above the local mental health clinic and the state hospital to complain. That is when a diagnosis is given altho lesions on the brain are present and no one is pursuing that avenue. From a family member's side, these process are very exhausting with the lack of resources available and dealing with an adult patient that has refused to sign some release forms of information. The mental health system really needs improvement but I will not see anything of this sort happening in the very near future. an yes the state is Illinois ranking 47th on the list with a F
Dom